Bronze sculptures by Roseline Granet double as sconces and door hardware in the rooms at the Park Hyatt Vendome. On a cold winter day, you can sit in the library and order tea or hot chocolate, or pour yourself even something stronger from the honor bar. A roaring fire in the late afternoon also is comforting.
Our most glorious outing is to the La Sainte-Chapelle, near Notre-Dame. Before I left the States, I saw that a string ensemble would be performing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in the Gothic church while we are in Paris. A helpful concierge secures our tickets, and I have to help our cab driver find the place. “You know the city better than I do,” he says, when I suggest that he not drop us at Notre-Dame but keep going so we are a little closer. Well, I have been staring at the map for a while. And it is cold. Like in the 40s cold, with a steady wind. It almost seems colder inside the impressive chapel, the ancient walls doing nothing to keep the chill away. Strangers in the audience huddle together as we wait for the music to start. I think about the moment. It is clear it will not happen again. This music, this place, this experience. Violin soloist Frédéric Moreau joins the Les Violins de France for the performance. It is a magical evening, the music transporting us, though never letting us forget the weather. Even the musicians are blowing on their hands to keep them from becoming too stiff to play. Afterward, we find a bistro across the street and another cup of chocolat, this time, towering with whipped cream. In two days’ time, we will be flying toward Tampa. For now, we walk to Notre-Dame to sit on the bleachers in front of the cathedral and gaze at glory. And there is more people-watching. Even in the dark.
STAYING IN PARIS Park Hyatt Vendome, 5 Rue de la Paix, is a five-star hotel located in the 2nd arrondissement and near some of the city’s most exclusive designer shops. It is walking distance to many city landmarks, including the Tuileries Garden that leads to the Louvre. Rooms start at about $850 in winter, but fluctuate throughout the year. Information at paris.vendome.hyatt.com. Pavillion de la Reine, 28 Place des Vosges, is a boutique hotel in the Marais section of Paris. It is set back from the street, separated from the historic Place des Vosges square by a lovely courtyard. Rooms start at about $500 in winter, but fluctuate throughout the year. Information at pavillon-de-la-reine.com.
FEBRUARY 2014
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