Versailles is closed on Mondays

I thought I should start this post with some very helpful information.

Just to reiterate - the palace of Versailles is closed on Mondays.

   

If you take the 30 minute train out of Paris to Versailles on Monday you can walk around the garden and the grounds until your heart's content.

  However, under no circumstances will they let you view the hall of mirrors or the King's chapel or the Petit Trianon - Marie Antoinette's vacation home from her vacation home.

Dan and I had tried to get out there on Saturday, but when we got to the RER station, there had been an accident at one of the stations before.  They said the trains would be running again in 2 hours.

We toured Notre Dame, which is right outside the station, and popped into Cafe Panis {a favorite from my university days} for a coffee.

We checked in at the station again about 2 1/2 hours after the accident and the trains still weren't running.  Sunday we were meeting up with friends in Paris, so we decided to go Monday.

I completely forgot to check about closures, which is funny, because when I was planning our trip, I checked every other place we wanted to go to.  I guess we'll have to go back, c'est la vie! :)

We packed ourselves a picnic and had lunch in the garden.

The fromager {cheese guy} was closed - which should've tipped me off! - so we ended up just grabbing cheese, and mustard and salumi at the local Franprix.  It was still delicious.  One thing I love about France is their cheese aisle.

The gardens and grounds were amazing.

I felt a bit bad about not being able to go inside.  I've already been a few times, but Dan never had and I knew he'd love it.  He didn't seem to mind though.

While we were having lunch, we noticed a couple taking wedding photos.  What a fantastic idea - to go to Versailles when it's closed and less crowded.  Imagine having wedding photos from Versailles.  How gorgeous.

 Dan thinks I tilt my head when I take photos - but I don't see it.

See more of our trip to Paris {here} and a surprise engagement in Paris {here}

LMF

A Paris Engagement

I was going to post about all the wonderful restaurants and food we had in Paris, but now that all the right people have been told I can finally blog about it and share the photos!  

There was a surprise engagement while we were in Paris!

Congratulations Karisa and Nathan!

Let me start with their sweet love story.

They met one year ago on a flight back from Paris.  They happened to be sitting next to each other on the plane.  She was in yoga pants without any make-up and he couldn't stop talking to her.  She said they talked for the entire 10 hour flight.  They just happened to both be flying home to San Diego.

When he was in Paris last year, he had gone to the Passerelle Solférino, (where lovers clasp a lock to the bridge and throw the key in the river signifying their unbreakable love).  He added his own lock to the bridge and kept the key as a way to signify that he was ready to open his heart and find love.  He then got on the plane home and was seated next to her.  :)

I got the message a few weeks before we left, my friends' boyfriend was going to need a bit of help when we were all in Paris.

We had already planned to meet up with them while we were there.  They were stopping there for one day on their way to an amazing Italian holiday - Venice, a villa in Tuscany for 2 weeks and then Cinque Terre! {I'm so jealous they're still there now.}

Before we left my friend had sent me a rough (but very full) itinerary of what they hoped to do while in Paris for just that one day.  Her boyfriends' message to me requested that I get her to the Passerelle Solférino at 9.30 the morning that we had planned to meet up.  He had booked a photographer to meet us there. {Smart guy!}

My first thought was excitement, my second was, wow that's early!  Luckily due to her packed schedule she had no problem meeting up early.

We met up at their hotel and hopped on the RER towards the Musée d'Orsay under the guise that we were taking a morning walk through the jardin des Tuileries on our way to Angelina (a delicious tea salon I highly recommend).

When we got to the bridge, as planned, Dan and I hung back and started taking photos of the view.

 Nathan gave Karisa the key and told her how important it was to him and asked her to help him search for the lock.  They searched for a while but couldn't find it.  (I think the French cut off the locks to make room for more.)

Karisa at one point thought that we must really like the view since we were taking so many photos. She never even noticed the guy stealthy taking photos of them.

When Nathan realized they weren't going to find the lock, he got down on one knee and proposed.

My knees were literally shaking from excitement.  I think Dan and I were more nervous than he was!

I think she was surprised.  She was completely speechless and she's never speechless.

Dan was excited for them too.

We celebrated at Angelina with their to-die-for hot chocolate and coffee and pastries.

Afterwards, we headed up to Montmartre to walk around the Sacré-Coeur and the artists square, place du Tertre.

We headed back and grabbed lunch on rue du Buci, in St. Germain and walked around jardin du Luxembourg.  {I told you it was a packed day!  They had a lot they wanted to see in the one day they were there.}

The day was gorgeous, so the garden was filled with people.

Danny and I had our own photo opportunity in the garden.

When he dipped me, but then dropped me!

  I think he underestimated how tired my feet were.
I took full advantage when he leaned me back. :)

On the walk to dinner.

Congratulations again to Karisa and Nathan!

She's quite literally my oldest friend.  When my mom had just had me and was still in the hospital, her mom called to tell her congratulations and announced that she was pregnant.

Thank you so much for letting me share in such a wonderful moment in your lives.  I love you both!

See more of our trip to Paris {here}.

LMF

Paris

I can't believe we're back already.  I don't know why I thought six days would be enough time in Paris.  At least I had those six days there though.

Returning home from Paris always makes me want to be better.  Does anyone else have a place like that?  I always feel rejuvenated and motivated to be a better me after I've spent time in Paris.

I want to practice my french more, plan more trips abroad, eat more fresh foods, leave the car at home and walk more, brush my hair more often for photos...

{in front of my old apartment building - 56, blvd de la Tour-Maubourg - I wish I could've remembered the code to have a peak inside!}

I think my favorite part of the trip was seeing Dan's reaction to my favorite Paris sites, foods, places, everything.

{I was thrilled that he loved the Musée Rodin - one of my favs}

We woke up each morning and had coffee and croissants.  Dan was shocked how much better they were in Paris. (Seriously, how do they do it?! - the boulangeries are so much better there.)

We'd leave the flat in the morning and walk all over the city, returning in the afternoon for a rejuvenating nap and then back out for dinner and nightlife.

We found a flat on airbnb - which I highly recommend.  It was much more affordable than a hotel and we had a much larger space for our money (this may only apply to Paris and other $$$ cities).

{a sweet little courtyard we walked by everyday when leaving our flat - I love how there are so many of these all over Paris - most hidden behind the large street doors}

{pensive at St. Chapelle}

{being weird together - I think that's love}

{daily afternoon café - helps with jet-lag too}

{at the Louvre - apparently I packed a lot of polka dots}

{there's something about a Paris sky}

{in love with the doors at Notre Dame - Parisian buildings have the most amazing details}

I'll post later this week about our favorite restaurants and eateries.  There were so many good ones!

What are you favorite things to see in Paris?  Or if you haven't been, what would you most wish to see there?
I'm always curious what other people think of Paris.

A bientôt.

LMF