Outside Paris.
Yes, as I’ve shown, Paris has so much to offer. But, as many of you have noted, some places can be very crowded and, if you are looking for spectacular sights with no crowds, you needn’t look far.
The first day after we arrived in Paris, Mark and I took the train to Chartres (about an hour from Montparnasse station). Doing that at the outset may seem a little crazy, but we were able to relax on the train, and then completely enjoy our time in the historic town and especially in the cathedral. The Cathédreal Notre-Dame de Chartres is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and we felt as though we were almost alone inside. There were, perhaps, twenty other people there, but it felt like five.
If you are in Chartres for lunch, we highly recommend Le Cochon Dingue (The Crazy Pig), a small restaurant that at first seems like a delicatessen with no seating. Once inside, though, the space goes deep in and down among vaulted cellars in a very old building with unbelievable charm. It is run by a mother and son, and it is comforting, quirky, and sophisticated all at the same time. We sipped Kirs Violettes, had a first course of Croquant foie gras, fruits sec (pictured below). Our main course was Blanquette de merlu, sauce aux épinards (fish in coconut milk over creamy turmeric spinach).
After two weeks in Paris and a week in Tours, we took the train north from Paris to Montsoult in the Val d’Oise for our last night before flying home. There we had a lovely visit with friends Vincent and Sylvie. I met Vincent in the 1980s on an airplane, and last saw him and Sylvie with their first son in 1992. 32 years have flown by. After a delightful quinoa salad for lunch prepared by Sylvie, Vincent took us on a tour of several spectacular sites in the Département de Oise. He promised that we would see beauty equal to Paris with no crowds. He was right.
Our first stop was the town of Saint-Germer de Fly, in the western part of the Oise. There, we visited the 12th-century abbey (above) and its attached 13th-century funerary chapel, aptly named Sainte-Chapelle (below); it is in the same late-gothic style as Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, but without the sumptuous interior decoration and colorful windows. However, like its Parisian counterpart, it took my breath away when I entered. We spent nearly an hour in there and, during all that time, we were the only people there.
Next, we headed to Beauvais to see the Cathédrale de Saint-Pierre — the tallest gothic cathedral in France (47 meters, 156 feet, an interior almost as tall as the towers of Notre Dame de Paris). Though incomplete, it was truly amazing to be there with very few people. Its height is astonishing, though it gave the builders quite a few engineering problems during construction. Markipedia and Vincent (both history-minded men) pointed out the way the arches and vaults had been redesigned and rebuilt to support the height. Inside there is a 19th-century Astronomical Clock; its 52 dials display the times of the rising and setting sun and moon, the position of the planets, the current time in 18 cities around the world, and the tidal times. Beauvais is connected to the ancient Romanesque church (Église Notre-Dame-Basse Œuvre de Beauvais) that stands where the nave of Beauvais would have been had the cathedral ever been completed.
From the tallest, we next visited one of the smallest in the region at half the height of Beauvais: the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Senlis. We wandered through the cathedral, marveling at its windows, the details carved in the capitals and on columns, and the faint remains of medieval painted finishes. There was but one couple sharing the space with us.
Across the street, we stumbled upon the remains of the Château Royal de Senlis, the home of Hugues Capet, who was crowned first king of the Francs (note: not the king of France), beginning the Capetian Dynasty whose heirs ruled for 800 years. Thus, Senlis became a royal city. It was fun to walk among the ruins and try to piece together how the old castle would have been at the turn of the 11th century.
Our final visit that day was a complete surprise — Vincent brought us to see the Château de Chantilly which is, though very large, dwarfed by its stables. We walked around the manicured grounds only for a bit as the lingering northern twilight was approaching, the château closed, and we had a spectacular dinner awaiting us at home.
Sylvie made a beautiful spread for apéro — so much so that Mark thought it was dinner. Every bite was delicious, but my favorite was a curried tuna salad verrine topped with peaches. Verrines are little glasses filled with wonderful things, like Sylvie’s tuna; I did a post about verrines many years ago, and you can expect my attempt at Sylvie’s version soon. For dinner, she made a fantastic chili con carne, followed by a light ricotta pudding with berries. Once again, I was so mesmerized by the food that I neglected to take any photos. Some food blogger! But here is a nice shot of the four of us; we hope it’s not another 32 years before we share a meal. Many thanks to Vincent for the wonderful tour, to Sylvie for the fantastic meals, and to them both for their warm hospitality.
Next up in a couple of weeks: Tours (Loire Valley)
~ David
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Mimi Rippee
July 11, 2024 at 6:22 amWow. A tour of Paris with no crowds. Amazing. So nice you’ve kept in touch. Beautiful photos. I love that the food in Paris is so multi-cultural.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 11, 2024 at 7:28 amThe food really was fantastic! And finally, with my next post, you’ll see some food photos! We were both so pleasantly surprised about the beauty we found outside Paris.
Mad Dog
July 11, 2024 at 6:46 amStunning pictures, especially of the churches and architecture in Oise. It looks like you found a delightful reastaurant too!
