We chose to stay in the 7th arrondissement again.
There is access to many of the iconic landmarks. Our apartment is near the river and next to the Invalides.
(It is right under the "U" of Universite, right below the Quai d'Orsay.) We had access to 10 bus lines. (That's a priority on our list now, right under an apt with elevator.)
I'll show photos of some of the highlights of the trip. We took a 2 day side trip to Dijon, in the Burgundy region. We had a great tour of the wine growing area. Evan, our guide, worked at a vineyard and is a wine connoisseur; we learned SO much. We also took a day trip to Rouen. Lastly, we attended an exhibition at the Grand Palais, titled Jardins. I ventured out by myself one day and found the Musee Bourdelle. It is the atelier of sculptor Antoine Bourdelle. I loved it and couldn't believe we hadn't been there before now.
So, let's start in Dijon.
We stayed at Hotel des Ducs which was in a prime location to see most of the sites in this town. Our room could not have been smaller, but it was designed very efficiently and we had everything we needed. Having a map, we headed out to find something to eat. We did not choose a great restaurant and had a very unmemorable meal. We searched out Rue des Forges which is supposed to have many timbered houses...and it does!
You really feel like you are in Medival Europe walking down these cobblestone streets.
You can see the distinctive colorful ceramic tiled roofs found in the Burgundy region. They were a status symbol when the buildings were built. The designs and colors are striking. We weren't far from the Notre Dame so we stopped there to get out of the rain.
This church dates to the 13th century. The photo below was taken within the central portal. The building has both Romanesque and Gothic features.
Unfortunately the interior was very dark.The weather didn't help either~rain and low light.
Woody tried and tried to get some decent stained glass photos; but without a tripod they did not come out that well.
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| The Magic Owl of Dijon |
It is not known when or who carved the owl into a corner of the church. It is dated to the 15 or 16th cent.
It is well worn because of a superstition that if you rub the owl with your left hand you will get your wish. I didn't know this until after we left Dijon. I rubbed with my right hand. The owl serves as a symbol of the city. There is a self guided walking tour called the Owl Trail. There are 22 plaques embedded in the walkways baring the image of the owl which marks a historical site.
In the center of the town there is the very large Place de la Liberation in front of the Palace of the Dukes. Built in the 14th century it was the seat of Burgundy power. Today it houses the office of the Mayor of Dijon and also the Museum of Beaux-Arts. The guys in the photo are playing with the fountain; when they stand on one water spout, the water level in the others goes higher. Surrounding the Square are many cafes, great for people watching, and a few shops.
One day there was an environmental demonstration going on. They were mostly demonstrating against Monsanto.
The Musee des Beaux Arts has a large collection of Medieval Art and the entry is free.
I asked Woody to stand next to the swords to give perspective to their size. I can't imagine how anyone could lift one of those. (I'm not sure what's going on with his expression.)
Medieval Religious art has never really interested me, but these carved and gilded altar pieces were magnificent. The detail in the intricate carving is unbelievable.
I took this photo because the piece was Limoges. The colors were so vivid.
This is a replica of the Tombs of the Ducs.
The museum was interesting, well laid out, but due to extensive renovation many of the exhibits were not available for viewing.
Next we will be going on our Burgundy Wine Tour of the Cote d'Or and Cote de Nuits.
