~Paris Five ~ Overture~

We’re back physically but I’m still somewhere between Paris and home.  Just to give you a preview of our month long vacation in Paris, I’m going to share some of the highlights.  This will be a visual, more than a literary, review.

This is our apt. building, we’re #24.  The apt. is on the very top floor. You can’t even see it in this photo.

The photo below is a view from our living room window looking across the street.  Our apt. corresponds to the top floor with the slanted roof and large sky-light type windows.

Our living room was actually quite adequate. The window let in a lot of light and there was a shade inside and a rolling shade outside.

 

The apt was located in the 16^th arr.  about 2 ½ blocks from the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero.  This was the view when we reached the end of our street heading to the Metro or bus stop.

On my list of ‘things to do ‘for this trip was to find some aerial views of the city.  We have been on top of the Arc de Triomphe (and I couldn’t do that climb again).  Some of the possibilities are the Tour de Montparnesse (the tallest building in the city) and Institute du Monde Arabe.  This photo was taken from the 9^th floor of the Institute du Monde Arabe and it is doesn’t cost a cent to use the elevator.  Fortunately, it wasn’t raining and we got beautiful photos of both of the islands in the Seine.

 

Some of my other photo themes included;

                                            Doors                                                                                                                               

Art

Pigeons

We spend a lot(!) of time in parks and gardens.  My primary intention for this trip was to visit at least five of the large parks that we haven’t seen yet.   We only made it to one on my list and came upon a second merely by chance.   The others will have to wait for another time.

 Albert Kahn Japanese Garden

 This was a breath-taking garden.  It is so well maintained ….a total surprise.   There were several groups of school children on field trips as well as 'grown up' artists.  We were here for hours and were very grateful for the sunny day.

I had several walks planned to search for examples of Art Nouveau architecture.  There are still a few very fine examples of this style to be found.

Museums weren’t a high priority for this trip; though with the weather being so inclimate, they should have been.   We visited the Architecture Museum…another wonderful surprise!   In order to see Val de Grace we had to tour the hospital museum; that proved quite interesting as well.

The one planned visit was the Mineralogy Museum at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines of Paris.  This was a treasure!!   We were the only ones there and had the whole place to ourselves.  The exhibits were unbelievable… much more extensive and impressive than the Mineralogy Museum at the Jardin des Plantes (which has been closed for a couple years now).

Of course a trip to Paris is not complete without a trip to the Louvre, there is always something new to be found.  We followed the crowd to the Mona Lisa, and then instead of going right, we went left to the Apollo Gallery.  Italian sculpture in the Denon wing was a new area for us too . 

Lastly, we returned to the Napoleon III Apartments.  This is a popular place and everyone was fighting for the spot to take the best photo.

I took thousands of photos.  I want to remember it all!  Somehow they aren’t as colorful or dynamic as I had hoped.   I blame it on the weather.  I certainly have a vast variety of subjects for blog posts.

Even in the cold, wet weather, the flowers were beautiful.  I regret that we didn’t get to see the lovely rose garden of the Parc de Bagatelle in the Bois du Boulogne.  The roses needed another week of nice warm days in order to bloom.   The manager of the apartment said that on Mother’s Day (May 26^th in France), there was a shortage of the traditional peonies and those that could be found were very expensive.

Most of our traveling around the city was by bus.  My legs and hips just couldn’t take all that climbing up and down in the Metro.   We got a bus map when we purchased our Metro tickets, then I researched which lines we could take to the various places we wanted to go.  We were very lucky to be close to the Trocadero and Place Victor Hugo; 2 hubs for buses.    The buses are quite modern, everything is automated and the signage is very good.   The interior is laid out to accommodate luggage and baby carriages.  There are several designated seats for handicapped and elderly.  With all of these features, the buses don’t hold a lot of people, but on most lines, the buses run every 7-10 minutes so the wait is not long.

The one side trip that we made was to Tours to see a couple more chateau.  We got our train tickets the week before at the SNCF office near the Trocadero.  Like last time, we took the TGV (fast train) so the trip only took an hour.  We knew our way around from the last visit so were able to walk to the hotel from the train station.  We traveled light!  The 2 chateaus were Chateau Ussé and Chateau Langeais.   They were very different and good choices.

