The day started out with the weather we wanted – glorious sunshine and temps rising into the high 40’s, maybe even to the low 50’s. We said “bon voyage” to ten of our friends at the beginning of the day.   I was sad to see them go but happy that we had met.   Some of us picked up our morning coffee at Starbucks. But one or two of the group think it is heresy to patronize them (in Paris at least)  and got their morning fix elsewhere.    Today our plans are to go over to St. Sulpice and then for what would be an even better meal than we had on Thursday night.

The weather today is like it should be in January so we took the 10 minute walk over to St. Sulpice. You might recall the church from the book and movie, The Da Vinci Code.    The movie was not actually filmed there (they could not get permission, of course).   The former prime meridian does indeed run through the center of the church. The Baroque church is almost identical in size to that of Notre Dame. More importantly it contains a grand, grand organ – one of the best in the world from what I understand. I was at Mass this morning to hear the organ and the short concert by the famed organist Daniel Roth afterwards.    After Mass, people lined up to climb the organ loft to watch and listen to the master.    On line were people from all over the world – New Zealand, Germany, Italy, the U.S. for instance.    What a treat it was to hear this glorious instrument in this gigantic church.

By the way, we were lucky enough to be there on St. Sulpice Day.   Refreshments, including a sweet wine, were served after Mass.   I always recommend going to church services when traveling.   One reason is obvious, the other one is that there is usually an opportunity to socialize with others and perhaps gain some travel tips. Last February for instance, I attended a Quaker Meeting in Paris and received some very good advice on where the best Sunday markets in Paris were.

I suggested that we go over to a place I had lunch at last February.   We went over to rue de Princesse to Bistro d’Henri.   By the way, rue de Princesse and the surrounding streets are quite interesting.   There is the Village Voice of Paris bookstore located there.   There is an Irish bar and some small, purely French restaurants. Also, some local, privately owned specialty shops can be found.    I definitely recommend it as a place to spend a couple of hours and to have a nice cozy dinner.

Anyway, getting back to Bistrot d’Henri . To say it is a family concern is an understatement.     We met the two brothers who run the restaurant. We said hello to their mother.   The wife of one of the owners briefly chatted with us.   The daughter made our day as she waved to us with her binky still in her mouth.   We were treated almost like house guest with a complimentary Kir for each of us.   The owner went over the menu carefully with us (nothing is written in English).   One of the nice things about dining with several people (and feeling comfortable with them after a week) is that we tasted each other’s dishes.     I know I said on Thursday that my dinner at Bouillon Racine was the best, but Bistrot d’Henri topped it. We started with terrines and soups.   The main course of penne with foie gras was an unusual, but effective combination.   The scallops are in season and I hate to use clichés, but they did melt in your mouth.   The liver was prepared in such a way that it was not overwhelming or heavy. And oh, those potatoes.   The recipe would be worth millions on the open market!

I glanced at my watch – it was 2:20.   I had to run back to my hotel, pick up my bags and rush off to the hotel.    I hugged my travel companions and said goodbye.   Sometimes quick goodbyes are the best. 

I took the RER train back to CDG.   It is about a half hour ride.   My advice to you would to be careful – tourists stick out like a sore thumb and I felt that if anyone was going to be targeted by a pick pocket or scam artist, it would be me.   Fortunately, the half hour ride was uneventful.  

I was taking a 5:50 p.m. flight.   CDG is relatively empty at that time.   Check-in was a breeze and going through security was not a problem.   For the first time in years, my carry-on luggage was not opened and inspected. However, I understand it is a different story earlier in the day.

Random notes:   I don’t know how much the meal was at Bistrot d’Henri.   I had to bolt to catch my plane.   I suspect it was under 30 euros each.   I will send my dining mates my share of the bill with a check in the mail.   Walking around Paris on a Sunday morning is a pleasure – empty streets, no traffic.   I never used the busses all that much in Paris because the extensive network can be difficult to figure out. However, I found a “touriste” bus map on the web that shows a simplified map with the more common routes that you and I would take. Free wireless internet access can be found at most McDonald’s restaurants.