A weekend with Julia

My good friend Maria-Grace has come to Paris to attend the Christie’s Reunion and to deliver her daughter Julia to ballet school.

Julia is an absolutely delightful young lady and, apparently, quite a talented dancer. She comes to Paris for a month each summer for an intensive ballet course. I met Julia when she was six-years old. She was a bright, enthusiastic and energetic child. Needless to say, she hasn’t changed a bit.

Maria-Grace had to return to the States a few days prior to Julia’s school opening. So, Julia became my house guest. What fun! We had an action-packed weekend.

On our first day together, we went to two museum expositions, did a little sightseeing and then had a casual dinner at one of the cafés along the banks of the Seine.

We spent the following afternoon in Versailles, where we took a self-guided tour of the chateau and strolled through the gardens during Les Grandes Eaux Musicales, when the fountains are set to 17th and 18th century Baroque music.

On Sunday, we went to mass at Notre Dame, shopped at the flea market and saw the film, An American in Paris, starring Gene Kelly. Late that afternoon, Julia checked into her dorm room.

She stayed in a terrific residence hall operated by the nuns from Notre-Dame-des-Champs in the seventh arrondissement – not to be confused with Notre Dame cathedral. Julia’s room has a great view overlooking the church.

I had a fabulous weekend, but by the time it was over…I was très fatiguée!