Day 11 started at the Vanves Flea Market, one of Paris’s two big weekend marchés. It’s rows of vendors selling everything from vintage posters and old cameras to linens, silverware, and quirky antiques you didn’t know you needed. It’s been running since the 1920s and has that perfect mix of treasure‑hunting and people‑watching.
From there, we headed to the Latin Quarter for lunch at Rôtisserie Segar to try their famous chicken Caesar sandwich — absolutely worth the hype. We also tried their chocolate mousse, which was amazing even for someone (me) who isn’t a big chocolate person. Being back in those cute, winding alleyways felt so classic‑Paris.
Next, we made our way to Notre Dame, arriving just as the service ended and the bell tower tolled for nearly 15 minutes, starting at 12:15 pm. On the walk over, we stopped by something really special — the oldest tree in Paris, a locust tree planted in 1601, still standing strong in Square René‑Viviani right across from the cathedral. It leans a little and is held up by supports now, but it’s incredible to think it has survived wars, revolutions, and centuries of Paris life.
We continued walking and eventually ended up at a huge shopping mall that was absolutely packed — easily the busiest mall I’ve seen in years. And of course, I had to check out the book section because I love seeing how popular titles look in other countries. Along the way, we passed several centuries‑old churches tucked between modern storefronts, which is one of my favorite things about Paris.
We had an early dinner at Au Bourguignon du Marais so we could get back to the hotel early — tomorrow is our big Versailles day. But naturally, we stopped for gelato on the way back to help cool off.
Thankfully, today marked the end of the worst of the heatwave, and tomorrow is “only” supposed to be in the upper 80s instead of the upper 90s and triple digits we’ve had.Read more
June 27 in France ⋅ ⛅ 35 °C