Easter Monday

I was expecting it and so was not surprised when just about everything (including my local patisserie and grocery store) were closed for Easter Monday today. I was also supposed to have class today, but didn't because the Alliance Française is also closed.

I took the Metro out to La Défense, one of the modern sections of the city that few tourists see. I saw the Grand Arche, a modern arch similar to the Arc de Triomphe that can be seen in the distance.

Then, I jumped on the bus to go to MalMaison, the home of Josephine and Napoleon Bonaparte. The guide book said it was usually crowded, but today seemed to be an exception. The bus I took ended about 7 stops earlier than I wanted, so I walked through the older, cute section of Rueil-Malmaison before going to the Bonaparte home. Unfortunately, a lot was closed here as well. But I did find an attractive cafe open for lunch. I stopped and had eggplant crepes with feta cheese, grilled duck with potato croquettes, and an espresso. I headed in the general direction of Malmaison and stumbled onto an amazing park, the Parc de Bois-Préau. Tulips in bloom, large rolling fields of grass, manicured trails, weeping willow trees with sunlight filtering through, and a few people reading, lounging, or playing. It was peaceful and heavenly. I literally saw a field of daisies that you could lie in while reading or napping.

I continued on through the park to Malmaison. I felt pretty triumphant finding it since I got there mostly on good directional sense and luck. It's about a 10,000-15,000 square foot mansion furnished with many of the items that Napoleon and Josephine actually used. Although the three story mansion and several acre grounds were large, it felt much more like home and less like a castle that an Emperor or Empress would live in. The paintings on the walls were of people they knew or battles that Napoleon's men had won. Rather than the pompous, too large halls and rooms of Versailles. Of course, Josephine did have a room full of closets for dresses, shoes, etc. Several of the dresses were displayed; they looked much more comfortable than the corseted dresses worn by the French royal court before them.

Spoke in French to everyone I met and they also spoke back to me in French. A win!

Bus and metro back to the Village of St. Paul to my favorite French chain store, Monoprix. Picked up some polenta, bread, strawberries, and household items before heading back to the apartment for a night in. Cooked up the leftover lamb and polenta (wonderful!). Cut up bread, sheep's milk cheese, and a tomato salad. The chocolate Easter bunny lost a leg and the Easter chick lost it's head. I also finished off the half bottle of champagne. A nice night. Now off to do French homework and get a good night's rest before going back to class with Jean Charles tomorrow.