Musee Jacquemart-Andre

September 27

The morning was spent waiting for the plumber.  Madame Galperine called around 9 to say that the plumber had to pick up the part but would be here in the morning.  When he still wasn’t here but 11:30, I thought we’d be stuck waiting around in the afternoon, but two plumbers arrived around 11:45. They had come on motorcycles in the rain and were carrying their toolboxes and the reservoir for the toilet. 

I hadn’t thought the problem was the toilet but a new meter on the pipe, as that’s where the water had been dripping from.  The two plumbers were obviously the journeyman and the helper (the one who had been here before).  More oohs and tsks as the journeyman looked at the bathroom.  From what I could tell, the helper had said he needed a 20-20 piece but he really needed a 20-25 piece, though I don’t know what piece they were talking about.

The journeyman began to look through his bag where everything was loose and he was combing through hundreds of small tools and nuts and bolts looking for that 20-25. They were pretty quick installing the replacement toilet and then the journeyman called someone and there was lots of heated conversation.  I couldn’t catch most of what he was saying but he was talking about how he chose this because the other was so expensive.  Anyway, they packed up after assuring me that it was all fixed and we were finally free.

We headed out for Musee Jacquemart-Andre on Blvd. Haussmann.  This was a private residence of Nellie Jacquemart and Eduard Andre to house the art they collected.  He was the heir to a banking family and she was a society painter.  Every year they would travel to Italy and collect art.  The house is filled with paintings, frescos brought back from Italy, furniture and statues.

The house is a marvel but it boggles the mind how one couple could amass such a collection. They have Bouchers in the entry, Uccellos, Mantegnas and Botticellis in the Italian room and three (3!!) Rembrandts in the library. Not to mention the paintings by Reynolds, Gainsborough, Franz Hals, Van Dyck, etc.

In our never-ending quest for good food, we had brunch in the tea room. We had quiche, salad and a pastry.  April and I both had the raspberry tart.  It was very good, but unexpected in its construction. It had a shortbread-like base and fresh raspberries on top, but the middle was Chantilly cream.

After leaving the museum, we wanted to go to Le Nain Bleu, a toystore that had been in business for more than a hundred years. We were standing outside a Metro station looking at the map and a woman came up and asked if we needed help. I explained we wanted to go to the Madeline station but that I couldn’t figure out how to get there without several changes. She said yes, it was difficult on the Metro but close to walk to. We were to go down the road to rue Fauberg Saint Honore and then turn left on that street and walk to the Metro.

We are so happy she gave us these instructions. Fauberg Saint Honore is one of the most exclusive streets for fashion, art galleries and the Elysee Palace where the French President resides.  We sauntered along in our comfortable shoes and looked in the windows of Prada, Gucci, Chanel, and others. We found Rue Royale and the Madeline Metro, but couldn’t find Le Nain Bleu. We did come across a Maille mustard store at Place Madeline, but they hadn’t heard of it.  After walking all around Place Madeline, we found Rue Malesherbes, but when we got to the store, it was closed with large “a louer” signs.  In business since 1836 and they shut up shop just before we get there!

We then decided to take the Metro back to the apartment and determine what our next move would be.  We thought about taking a bus tour of the city after dark, but the only ones I could find had to pre-ordered on line.

We then decided to go out for supper.  Not that we were hungry, but it would be along time until breakfast!  We decided we would try to get into Le Chatier. This is a restaurant that was opened in 1896 and has had only 4 owners. It was designed as a place to give a real hot meal to working people.  The menu is simple and they place people where they can fit them.  Although the line-up was long, we didn’t have to wait long. The maître d sat us at a table with a single woman.

I stumbled through introductions and found out she was here on a business trip and lives in Nice. She had been to Calgary and Banff. She helped us with the menu. She had the daily special, which was a beef stew that smelled heavenly. However, when we wanted to order, it was all out. The waiter recommended entrecote, which is beef. This showed up as a steak with a pat of herbed butter on it, and French fries. The steak was very good.  Our female co-diner had been finishing when we arrived, so when she left, they seated a man and a woman.

April and I always disagree about the make-up of these couples.  She always thinks they are father and daughter, but I always think they are older man / younger woman couples.  We haven’t been able to prove who is right, but it probably says something about each of our perspectives!

After a tea and rice pudding for me and an espresso for April, we were off. 

Tomorrow is our last full day in Paris. We will be going to the Musee D’Orsay and will maybe take a boat trip on the Seine.