Tuesday, September 4 On to Paris

This morning we leave our cottage and head to Paris. Our landlady arrives at 10AM, as previously agreed, to check us out. No trust here. She does a walk through and checks the electirc meter to be sure we did not over use. We are under the allowed 8 KWH per day by some 18 KWHs. Did not want to go over since that surcharge of €0.12 per KWH would be a killer; roughly $0.15 each.

We make a brief stop in Clermont-en-Argonne for some photos at the church

before getting on the A4 heading West and South toward Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood. We visit the US cemetery below Belleau Wood

and then drive through the wood where the US Marine Corps added to its fame. In the center are pieces of German equipment and artillery captured during the battle

and the old trees are know as veterans since they are so full of metal, they can't be made into lumber.

There are trails leading all through the woods with brass markers stating the events that took place at that location. Unfortunately, we do not have the time to make these walks and will have to save them for a future trip or a future life.

We have an in-car picnic on the edge of the woods and then proceed on into Paris, stopping on the way to fill up with fuel. Despite the heavy traffic, our trusty GPS leads us right to the door of out hotel on Isle de Saint Louis.

Dick dumps the bags and Carolyn and heads off to get rid of the car near the Louvre. Fortunately he has secured detailed return instructions so he finds the drop off location with no trouble. He parks and then spends some time trying to find the Hertz office to leave the key. They hid it but not well enough and soon he is on the street in front of the Louvre making his way to the bank of the Seine River

and the start of his mile plus walk back to the hotel. This turns out to be a rather pleasant stroll but it is a little warm (76F).

Back at the hotel, we get organized in our small, but very well designed room with a great bath

It is on the top floor under the eves...lots of character. Then we back over to Notre Dame Cathedral where we go inside for photos and are treated to an organ rehersal.  The street crowds are heavy. It may be September but the tourist season is still in full swing.

We have dinner reservations at L’Ilot Vache. It has good writeups on Travel Advisor. We arrive about 7:20PM and are the first ones there but other tables fill up soon thereafter. We both have the €36, prix fixe dinner of a starter, then lamb chops, duchess potatoes, then a nice cheese course and cream brueal for desert. The lamb is a little fatty but the potatoes and dessert are quite good. There is only one waiter in this small restaurant and he is kept hopping but we have a window table and spend our time eating and watching the street crowd flow by us.

By 9PM we are done and window shop our way the two blocks back to the hotel where we fall into bed.