Chez Plumeau

30 March 2008

On our familiar walk down Rue Caulaincourt (18eme)we pass a number of estate agents. Today we noticed that one of these had digital displays of places being advertised. While the text remained constant, the images cycled through the various rooms; not unlike the digital frames for pictures which we've seen in Australia for the past few years. We thought it was a rather clever way of advertising, rather like an automatic Powerpoint presentation of property. Virginia was so taken with it that she was prepared to dash in and pay down on one of the apartments - until the price appeared and we decided that 700,000 euros for a bedsit was more than we could afford!

For lunch today we went to one of our favourite places, Chez Plumeau which is located just off the Place de Tertre in Montmartre. The restaurant is in a building that was once an inn and later a cabaret. In the past when we have dined there, it has been difficult getting a seat but we have always managed to dine on the terrace while being serenaded by a double-bass player. No such problem today! It is cold and teeming with rain and the fact that we were eating somewhat later meant that we had no problem getting a table. The double-bass player was absent from his usual place outdoors and we opted to dine inside in most salubrious surroundings.

Something that has always bothered us in France is how a nation so devoted to its gastronomy can smoke while eating - and believe us, they do. We have watched people puffing on cigarettes between bites of food. Well, Paris dining and drinking is now smoke free thanks to legislation and as non-smokers, we applaud this. The food tastes better and the whole atmosphere is far more pleasant. We might add that the same thing has taken place, as we mentioned in an earlier letter, in England.

Monsieur Vaucanson, a friend of the owner of the apartment in which we stay, holds the spare key. We have gotten to know him quite well and he has been very helpful and charming on previous ocassions. But he is French! This morning at 11.30am, Virginia went up to collect the second key, taking with her a small gift we had brought from Australia for Monsieur. On answering the door he was welcoming and gracious but made it very plain that an appointment had not been made for the transfer of the key; it was Sunday, he was not yet fully dressed and would contact us at his convenience. Ooh-la-la! Tres Francais!

Of course, we had to work out our dinner and decided that having had a large lunch we should "graze." Obvously, when one grazes in France, one has ham, cheese, a baguette and a bottle or two of wine. We bought most of the goodies at Monoprix but the wine at one of the many lovely wine shops in our neighbourhood.

Another interesting phenomenon is that a number of picturesque thoroughfares, such as Rue Lepic in Montmartre, are closed off to major vehicular traffic, allowing only pedestrians, cyclists and residents between 11.00am and 6.00pm. A much better system than building shopping malls!