My Itinerary

My departure is rapidly approaching, and I feel nowhere ready to go. There are so many things to worry about: What does one pack for a month in Paris? What if I forget something important? Will my husband and cats survive for a month without me? And what state will the house be in when I return? (I shudder to think….)

Moreover, I believe my Paris itinerary may be a wee bit ambitious, particularly given that I will be working as usual while there. Here’s what I hope to do/see:

1. Tour Notre Dame and attend a mass, choir event, AND organ recital (featuring what is known as “THE GREAT ORGAN”);

2. Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, preferably in the evening;

3. Visit the Père Lachaise Cemetery and the Catacombs, both preferably in broad daylight;

4. Explore the Sacré Coeur and attend a mass with The Little Singers of Montemartre (sounds cute);

5. Admire the Saint-Jacques Tower—an old monument located on the Right Bank that is said to be virtually invisible unless you’re really looking for it;

6. Stroll through the Royal Palace Gardens;

7. Spend a day at the Grand Palais, which houses the National Galleries;

8. Spend a day (or several) at the Louvre;

9. Spend a day at the Musée d’Orsay;

10. Attend mass at Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois with the Voix de Femmes—an all female Gregorian chanter choir;

11. Walk across the Ponts Neuf and Alexandre III;

12. See Versaille—but not on a Monday, because they’re closed;

13. See the Chantilly Castle and Grand Stables and attend an equestrian show—but not on a Tuesday, because they’re closed;

14. Go to mass at Sainte-Chapelle—a gothic chapel on Île de la Cité, where the stained glass is said to be crazy breathtaking; *

15. Visit the Château de Vaux le Vicomte in nearby Maincy on a “Candlelight Evening”, during which they kill all electricity, serve champagne in the garden, and set off fireworks;

16. Tour the Seine by riverboat;

17. Attend an event at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysée (any philharmonic, opera, or play will suffice);

18. Attend an opera at the Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier)—I’m seeing Othello on July 7;

19. Attend a ballet at the Paris Opera House—I’m seeing Les Enfants du Paris on July 14;

20. Frequent a variety of farmers and flea markets; and, finally

21. Visit many, MANY wine and cheese shops.


Phew! I’m tired just typing all of that, so I’m not entirely certain I will be able to fit it all in. But I will doubtless have LOADS of fun trying!

(Oh – and what are Vespers? I need to look that up. It sounds like it might be something I should do.)


*Actually, I might be the first person to use that particular term to describe the glass.