This one is Chateau Ussé, called the “Sleeping Beauty Castle” because it was the inspiration for the story.

Chateau Langeais, below, is a medieval castle.  The furnishings were remarkable.

I’m going to end here.  There will be more soon.  By the way, if you subscribe to the blog, the posts will pop up in your email as they are posted
.   

 A bientot!

~Paris, again?~

I have been asked more than once why we go back to Paris and not someplace different.
"Is there really that much to see?"

For me, it's like a huge dessert tray...so many places and they are all different.

As I have mentioned before, Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements; each is it's own unique neighborhood. There is something interesting and unique in each one.  This is one reason why I return again and again.

Then there is the architecture!  Paris is an old city and it has a long and tumultuous history.  Despite wars, fires, pillaging and uprisings many of the medieval structures remain.  Napoleon III gave Paris a real "facelift" in the 1800's.

These beautiful sites were all built for the Exposition of 1900.

Grand Palais

Petit Palais

Pont Alexander III

Window dressing and window shopping is art and pleasure combined.  Shop windows is a favorite photo theme.  You don't have to spend a dime to be awed and amused by the beauty, quirkiness and creativity of the windows and the items on display. (Sometimes it is the prices that take your breathe away.)

eyewear

exquisite home decor

hat shops are very popular

a tonsorial shop

Chanel

The boulangeries and patisseries are heaven.   I don't think I can say anything more about the bread, pastries and desserts; they are a major topic in every travel article or guidebook on Paris.  The bread, beignets, croissants, pain au chocolat and profiteroles (decadent cream puffs) are my favorites.

Charcuteries (somewhat like a deli, though the French would be insulted by this comparison) are great for creating your own 'take out' dinner with freshly prepared, tasty and tempting choices.

One of the great pleasures is to go to a restaurant or cafe the second time and be greeted like an old friend.  I have really come to love the ritual of eating in Paris.  We love that you aren't pressed or hurried to make a choice. When you are ready to order, you close the menu and place it on the table.  The waiter will be there instantly.  You place the knife and fork at 4 o'clock on your plate when you are finished with your meal.  And, don't expect to be given your check until you ask for it.  You don't have to know a single word of French either, just make the gesture of signing the check when you catch the waiter's attention.  Dining is to be enjoyed and you can stay as long as you want.

Museums.  There are over 150 museums in Paris (that's a museum a day for 5 months!)~ and there's something for everyone;art, photography, wine, stamps, magic, counterfeiting, puppets, Paris history,etc.  It would take 3 months just to see everything in the Louvre.  What's even better, many (some of the best we've seen) are free.

There are so many churches with beautiful architecture, carvings, statuary and stained glass windows;sometimes you will be lucky and hear the organist practicing.  We never pass up a church.

Parks and gardens, both large and small, are retreats.  There is always a park close by if you need to get away from the crowds, rest your weary feet or just need some shade to cool off.  The Tuileries and Jardin du Luxembourg are my favorites.  Both have beautiful ponds, lovely flowers and statuary and lots of chairs and benches for enjoying a picnic or people-watching. The French "live" in their parks.  They will relax at lunch hour, sun-bathe, exercise and jog, take the kids for a walk or pony ride and have picnic meals at the end of the day.

Jardin des Tuileries

Jardin du Luxembourg

Etiquette adds a formal informality when meeting and interacting with the French~they are so civil.  Do not go to France without learning the 5 most important words/phrases;  bonjour (madame, monsieur), merci, s'il vous plait, au revoir, pardon.  Speak softly.   Loud and demanding is so "un-French".

The Seine is the heart of the city. I love the river.  There is a peace that flows with the river.  There is a lot of life on and near the river. It is very accessible by walking paths and quais. 

The 37 bridges, too, are all different; some are even pedestrian only. 

The French culture and Parisian lifestyle are so different from what we know.  Living in Paris is not particularly easy.  You become acutely aware of the many amenities that we enjoy.  Space~especially.  After 5 visits we are very comfortable in Paris. Knowing how to maneuver through the Metro, use the ticket machines, order a meal, have favorite restaurants eliminates much of the stress of travelling.  Staying in an apartment instead of a cramped hotel makes an enormous difference as well.  We relax, spread out, sleep in and frequent the neighborhood patisserie.  I enjoy making friends with the shopkeepers.

