Quai de la Megisserie~ "cats, dogs, rats,birds" (on the awning).
This is whole block of pet stores and garden shops~a favorite.
This is whole block of pet stores and garden shops~a favorite.
4th floor looking down~Galeries Lafayette~one of the grand magasins
We shopped here last year for about 5 minutes...
another one of those crowded places that I had to get out of.
We shopped here last year for about 5 minutes...
another one of those crowded places that I had to get out of.
But I've heard about and seen pictures of this incredible ceiling;
I wanted to see it for myself~so I stopped in on one of my 'alone' days.
Just incredible! It's hard to believe this is a department store.
St. Augustin
I had noted this church on one of our previous outings; so I decided to check it out.
I must learn how to take pictures in virtually no light.
These stained glass windows were beautiful.
I love these old world churches; beautifully ornate, high vaulted ceilings, stained glass, side altars~everything about them makes them feel like sacred places.
Vivid blue stained glass windows.
This building has such a long complicated history that I am not even going to try to describe it. It is a church now, has an incredible organ and there are frequent concerts. There is also a flower market on the Place de la Madeleine.
On to the Ile de la Cite...
Located on the Ile de la Cite, the conciergerie was part of the palace of the Kings of France (10th-14th centuries). It was then used as a prison. Prisoners would be held here before being taken to the guillotine for execution (including Marie Antoinette). The 3 towers remain from the Medieval structure. (Do you see that part of the building is covered with a netting? It has been painted to look like the actual structure...this is what they are doing all over the city on buildings that are being cleaned or restored.)
The day I visited was on the weekend of Heritage Days when all the museums and government buildings are open and free. There was no line outside and when I entered the Great Hall, which is the lower level of the building, it was not crowded either. I thought, "this is my lucky day".
The construction amazes me~this is a medieval structure.
There were 4 of these large hearths used for cooking.
Salle des Gens d'Armes (Cavalryman's Hall) 14th century.
The oldest surviving medieval hall in Europe.
This is where all the people were; waiting to enter the upper level where the prison cells and torture chamber are located. The line was so long, I did not wait.
So the conciergerie will remain on my "to see" list.
Check out the door. How many locks?
Place Dauphine on the Ile de la Cite.
This is a beautiful little park. There were some people doing tai chi and sometimes
you can watch men playing boules. It's very quiet considering that the Cathedral de Notre Dame is only a few blocks away. There are quite a few cafes around the place.
This is a beautiful little park. There were some people doing tai chi and sometimes
you can watch men playing boules. It's very quiet considering that the Cathedral de Notre Dame is only a few blocks away. There are quite a few cafes around the place.
Charlemagne
When I see Charlemagne I think of Miss Soufer, my high school history teacher.
One of the most popular of the French kings. Before his coronation he switched his religion from Calvinism to Catholicism. He issued the Edict of Nantes in 1589 which guaranteed religious freedom for the Protestants. He showed great care for the welfare of his subjects. He was assassinated in 1610 by a Catholic fanatic.
Notre Dame Cathedral
The construction of this Gothic cathedral began in 1163 and was completed in 1330.
It stands on the site of a Roman temple. In front of the Cathedral is the Crypt Archeologique.
In this underground museum you can view the remains of foundations and walls of buildings that pre-date the cathedral by hundreds of years.
The west facing Rose window.
The gargoyles (water drainage spouts).
The spire reaches 295 ft.
The south facing Rose window.
The "flying buttresses", arched exterior supports, around the choir and the nave.
Square de l'Ile de France
This is the western tip of the Ile de la Cite. This park is across from the Notre Dame.
At the very tip is the Deportation Memorial dedicated to the memory of the 200,000 French who died in concentration camps during World War II.
I think it must be time to stop at a cafe to rest and have some chocolate chaud .......or vin blanc.
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