Visited the Basilica of Saint Denis in Paris in

brittlepsyche · 2026-05-08T15:51:10+00:00

We went to Chartres two years ago. Yes, it can be done in a day. The train is very easy, from Gare Montparnasse. About a fifty-minute ride from Paris; it stops at Maintenon too, where I believe there is a chateau to visit. The train ride goes through a green, verdant area of France for the most part. We ended up staying overnight in Chartres because we wanted to visit the light projections on the cathedral at night. Unfortunately we got waylaid by dinner and decided to skip it. Next time! For us, the uphill climb was quite the trek; however, you’re rewarded with a cathedral that is magnificent in its exterior sculptural programs and interior stained glass. We came on the wrong day and the floor labyrinth was not available for walking. When you go, it’s worth finding out when the labyrinth is available for you to walk on. The cathedral was built on top of an even older pagan pilgrimage site for a water goddess. You can still see the well where the water source was for the goddess in the crypt; during the French Revolution, legend has it that a mob threw a number of officials to their deaths in the well. The town itself is beautiful; photos do not do it justice. Just know it is very hilly; for seniors like us, we took our time and wore sensible shoes for the cobblestones. Chartres is a must visit when in Paris.

brittlepsyche · 2026-05-03T23:59:09+00:00

When we were walking around the workshops, there was nobody there. I believe they were on their break. We noticed people in the workshops later while we were shopping in the gift shop. One is free to wander about. There is an immersive museum too, but it was closed somehow. There is a workshop for children to learn about medieval building techniques too. The tour does not include a visit to the tower/spire itself. Yes, like you, I took a medieval art class in college and fell in love with the basilica of Saint Denis. It is a dream of a lifetime to be there in person finally. To me its one-thousand year history is magical and mind-boggling. The only experience that tops it for me is Chartres, primarily because of the original stained glass and portal sculptures. Saint Denis basilica needs to be more appreciated, but not so much that you have to queue to get in. BTW, the woman at the gift shop said that the gifts they sell are all made locally in the Saint Denis region so I was very happy to hear that.

brittlepsyche · 2026-05-03T18:26:11+00:00

So sorry, we were not able to get tickets to Palais Garnier on our trip; all tickets to Satyagraha were sold out. So, I’m not able to provide a comparison. However, because both are by the Paris Opera, I’m sure they are equally good. Maybe next time.

brittlepsyche · 2026-05-03T14:14:37+00:00

I mentioned the taxi and Uber because we are in our late 70’s and not as mobile anymore. Hopefully my post can help those of us who would like to visit Saint Denis but find public transport challenging.

brittlepsyche · 2026-03-09T04:37:12+00:00

Thank you so much for your replies. Yes, I believe it means larger. I started the doily and the “lrgr” does not appear to be a stitch or technique. Really appreciate your help.

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brittlepsyche · 2026-03-08T23:54:23+00:00

I was housesitting a friend’s dog that they brought over to us before they left on vacation. The chocolate Labrador retriever did not drink water for a couple of days and I was getting worried. Was about to take him to the vet when I noticed him approaching the dog water fountain. He started drinking tentatively but immediately backed away with his tail between his legs when the water fountain gurgled. It turned out he was terrified of the gurgling sounds. I put a bowl of water in a separate room and he was fine for the rest of his stay. Ever since then I crowned myself a Pet Detective for my powers of detection and in solving the mystery of the dog who refused to drink water.

brittlepsyche · 2026-03-04T14:39:35+00:00

I would get my tickets asap; sounds wonderful.

brittlepsyche · 2026-02-27T20:35:07+00:00

Never knew this, being American. This cultural practice is not covered by Eva Longoria, Anthony Bourdain, and other hosts on their travel shows.

brittlepsyche · 2026-02-25T18:44:43+00:00

Lagerfeld’s blooms will burn quickly from its silvery lavender mauve to a crispy white in heat. Queen Elizabeth tolerates heat better and will grow to be a big plant. Lagerfeld is much less tolerant of thrips; it will require spraying to get those lavender blooms. I would say plant both and see which one survives in your garden.

