September 2016 - USA, France
France | Paris | Port de l'Arsenal-La Bastille | Artemis in final wintering berth
September 30, 2016
All Depp arrived tonight finally so we are tied alongside her now for the winter. Unfortunately she didn't arrive yesterday afternoon as we were told. It was a beautiful afternoon and we spent it waiting for her to arrive. Tuesday and Wednesday we worked on the starboard teak toe rail and it looks pretty good! We wanted it done before All Depp arrived because it is now shaded most of the day and it would be harder to dry. Now we'll have to look for a nice two day weather window and do the port toe rail. Yesterday we went on a 6 mile hike around town. We went to a fantastic piano recital at Espace George Bernanos near Gare Lazare. Great walking through these neighborhoods again. Some wonderful selection of music based on folksongs and dances by Chopin and Lizet. We went to the Louvre and renewed our membership so now we are ready for our many visits. Nice walk back to the boat.
France | Paris | Port de l'Arsenal - La Bastille | Artemis along the quay and park
France | Paris | Notre Dame Cathedral
September 27, 2016
Al finished up the teak decks today with teak sealer. Next touching up the teak rail and eyebrow. Yesterday we worked in the morning and then went for a picnic lunch in gardens at Notre Dame Cathedral. We like to pick up a fresh baguette and brings ham, cheese, tomato and fruit to enjoy outside with this lovely weather. Enjoyed the street musician as we ate.
France | Paris | the Pantheon
France | Paris | Luxembourg Gardens and Luxembourg Palace
France | Paris | Luxembourg Gardens
France | Paris | Hotel de Ville
We then crossed the river and went by the Pantheon on our way to Luxembourg Gardens. We went inside last year. Pantheon is the crypt for well known French figures Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, Alexander Dumas... Perfect Fall weather. We people watched for an hour or so in the gardens. No little sailboats today. The flowers are still gorgeous and the palm trees and other summer decorative shrubs are still in place. I suppose they'll be moving them inside soon for the winter. Lovely evening so we grilled some chicken pieces.
France | Paris | Promenade Plantee - walkway above Avenue Daumesnil
After morning work today we ran some errands. First I went to the grocery store and had to come back home for some money! Hmmmm guess I always have Al along to pay. Then after lunch we decided to walk the Promenade Plantee and go to the hardware store. I had to go back after the camera and then nearly to the Promenade Al remembered he hadn't switched over his wallet. So back to the boat Al went while I waited. Half hour later he still hadn't returned. Turns out the marina was moving a boat alongside us and fortunately Al showed up to protect Artemis. One way to get our extra steps in. We were a bit disappointed with the Promenade Plantee as last Spring there were so many flowering shrubs, trees and flowers. It's still a lovely shaded walkway above the streets along the old railway bed but few flowers this time of year. . Lots of people walking, jogging or stopping to eat lunch on one of the many benches along the way. We plan to grill again tonight. Just love this sunny warm weather!
September 25, 2016
Fun to be back in Paris. We went to mass at St. Josephs Church near the Arc de Triomphe this morning. We were surprised to see no traffic on Champs Elysees. Evidently in was a Europe wide Day without Cars event to reduce smog. We enjoyed the quiet walk down the avenue to Concorde. We stopped in Tuileries Garden for an apple snack enjoying the birds. Unfortunately is started to sprinkle so we thought it best to head back to the boat. We walked through the Louvre courtyards and made it to Hotel de Ville before we called it quits and hopped on a train. Who would have thought those beautiful morning skies would bring rain! So no umbrellas or raincoats.
France | Paris | Arc du Triompe
France | Paris | Tuileries Garden
France| Paris | Tuileries Garden | starlings
France | Paris | Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
France | Paris | Louvre Museum
France | Paris | Place de Concorde fountain
France | Paris | Louvre Pyramid
September 24, 2016
Another beautiful morning. We were out on the river by 0715. Very interesting traveling along St. Denis Island as very large and some very decrepit looking live aboard barge boats are rafted 3 and 4 deep. Kind of like a "shanty town" At one point Al wasn't sure if we could make it through. Obviously the normal river traffic went down the other side of the island.
France | River Seine | Paris | Suresnes Locks| Artemis exit locks La Defense behind
France | River Seine | Paris | La Defense | skyscrapers of Paris
We reached our final river lock at Suresnes just after La Defense, Paris about 1030. Now comes the fun part of the trip traveling through Paris. Lots of choppy waves because of river traffic and areas busy with sailing, rowing, kayaking, and water skiers on this beautiful Saturday morning. So Al was busy dodging crazy frenchmen out having fun while I snapped away at the sights.
France | River Seine | Paris | Artemis Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower
France | River Seine | Paris | d'Orsay Museum
France | River Seine | Paris | Louvre Museum
France | River Seine| Paris | Ile de la Cite | Notre Dame Cathedral
France | River Seine | Paris | Ile de la Cite | Notre Dame Cathedral
France | River Seine | Paris | Entrance off river to locks for Port de l'Arsenal-Bastille
First the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, museums awesome bridges, Notre Dame and then finally the entrance and lock to our marina Port Paris-de l'Arsenal- La Bastille.
France | River Seine | Port de l'Arsenal-La Bastille | Crack bottle of champagne
France | River Seine | Paris | Port de l'Arsenal-La Bastille | Toast Arrival
We arrived about 12:15 and are alongside the quay until All Depp the boat we were moored alongside last winter returns. Out came the champagne (gift from Bob and Janice) and we toasted the end of our 11th cruising season living aboard Artemis and to our future adventures.
France | River Seine | Chatou Locks
Sept. 23, 2016
Finally a no fog morning and we got an early start up river about 0720, We didn't have to wait for the Andresy lock which was great! But our next lock at Bougival was another story. We kept calling the lock keeper but no answer and the double red lights indicated he wasn't preparing a lock for us. Finally we decided to take an alternate channel to Chatou locks 4km further. We had to wait 15min for lock to open. We got situated and a long barge came in opposite us and another pleasure boat behind. Then the lockmaster told us to move 30m ahead as a Cruise boat was coming! Not fun and now we were situated in the front of the lock where most of the surging waves occurs as the lock fills.
France | River Seine | Rueil-Malmaison | Artemis overnight pontoon
France | River Seine | Rueil | fountain above the pontoon
Oh well finally out and on our way only now we had to travel 4km down the island then 4km back up the other side to the island to get to our stopping place for the night at Rueil-Malmaison. Beautiful pontoon and lovely evening. We grilled steaks and plan to head 45km to our final destination in Paris Port de Paris-l'Arsenal tomorrow.
September 22, 2016
France | River Seine | Vernon | Artemis in Fog leaving for 5km bike ride to Giverny
Again we woke to dense fog but we were in no hurry as the museum in Giverny didn't open until 0930. Was interesting watching the big river cruise boats pull away from the quay behind us heading out into the fog. We left the boat in fog on our bicycles but before we reached Giverny the fog had lifted and the sun came out.
We have enjoyed Claude Monet's art especially his garden and lily pond pictures at the Orangerie and d'Orsay Museums in Paris. So moving to walk the paths and sit beside his pond and think of him working there. We arrived early and being later in the season we were fortunate to actually take pictures without a million tourists in them. His house was interesting which was part of our garden ticket. We paid extra for the museum but very little of Monet's work was on display there.
France | River Seine | Giverny | Claude Monet's Lily Pond
France | River Seine | Giverny | looking through willows at Monet's Lily Pond
France | River Seine | Giverny | Monet's Garden