And to answer "Wouldn't I like to go someplace different?"  Sometimes we will be watching a travel show on TV and see someplace really interesting (Istanbul comes to mind and New Zealand) but then I think of La Perla (4 cheese ravioli), feeding the pigeons in the park, walking along the river, watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night, exploring the Louvre, wearing scarves, trying to speak French and I still want to see a ballet. There's no doubt where I'll go next....

                                                    "Paris is always a good idea."

Note: Most of the subjects mentioned in this post are covered in other individual posts~please check the 'archives'.

Just A Few More Photos~

This is the last post of Paris Encore...our 2010 trip to Paris.  This is so sad and a little traumatic.  I don't want to leave.

So here at a few more photos~  

Architecture

I love the architecture.  In Paris the architecture is so diverse, there always seems to be a surprise around the corner.  This is a skinny, triangular building~a beautiful sliver of stone.  I was standing on the edge of the sidewalk trying to capture the right angle, when a couple walked by.  The woman looked back to see what I was shooting and stopped.  She was going to take a picture too, but then the man waved her off  with a look of disgust....like are you crazy that's nothing but a building.

You can see that they are doing some constructual work;
there are nets along the bottom to keep any debris from hitting the ground.

Woody noticed the next building while we were eating lunch on the Blvd Italienne, after our Galeries Lafayette adventure.   The building is covered in "roses".  He noticed that. It was so large and, again, one of those triangular shaped buildings.  It wasn't easy getting a good shot of this.  If the photo had been in better focus, I could have zoomed in and shown the details. (I think I need more practice.)

I like the symmetry of this row of buildings.  It was somewhere near the Ile de la Cite.  These are Left Bank structures.  I love this about Paris.  These buildings are hundreds of years old and they not only are still standing but are absolutely lovely and lived in.

Just opposite  St. Eustache in Les Halles was this building.  We aren't sure if it was part of the adjacent hotel or not.  It's beautiful and all that light ( it faces east)!  Notice all the terrace gardens.

This Moroccan restaurant was tucked away in the area near the Palais Royal. Everything about this building is stunning!!! The tile on the facade, the lattice window coverings, the scroll-like entry gate and window coverings and intricate mosaic work; just like the Mosque de Paris~

TOURS

There are many ways to see Paris.

On a bike tour, or a Segway tour (I wasn't fast enough to catch a photo of that.)

(Honestly, I don't have the guts to put myself into French traffic.)

Or a 2CV tour...these classic Ctiroens would be a great way to see the sites.

The opening in the roof makes it so easy to look up.

This was on "my list" but ....next time!

The Batobus

The Batobus makes 7 stops along the Seine, all at popular tourist sites. You buy an all
day ticket, then you can "hop on & hop off" whenever you want.  It's a good way to get
around and you see the river view too.  This is the stop at the Eiffel Tower.

And of course there are walking tours...for every area of the city or topic of interest!

Some are even free!

A special sight.

This is a special photo.  We were walking passed the Notre Dame and the Japanese bride and groom and photographer were coming the other way.  What a little angel she was. 

She hiked up her gown and stepped into the garden,

ignoring the sign:ne pas marcher sur la pelouse

I wrote a Haiku:

Graceful and dainty,

in the Notre Dame garden~

a Japanese bride.

I showed you the Art Nouveau Metro entrance at Abbesses in Montmartre.

This is the fun, glitzy and crafty looking entrance at the Palais Royal.

It looks like 2 royal crowns.

I apologize that these photos aren't clearer.

  There was so much going on and it was so crowded and the lighting is terrible and.......

Street Entertainers

What a great group of men.  You heard the singing, echoing through the Metro hallways long before you saw them.  I love the street entertainers....playing for your pleasure and generosity. 

I absolutely added to the hat!

I went back and recorded about 45 seconds of music on the camera

 but I can't figure out how to add a sound bite to a photo. (something else to learn)

On my birthday, while sitting in the cafe, sipping my hot chocolat, this group of strolling troubadors passed by; very colorful, with mandolins, guitars, even a bass.  We heard them later singing to the people waiting in line to enter St. Chapelle.   Perfect Paris Delight!