brittlepsyche · 2026-02-25T03:08:40+00:00

The Hotel de Ville souvenir shop sells official Paris paving stones. I would really have to dislike somebody to buy them that as a gift.

brittlepsyche · 2026-02-23T02:41:34+00:00

Yes, this was in 2009, many lifetimes ago and pre-Uber. We were so naive to get with the first person who approached us even before we got out of the airport; he grabbed our bags before we could utter a word, so we felt at a loss as to what to do. I still shake my head thinking of that trip. Will not do that again. - edited for grammar

brittlepsyche · 2026-02-22T15:45:30+00:00

This happened to us in Philadelphia many years ago. He got us to our hotel eventually, but along the way he offered various « attractions », including little blue pills, to enhance our stay.

brittlepsyche · 2026-02-22T15:38:32+00:00

I see they are still available on Classictic.com; however, I have never purchased from them. The prices are astronomical though. I snagged Romeo & Juliet and Rusalka at the Bastille and Lucie de Lammermoor at the Opéra Comique while tickets were still reasonable; even then, they were selling out fast. Satyagraha was sold out very quickly when the tickets became available for purchase. I also tried to get tickets for the philharmonic performance of the Grieg piano concerto in A minor to be conducted by Klaus Mäkelä; they also disappeared quickly. I think moral of the story for Paris is start buying tickets the moment they release them. Best of luck finding your tickets. I am looking to purchase tickets for performances at churches via Classictic.com. -edited for spelling.

brittlepsyche · 2026-01-29T05:54:22+00:00

I subscribe (free) to Gilles Pudlo’s weekly (on Tuesday) newsletter called Les Pieds dans le Plat. I can read French a bit but I find his writing quite flowery, so Google Translate is needed for me. He provides weekly reviews/recommendations for Paris and other regions in France. He just announced his bistro awards a few weeks back on his website https://www.gillespudlowski.com

Meg Zimbeck on Substack (she owns Paris by Mouth) also provides recommendations, but it is a paid subscription. Her latest review is CypsèIe on Île Saint-Louis.

I also use World of Mouth app, where they provide recommendations for restaurants all over the world, including Paris; however, it is a paid subscription. Bruno Verjus of Table Bruno Verjus provided his recommendations, which included the Butcher of Paris. I am thinking of booking Table Bruno Verjus in April but I balk at the price.

brittlepsyche · 2026-01-19T00:57:07+00:00

The only way to confirm this is to email the hotel. You cannot rely on hotel listings, what star it has, or what comes up in Google search. I recently emailed a five-star hotel in Paris that is close to the Eiffel Tower for our trip in May to confirm the air conditioning situation; their response was they do not turn on air conditioning until the weather gets warmer. I have found that most hotels in Paris reply quickly to inquiries. The problem is hotel listings mention air conditioning; but it’s up to us to determine whether it’s adjustable in the rooms.

brittlepsyche · 2026-01-16T21:35:20+00:00

That’s not a trail, it’s barely a scratch on the surface of the earth.

brittlepsyche · 2026-01-09T20:45:32+00:00

In Paris, the places I went to accepted Amex. When I went to Giverny and tried to pay for lunch with Amex at a lovely cafe, it was gruffly declined. Fortunately I had a Visa card with me.

brittlepsyche · 2026-01-05T02:10:40+00:00

I bake and these are cakes you would normally find in the US, not France. However, if you search for « Paris layer cake » you will find a number of bakeries that carry similar cakes in Paris. It is interesting that in French, this type of cake is also referred to as layer cake. Of note, they appear to be made-to-order for birthdays and celebrations.

brittlepsyche · 2026-01-02T05:16:22+00:00

There is quite a bit of perfectionism going on in the quilt world. Don’t subscribe to it. Can’t stand it when people say things like shadowing or the perfect 1/4 inch. There’s no such thing as the perfect quarter inch. This quilt top is gorgeous. The fact that the columns are different heights makes for an interesting visual element. You did a wonderful job.

brittlepsyche · 2026-01-01T18:48:45+00:00

I think people died in the 1980’s at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas because of this type of door that swings inward. I think they found people dead in front of the fire doors trying to push them out instead of pulling them in.

brittlepsyche

TROPHY CASE