A sunny Sunday filled with good food, local finds, and an unforgettable view of the Eiffel Tower.
June 22, 2025
Morning Stroll and a Tempting Restaurant
For breakfast, we had crackers and cheese we bought at Carrefour yesterday. The fig-flavored crackers were surprisingly delicious.
After eating, we went out for a short walk around the neighborhood.
We checked out a restaurant called Café du coin (see on map), where we were hoping to go for lunch today. A menu board was displayed outside, so I took a picture and asked ChatGPT to read it. Just looking at the menu text made us even more excited for lunch.
The Bustling Bastille Market
Next, we headed to the Bastille Market (see on map). It was full of fresh produce and vibrant colors—just walking around was enjoyable.
Some vendors offered us samples: a perfectly ripe melon and a few kinds of cheese. That made the market stroll even more fun.
At the butcher’s stall, we bought four sausages (5.14€). From the cheese shop, we picked up a goat cheese with an unusual look and another one we sampled and loved (9.90€ in total).
We also bought tomatoes, bell peppers, and apricots for 4€.
Cherries were piled high at every fruit stand—it must be the peak of the season.
When I asked for half a kilo (500g), the shopkeeper smiled and said, “750g for 5€!” I agreed.
Back at our Airbnb, we snacked on the fruits and crackers we had just bought.
The cherries were plump, sweet, and slightly tart—absolutely delicious. The apricots were soft and sweet too. Our market shopping was a big success.
Lunch Plans That Changed
After a short nap, we went back to Café du coin.
But when we sat down, we realized the lunch course menu we were looking forward to wasn’t available. The staff explained, “The course lunch is only served on weekdays.”
We told her, “We’ll come back another day!” and left the restaurant.
We then tried to buy some bread at a nearby bakery, but it had already closed at 1 p.m.
So, for lunch, we grilled the sausages we bought at the market and ate them with crackers and mascarpone cheese.
Pokémon Stop and Seine River Cruise
In the afternoon, it was time for the highlight of the day—the Seine River cruise.
On our way by bus to the dock on Île de la Cité, we spotted a Pokémon sign through the window. Curious, we got off early and went to Le Coin des Barons – Paris (see on map).
They sold Pokémon plushies and cards, but it wasn’t an official Pokémon Center. They also carried One Piece cards and even had a space for card battles.
Since we were in the area, we dropped by BHV Marais (see on map), a nearby department store. It felt a bit like LOFT, but more open and organized.
We then crossed over to Île de la Cité and thought we might see the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral. However, the waiting line was so long that we decided just to admire the façade from the front and skip the entry.
At the dock Vedettes du Pont Neuf (see on map), we arrived just five minutes before the 2:30 p.m. departure.
We bought tickets (17€ per person) and boarded the boat.
It was a hot day, but on the deck, the breeze felt pleasant and cool. The sunlight was strong, but the Eiffel Tower, shimmering in metallic gray, looked stunning from the river.
Evening Reflections
After disembarking, we stopped by La Samaritaine (see on map). The luxury brands made us realize it was far beyond our budget, so we left quickly. The store was also smaller than we expected.
We took the metro back to our station and dropped by Carrefour City.
They were selling leftover baguettes at a huge discount—apparently, day-old bread has almost no value here.
We also saw mushrooms for just 1€, but after noticing that some nearby vegetables were covered in mold, I put them back on the shelf.
At the milk section, there were so many varieties that we had no idea which was which, so we simply picked one based on the packaging.
For dinner, we made tomato soup pasta. The bell peppers we bought at the market were thick, juicy, and especially delicious.