Have you seen the news today? The spire on Rouen Cathedral caught fire! Fortunately they managed to put it out.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 11, 2024 at 7:29 amOh, no! We hadn’t seen the news, but I’m so glad they were able to put the fire out. When Notre Dame burned, we both cried. It was so nice to see it being built so beautifully.
We both said we definitely want to go back and spend more time in Oise. The ultra we get, the more we like small towns and cities.
Mad Dog
July 12, 2024 at 5:16 pmAfter three and a half years in Paris, I definitley prefer rural France. I particularly love Roussillon and the other French Pyrenees areas above Cataluña and Aragon.
David Scott Allen
July 16, 2024 at 7:35 amWe love Roussilon. These days we only travel by train and are fortunate that many small villages are accessible by rail.
Barb
July 11, 2024 at 7:41 amSublime architecture, perfectly captured in your photos! I almost feel like I was there. How wonderful that you could visit your friend again after 32 years. The food sounds wonderful, looking forward to your version of some of the dishes.
David Scott Allen
July 16, 2024 at 7:37 amThanks, Barb. We loved seeing them – good friends last forever! The architecture of the region is truly beautiful. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Recipes coming soon!
Tom Buchanan
July 11, 2024 at 8:01 amDavid, thank you for this wonderful gift.
I was reminded of a friend from many years ago, who suffered a horrible personal tragedy while living and working in Niger.
In those days, telephone service was so expensive and so full of echoes and static that we just decided to meet in Paris and then fly back to his home in the Sahara.
He had been through so much. Our first day in Paris, we decided to do what you did – and took the train to Chartres. We had lunch in a fantastic tiny restaurant and when he was finished, the waiter asked if there was anything else. Yes, there was. I have the whole meal repeated right there and then.
At first, I was shocked, then I realized that if I had been living as he had for the previous couple of years, I might have done the same thing.
I very much admire the fact that you are a gourmet. I’m also grateful that there is still room in this world for the occasional gourmand.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 16, 2024 at 7:45 amI’m glad this brought back memories both bitter and sweet, Tom. And, yes, your words were easily understood! Thanks!
Tom Buchanan
July 11, 2024 at 8:03 amSorry, I inadvertently hit send before I proofed and edited. I hope you can make sense of my yammering.
Inger
July 11, 2024 at 10:00 amI was almost literally roflol when you said you were so mesmerized by the food you forgot to shoot it. So been there! Interesting on the lack of crowds at Chartres–that was even included on my high school French class tour. Looking forward to the verrine recreation–what a marvelous day you had!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 16, 2024 at 7:47 amGlad I gave you a laugh, Inger – but it’s true! I’m much more interested in eating the food than snapping a picture. I’ll work on the verrine soon!
angiesrecipes
July 11, 2024 at 10:24 amStunning pictures of Paris! The Cathédrale looks just as great as cathédrale de cologne.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 16, 2024 at 7:48 amThere are some similarities in the two buildings — we even said so when we were there. Thanks, Angie!
Jill W Becker
July 14, 2024 at 3:23 pmStunning photos and a wonderful dialogue.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 16, 2024 at 7:42 amThanks so much, Jill!
sherry
July 16, 2024 at 1:07 amas you may know, hubby is a building designer so architecture is a huge part of our lives. I just love these beautiful buildings!! How gorgeous. Did I really see that the French menu has a crumble (or 2?) on their dessert menu? It’s a bit small so i wasn’t sure if that is what i read. How amusant :=)
cheers
sherry (I had not heard of the Rouen fire either!)
Cocoa & Lavender
July 16, 2024 at 7:40 amIt is a stunning region—I was blown away. And crumbles? They are very popular in France – both savory and sweet.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
July 16, 2024 at 2:12 pmYeah, crowds and tourists are not fun LOL. That’s why during our recent trip, we did spend just a little time in places like Amsterdam or Brussels opting for something smaller and less crowded around these towns. Your trip sounds like a lot of fun – gorgeous sites and architecture!
Raymund
July 16, 2024 at 7:53 pmDavid, your exploration of Parisian gardens is truly enchanting! From the elegance of Jardin de Luxembourg to the vibrant colors of Monet’s Giverny, each garden seems to hold its own story and charm. Your vivid descriptions reminded me of the last time I visited them! Nice photos too
Raymund
July 16, 2024 at 7:53 pmOoops wrong place to comment, it was for your part four 🙂
Valentina
July 31, 2024 at 2:21 pmBeautiful, David. I look at stained glass windows in a whole new light (no pun intended), having sorted through my mom’s collection so carefully. Nothing quite as extravagant as this though! Fun to travel through your photos and learn so much. I’ve been watching much of the Olympics so I’ve had Paris on my mind. ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
August 1, 2024 at 8:23 amThe Olympics have been wonderful so far. So much camaraderie and kindness among the athletes from different countries. Politicians could learn a lot from this, couldn’t they!? I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the posts of Paris and beyond.