Lunch, le Petit Dejeuner, by the Eiffel Tower, day before Easter, Paris

We spent the day around the Eiffel Tower, le Tour d'Eiffel, soaking up the sights, basking in the sun, cooling in the shade, and eventually going up into the tower (later posting).

Around 1400 hours, we started to get hungry....our breakfast of coffee and croissants had long since dissipated!

Mark stops to wash his hands and cool off a bit at this handy faucet before we go to a cool spot in the shade underneath the Eiffel Tower.

 Well, we start digging into the many wonderful treats we bought at the Farmer's Market this morning at la Rue Poncelet (previous posting)!
Using Neil's Czech knife, we slice off some fresh goat cheese with a bit of fine ash. This is slathered onto the Baguette:

Mark seems to think this is quite le Piece de Resistance!

 Those delectable cherry tomatoes spill out of our bags and explode in our mouths! Exquisite delights.

 And why not combine the cherries with the cheese and French bread? Pourqoi non?

 Then!  There are the cold beets cooked in their skins that we bought this morning. It's such a fantastic idea to sell pre-cooked fresh beets in their skins for easy eating.  Look at this!

Well, let's see.....after eating a few bites we think about pairing this with the cheese...on some bread! Fantastique!

 Everyone in the Eiffel Tower seems to be looking down on us and drooling!

 Then, out comes the Comice pear...isn't this just gorgeous?

 Mark adds that it is tres bien and oh, so good!

 Then we pear it with the cheese and cooked beets...an unbelievable combination!

These berries cleanse the palette....

 And now for dessert....we ran across a bakery (chez Paul) that was selling delectable fruit French macaroons at the Farmer's Market this morning! We had to buy a large fresh raspberry macaroon...

 Can you believe it?

 Here's to Paris et le Tour d'Eiffel!

  Who says you can't have a delectable gourmet meal without cooking a thing?

Now it's time to sit back in the shade and watch all of the other people delighting in this beautiful day and enjoying their picnics...

A father photographs his daughters holding their hands on top of the Eiffel Tower!

It is a French Impressionist day...with all of the sun umbrellas in gorgeous colors and contrasts...

We're wishing you the absolutely best weekend, from here in Paris!

Disclaimer: This blog is not an official University of Minnesota or Fulbright Program blog. The views expressed are my own and not those of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State or any of its partner organizations, or the University of Minnesota.