Epic Ellis Family Trip to France

Paris at Dusk

In 2003, Stewart and I had a wonderful trip to France. While we were there, Stewart decided that he would like to share some of the sights and experiences he'd had with his parents. Eleven years and many children/grandchildren later, we finally made good on our promise. We are glad we waited because Jamie, Brian (S), Megan and Brian (E) were all able to join us.

We hit the ground running in Paris. We managed to fit in Notre Dame, the Louvre, The Sacre Coer, Montmartre, The Eiffel Tower, 14th of July Celebrations and the Arc de Triomphe into two days. And for Aunt Therese, we also visited Our Lady of the Miraculous Medals.

Outside the Louvre

Photo bomb in line at the Porte des Lions

Despite the fact it appears in every guide book, the Porte des Lions remains unused by most tourists. It is the back entrance to the Louvre that allows visitors to skip the hour long line and get to the Mona Lisa before anyone else. We made good use of our time, managing to hit many of the highlights before the fire alarm went off, closing one of the wings.

Relaxing on the Terrace

We stayed at a quirky little hotel called the Duc de Saint Simon, in the 7th Arrondissement. Among its many virtues were the roof terraces attached to two of our rooms. After a busy day walking all over Paris, it was nice to relax and chat outside until dinner time.

The town square in Chagny. Our Hotel is the building behind the rooster's tail

After two days in Paris, we took the train to Dijon then drove to Chagny. The hotel, La Maison Lameloise, was lovely. What made it really special was that the hotel restaurant is a destination in and of itself. We had an unforgettable meal when we arrived.  It may have been the combination of jet lag and the high impact sightseeing we did in Paris, or maybe it was when we lost track of how many courses we had eaten. Regardless, we all needed to recover from that gastronomic adventure. We slept until noon the next day.

Amuse Bouche

With the Chef, Eric Pras

It was impossible to top that meal, however we spent the next few days eating our way through Burgundy.  We got into a nice rhythm of sleeping late, eating lunch over several hours, seeing a few sights, going to a wine tasting and then eating an excellent dinner. As a family, we thoroughly explored Burgundian cheeses and wines. Among the more memorable sightseeing adventures was when google maps tried to take us through someone's vineyard. Despite that navigational fail, we did make it to a beautiful scenic overlook where we could see most of Burgundy and as far as the Alps.

On the Mountain of the Three Crosses

The most memorable wine tasting had to be at the Chateau Mersault.  Our wine steward was a Korean adoptee named Martin, who had rather had it with life in France. He was looking to move to the US and didn't much care for his supervisor.  It only took a small nudge from Brian Stocker for him to open the best bottle he had available and let us enjoy it.  I think we still owe him a TripAdvisor Review.

Feeling very cheerful at the Chateau Mersault, with Martin

After 4 days in Burgundy, including visits to Beaune, Vezelay and Autun,  it was time to return to Paris and let Stewart's siblings return home. The remaining four of us visited the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides and took day trips to the Cathedral at Chartes and the Palace at Versaille. Chartes was wonderfully empty, Versailles was packed. There were so many visitors it was difficult to appreciate the inside of the palace. The gardens, however, were absolutely magnificent.

A small fragment of the gardens of Versaille

 Having thoroughly explored French cathedrals, palaces, art, wine and food, it was time to pay homage to French sports. Stewart and David toured Roland Garros, the site of the French Open.

David at Roland Garros

While Stewart and I were in the thick of planning this trip, various family members would tell us they knew it would be a "trip of a lifetime!" (No Pressure...) The Trip of a Lifetime seems like an insanely high bar, but it certainly was a special and memorable trip. None of this would have been possible without my parents taking the boys and the Stockers stepping in to watch Brian and Jamie's children.  It was a wonderful time - who knows where we may visit next.....