But first, the HyperMarche, in Auchon!
We awoke refreshed today, finally, and felt like we could conquer anything. So, why not the biggest grocery store in all of Europe? The HyperMarche!
Unfortuately, my iphone's computer directions were using the names of the roads. Paul had previously looked on www.googlemaps.com and got instructions with the road numbers. The reality: numbers were small, and road names very hard to find...perhaps because they were placed on buildings, hard to see from the car. We are used to road signs on the corners, with names and bigger fonts.
Finally found the SuperMarket! They charge one Euro for a grocery cart, and give you a Euro back when you return the cart. Rather a civilized method: all the carts are returned to the same spot, not all littered about the parking lot, and no one seems to be removing the carts for shelter etc.
Of course, we still hadn't converted any money to Euros, so had no coins that would work! We went shopping with just our bags, borrowed from our French friends' car (they don't actually provide grocery bags in much of Europe, making the Europeans ahead of us environmentally, and their trunks lined with grocery bags). This worked to my advantage, as I tired of the shopping experience I was able to hasten the situation by "weighing" down Paul, ie handing him all the bags, with bottles, etc and he tired.
We finally got out of the Marche by 5:30 (17:30) and 115 euros, not bad considering we had about 6 bottles of wine and a bottle of Baileys!
Decided to not cook, after all that, and headed over to the Tour Eiffel to a recommended restaurant of the FF's: Le Cafe du Hommes. It turns out this was a bit pricey, but with a fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower. And in a Museum that is (remember, August!) closed. I think a maritime Museum, right, in Paris. Water fountain in front, dry (except for small pools of water from the earlier rain -August, why run a water fountain?).
In Versailles, we figured out that outdoor dining (terrace) was attractive to smokers, the less expensive the restaurant the more smokers. So coming back from Versailles, we had stuffed noses, and smelly clothes. From Le Cafe du Hommes, not so much. There were other very appealing restaurants around the roundabout, with good prices and wonderful smells, but smokers everywhere. Paul concluded that smokers likely do not like outdoor restaurants when it is raining, obviously, so another reason the terrace at Cafe du Hommes wasn't filled with smokers. We will use what we've learned as we go forth and eat in public!
Heard that the high speed trains only take 3 hours to the south of France so we will be exploring that option. Will need a place to stay, should try to do that in advance, or not? Probably not, will see how much that bothers these travelers.
Oh! Our French Friends have emailed, and have had a bit of trouble getting the cats in at night, bugger cats! But did succeed, indeed we were told that Chantal the youngest was awakened with a kiss from the naughty Lea this morning, how charming!
They wanted to know where the litter box was, oh no! Hopefully no one closed the closet door, and the cats decided on a nearby plant to you know what.
They went shopping at Safeway and got a membership card. We got one from the HyperMarche/Auchon, and are promised a discount next shopping experience. Which is a tidy discount at Safeway, sometimes 10%. Glad for them and hope for us.
'till next blog, Maia, Paul, Victoria and the last of the rain....
Glad to hear you are having a great time! Love your posts! Karen
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