Our apartment lift...

it says "for 3 persons".

Not if one of them is claustrophobic.

We had to "plan the logistics"

when loading 2 large and 2 small pieces of luggage!

And for our "peace of mind" there was this large sign on the wall of the elevator.

"For your comfort and security, this lift is monitored 24 hours a day by the Kone service center."
In case you become trapped between floors:

1.  "Tranquillisez-vous" 

                                                                                ~right, remain calm.

We got a lot of laughs from that phrase; especially when driving in the "rush hour traffic" or getting lost in St. Denis on the way to the Chateau de Chantilly.

The day trip to Chateau de Chantilly~

Our destination Chateau de Chantilly

This chateau is located north of Paris about a 45 minute drive.  It was the site of the 1985 James Bond movie "A View to Kill".  Chantilly is having a 25th anniversary celebration of the film this year.

The famous stables of the Chateau de Chantilly.

Before finding the chateau, we went into the small town of Chantilly and had lunch in a quaint little restaurant, La Ferme de Conde; it once was an Anglican chapel.

We sat outdoors and had a wonderful lunch.  The onion soup starter was a meal in itself. The poulet  roti(roast chicken) was so juicy; check out the size of the serving of haricots verts (green beans).

We had a great time.

Now it's off to the Chateau....





For the history of this Chateau, please click here.  As I was preparing this blogpost, I went to several sites and saw other people's comments about this beautiful chateau.  They ranged from "don't bother" to a "wonderful day trip".  Personally, I thought it a wonderful day trip.  It is not fair to compare all chateaux to Versailles.  I don't think any other palais can compare with Versaille's garden.  But interiors are a different story.  I like to look at each one for it's own merit.  Chantilly was definitely not a waste of my time!



The Chateau is surrounded by a mote.

Just part of the sprawling gardens adjacent to the Chateau.

The entrance looking out from the inside courtyard.

The chapel.

This photo is taken from the chapel stairs looking back down into the entry foyer.
  The entrance is to the right, where all the people are located.

The chapel was narrow, long and very high~impossible to photograph, except in "snippets".

One of the ceilings.

Woody is very "into" floor patterns and ceilings.  He is always looking up or down.  So whenever there is a photo of a floor or ceiling, it's because Woody has pointed it out.  I focus more on architectural details.  Between the two of us, we take a long look at places.

The Psyche Gallery

This room is a long "connector" room.  The stained glass windows are painted in a technique known as grisaille and each set of panels tells the story of Cupid and Psyche in a poem.  I have never seen anything like this before.

The last occupant of the Chateau, the Duc d'Aumale, had quite an art collection.

Raphael's "The Three Graces"

Both Woody and I were impressed with the library.  The sheer number of books, the sizes and titles.

These are the candalabra in just one of the many cabinets in what I believe was called the butler's pantry.  Each of these was almost 2 ft. tall!  The china was Minton.  There was also a sample of one of the menus  I really couldn't figure it all out but there were an extraordinary number of courses and selections for each course.

Unfortunately for us, we arrived later in the day and were unable to take the tour of the private apartments.  Nor were we able to visit the stable area.  So....there is definitely an opportunity for another day trip! 

Or we could just watch "A View to a Kill" again.

After our visit, we had some ice cream before heading home.

The next day, Sunday, was a rest day.  We(I) slept in and we stayed in the apt most of the day.  I went to St. Eustache at 5 pm. for the organ concert, but il n'y a pas de l'audition ce soir (there is no concert scheduled for this night).

We went out for dinner stopping at St. Germain Auxerrois on the way.

We had dinner at one our favorite cafes~Cafe du Pont Neuf.  We ate here alot the last time we were in Paris because it was so close to our apt then.  The waiter was a riot and the food was good.  It is located right on the quai du Louvre near the Pont Neuf...it's busy but there's always something to see.

Cafe du Pont Neuf...I took this at an early hour before it got lively.

After dinner we walked back to rue Montorgueil and got some ice cream.....the end of a nice relaxing day.                      

Tomorrow we meet Richard at the Embassy for our "private" tour.