The Paris Independent
23
December 16, 2023
T R AV E L & L E I S U R E After a long day of driving, the quiet relaxed space with great Italian meals was just what we needed. It was a bit ironic having an Italian meal in a classic French community. After dinner we decided on a brief walk to get a feel for where we were and see what was happening. Roy and I were lucky enough to be with a couple who had been here before, which gave us an advantage of not getting completely lost. The old city is a walled area and you quickly learn why it was impregnable; it’s all uphill, behind a stone wall. The Chateau Frontenac sits sky high on a hill and there are stairs, stairs, stairs! We did the trek uphill the first night, then found the Funiculaire, a cable car ride to the top for $5. Well worth it! After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we started our Saturday morning heading up to the markets. Christmas decorations are in full swing everywhere. Strolling by the many boutique shops in a festive atmosphere really puts you in the Christmas mood. The weather also contributes to the feeling that it’s much closer to the end of December. The temps on Saturday topped out about -3C; we were all bundled up. Dressing for the cold makes it tolerable. The only freezing part was my face!
The Christmas Markets are running this year from November 24 to December 24 and feature 90 vendors offering everything from food to furniture. Wool products did feature prominently, I’m sure because of the cold. The mittens, I first saw, were handmade running from $80 to $90 a pair. Considering the work involved, not outrageous. Still, a bit out of my budget.
Paris resident Karon Sinning and her partner, Roy, during a recent mini vacation to Quebec. The streets were almost as beautifully decorated as Paris, Ontario! Pictured is Cochon Dingue, where they devoured some delicious crepes!
We stopped for a hot drink at a little spot called Cochon Dingue and enjoyed coffee and hot chocolate. We attempted to make a dinner reservation here, but after a miscommunication we were left unsure whether we had one or not. With the crowds gathering, we were a bit concerned about that. By about 4 pm, when we hadn’t heard from them, we booked a different spot: the 1640 Bistro. Of course Cochon sent a text confirmation shortly after that. 1640 had the feeling of a fine dining place; and as we came to know, the prices were also fine dining…plus! Our friends ordered 2 virgin cocktails (no alcohol) and each cost $14. The dinner was good, but compared to the rest of our food experience, it fell behind the others.
After dinner, it was a leisurely walk back to the hotel and As the morning progressed so did the crowds. This all downhill. My friend’s Fitbit keeps track of her steps was the first weekend for the Christmas Market, so and more. At the end of our first day, we had done I had envisioned it not being quite as busy. I was 14,000+ steps, climbed 49 staircases, totalling just over 11 kilometres. mistaken. By early afternoon, it was jammed.
Continued on page 24
