Paris is hot, hot, hot ….

Paris is very hot, muggy and extremely busy.  It’s been a long, long while since I was last on holiday in Paris and I’m quickly reminded that:

• Parisiennes go on holiday in August, much like our Christmas break, so many cafes and shops are closed. However, thankfully everything in the tourist areas like Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Latin Quarter are open.
• Many Paris sightseeing attractions are closed one day a week, e.g. the Louvre closes on Tuesday and Versailles on Monday.
• Cafes and restaurants often close one day a week as well, so it’s wise to check opening and closing times.

I came across a great patisserie in Rue Montorgueil. It turns out that La Maison Stohrer is one of Paris’s oldest and most revered patisseries and caterers.  Much as I try to work out its opening hours, it didn’t seem to have business hours posted anywhere.  However, Travel Signposts has a post on La Maison Stohrer’s interesting history in the link below.

The Parisiennes may well have all gone on holidays, but they have been replaced many times over by tourists.  Paris is very, very busy so be prepared to queue everywhere. I pre-purchased tickets to Versailles, but still had to queue for nearly an hour to get in.

Our Paris apartment was great for basing ourselves. It’s so much bigger than a hotel room, with a washing machine and room to dry clothes plus free phone calls to landlines in several countries.

Cathy Crowley (Guest blogger)

Read more on La Maison Stohrer, Paris HERE