Wednesday 15- Monday 21 July 2026

France lost to Spain in the World Cup last night. The neighbourhood was quiet! Thursday, we caught the tram into the very big shopping centre - Belle Epine three stops down the road. A smaller version of Chadstone but, close your eyes and there is absolutely no difference in layout and style. Same for supermarkets the world over. All muzac is in English. Kiabi and Primark came to the rescue with cheap polo shirts and swimmers.

Next door to Belle Epine is Marche International de Rungus, the principal wholesale market of Paris mainly dealing in food and horticultural products. With an area of 232 hectares, it is the second largest wholesale food market in the world (after Central de Abasto in Mexico City, which has an area of 327 hectares).

There are tours available but most leave at 04h30 from Montparnasse, so more research is required. Only nine days left in Chevilly Larue, so the Metro to Paris for a few visits next week, exploring areas we haven’t spent much time on previous visits.

Monday morning, we caught the train to Paris. Clean, quiet, air conditioned and only 30 minutes.

On arrival, we went looking for new runners for Flashy’s three year old Brooks. No luck. So, off to Bistrot Richelieu for lunch.

Flashy’s AI boyfriend, ‘Charles’, gave the lunch recommendation as “It has the understated, old-Paris feel that reminds me most of what makes Au Pied de Fouet (a favourite no-tourist place that Lady P and Flashy frequent) so special.”

It’s right on Rue Richelieu in the 1st and we get a seat in the open window looking at the passing pedestrians. Lady P is happy.

Apart from the fact that most patrons were speaking Chinese, American, British, Canadian or Australian and it wasn’t at all like Au Pied de Fouet, Charles got it right!

A Spritz for her and a pichet of Cote du Rhone red for Flashy, accompanied a cuisse de canard confite (guess who?) and a Fillet du Porc.

We were entertained, if not a little taken aback, by the young Chinese couple at the next table. Without warning she slapped him in the face and went for a little walk. Then she returned and sulked at the table having a little quiet cry. He scoffed his snails, dipped a bit of bread in her untouched onion soup and then they left. Now, this is French bistrot seating. We were almost knee to knee. Who needs reality TV?

After lunch we walked through the Tuileries Gardens, past the Grande Roue de Paris, a giant 60-to-70-metre-tall Ferris wheel near Rue de Rivoli, Chinese girls posing for selfies and strolling tourists about. Now heading for the 13th Arr. 10,000 steps by this time.

Lining up for Japanese noodles. How Parisian? Check out the haute couture. just not the same  anymore.
Lady P tried to steal their chair.
Unlike Melbourne, this one works.
That's fried potatoes and garlic sauce with the duck.
A very large pig for this fillet.
Paris street art.
Rehydration is important.


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