Wednesday, February 17, 2010

A passage

So, I'm in Paris for three weeks. The apartment for which I've house-swapped is in the romantically-named Passage de la Bonne Graine, one of the numerous little passages crossing the Faubourg Saint Antoine. These passages used to give access to the factories and workshops behind the grander facades of the main street.

Passage de la Bonne Graine

The apartment has been squeezed into a renovation of an old building and is accessed by one of the minuscule lifts that are common modern additions to old buildings in France. The lift is so tiny that two people can't stand shoulder to shoulder within it. You have to decide on entering whether you want the intimacy of standing face-to-face, or the apparent rebuff of turning your back on your companion.

Overwhelmed by the drugged feeling that's induced by travelling (economy class) from Australia to Europe, we've done little but explore our immediate neighbourhood. Most importantly, we've already discovered our local restaurant, a few metres along our passage, also named Le Passage.

Le Passage restaurant

We lunched there - enjoying the French offering of the formule midi - three courses for 15 euros. We went with tradition: pate with caramelised onions to begin; slow-cooked veal shoulder on a bed of perfectly-cooked cabbage to follow. I finished with cheese, and my friend with what she said was the best combination of just-set pannacotta with orange she could imagine. Such an unpretentious first French meal. The perfect way to begin a French holiday.

11 comments:

Gail McKinnon said...

My jealousy is only outweight for my wish that you have a wonderful time..

Kris said...

Lovely! Glad to see you made it there safely. Please keep us updated. :)

Rose Red said...

Hurrah! So glad to see a post from you already. Am so envious of your local restaurant and your first lunch sounds divine, especially to this pate starved person!

redambition said...

Glad to see you are there safe and sound and the blogging is working!

Le Passage sounds divine. Very jealous! :o)

missfee said...

what they all said - and glad you got there safely
happy adventures and I am so excited that I can go along with you on your blog - what a treat - can you photograph the lift and the flat? and are there stairs?

Sel and Poivre said...

Oh my the vicarious thrills on this blog just get better and better! What a wonderful adventure to be starting - thank you so much for taking us "along" with you!

Yarna said...

So pleased that you survived the journey and got there in one piece. Thank you for letting us all share your adventures. Vicarious pleasure wins out over envy! The meal sounds perfect.

Emily said...

Sounds delicious. And looks so Parisian.

Looking forward to hearing all about it!

Unknown said...

I am so envious but also very happy to see you there safe and sound. Your lunch sounded great too, I would have had the cheese too.

I can just see you stylishly fossicking around Paris, and the mental image makes me smile. Have a wonderful holiday, and tell us about it often on the blog please?

Is it cold? What are you wearing? Are you going to la drougederie or whatever it's called?

DrK said...

ooh lala. i completely missed the fact that you were there already, i have two more posts to read to catch up on what looks like a most amazing adventure!

Lynne said...

It sounds perfect!