27 Bakeries
2 Chocolate shops
1 Gelato stand
9 Croissants
2 Crepes
For years I had zippo interest in going to Paris based on a reputation of the French being rude and anti-American. I could handle the first, but don’t mess with the U.S.A.! A combination of checking off many of the world’s great cities and reports of Parisians becoming friendlier swayed this avoidance. Heck, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is pro-American while Obama is not.
Thursday, May 26th, 2011
1:20 hour flight to Toronto. 7 hour flight to...
Friday, May 27th, 2011
...London’s Heathrow. 2:10 hour layover. 1:20 hour flight to Paris. And I paid more for this flight than each of my first two cars. ($1300)
Even with 4 airports, 3 planes, 1 bus, abysmal airline food and little sleep under my belt the anxiousness to sightsee was not diluted.
Thus initiated admiring a picture postcard scene at the turn of every corner.
Each street scene radiated charm.
The ornate 13th century Opéra Garnier.
The 200 year old Roman Catholic L'église de la Madeleine.
Surrounding Plaza Madeleine are 3 high-end food purveyors including Hédiard and Fauchon.
Can you imagine ladies strolling Jardin des Tuileries with their parasols in the 1800s?
The capacious Place Vendome.
Saturday, May 28th, 2011
Palais Royal.
Followed the Seine from the Louvre and then past Plaza Concorde.
Rodeo Drive, Wall Street, Michigan Avenue, Broadway....Champs-Elysees. The most famous?
Jackpot! Local outdoor markets are such a fantastic reflection of a neighborhood and opportunity to mix with locals. Marché de l'avenue du Président Wilson showcased a long stretch of wares proudly displayed.
Food included a Sucre Crepe and Thyme Pancake.
In full tourist mode anxious to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
The ride up provides a glimpse of the beautiful structure.
The 360 degree view is quite impressive while giving a sensation of the height.
Cite de Architecture et du Patrimoine documents France’s building designs.
Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to commemorate those who fought and died for France.
The top provided views of the 12 avenues radiating outwards.
Strolled the northwest part of the city with every glance another indelible image.
Back to the Left Bank.
Hôtel des Invalides was built in 1670 as a hospital for veterans and today still houses 50, but has morphed into a major tourist destination from museums on French military history and armaments. (Insert your own surrender joke here.)
Included in this complex is Saint Helena holding Napoleon's Tomb which has six coffins inside each other of tin, mahogany, lead, lead, ebony and oak.
They also had a gallery on Charles de Galles which I skipped; that egotist was a weenie.
Musée Rodin uses the artist’s former house and grounds to showcase his work.
Most famous are The Kiss (1888) and The Thinker (1902).
Aren’t you glad I didn’t pose with The Thinker?
Housed in an 1898 Beaux-Arts railway station Musée d'Orsay is considered 2nd to the Louvre.
Spent the balance of the afternoon wandering the SE arrondissements which are void of sites and the tourists they attract. This was endlessly rewarding to see real life and feed off all that energy.
Eric Kayser is a famed artisan bread baker.
The gentle curve of the pedestrian Rue de Boci yields more delightful atmosphere with every step.
A line at Amorino prompted jumping in to get a Gelato Cone layered to look like a rose by a pretty young Parisian. Picked banana, pistachio and yogurt.
Cour du Commerce St-André is a charming street arcade intersecting a block.
Best Macaron ever.
Sainte-Sulpice has frescoes lining the walls representing centuries of worship.
Tiny Poliane had a line of locals going out the door.
The 59 acre Jardin du Luxembourg was alive with Parisians engaging in all kinds of weekend activities including tennis, bocce ball, carousels, running and people watching.
Street performers had attracted a crowd in the shadow of St. Michael’s Fountain.
Crossed the Seine to the Right Bank.
Any self-respecting foodie knows the legend of the traditional central market Les Halles which moved to the suburbs in 1971. Since then this area is home to Forum des Halles- a 170 store underground hideously designed mall.
My heart leapt with excitement seeing Rue Montorgueil from this apex.
Sunday, May 29th, 2011
Headed north to the Montmarte area each step climbing in altitude.
Nope, didn’t see Nicole Kidman.
Croissant- one of the few French words I know and good thing since she didn’t speak English.
The French are serious about their bakeries including have certifications. Le Grenier a Pain has such and the fresh from the oven baguette had the perfect balance of crusty crunch and steaming chewy interior.
The cozy Place du Tertre provided the feel of what a small French village must feel like.
Basilique du Sacre-Coeur towers over Paris.
Turn around and....
Told you there was an altitude increase!
Headed back into the city.
The Pyramid is the most identified part of the Louvre, but is only the entrance.
The 12th century building is immense covering 652,300 square feet with 35,000 objects.
Made a beeline to the Mona Lisa before the crowds got large.
It was exciting to be staring at one of the most famous paintings in the world.
The Louvre building itself is a work of art.
The masters struck awe with their gift to capture the humanity of their subjects and the vibrant color.
Spent the next 2+ hours walking every gallery and floor. Poor feet.
We interrupt the Louvre to show everyone my new dining room set.
Seriously, this is part of Napoleon IIIs apartment.
This shot shows how Ile de la Cite is centered in the Seine River. This tiny island holds the next three sites.
Concierge was the prison and the picture on the right was Marie Antoinette’s cell.
I gasped climbing the narrow stairs into Sainte-Chapelle from the magnificent stained glass windows. No photo can capture the color and vividness and spirituality they embody.
Notre Dame was constructed from 1163 into the 1240s.
It was the largest cathedral in Europe.
The famed 32 foot diameter rose window.
The long climb to the tower gets you up close to the famous chimeras who watch over Paris.
And a chance to see the Emmanuel bell made famous by Quasimodo.
Abutting Ile de La Cite, the smaller island Ile St. Louis is a dense compendium of sidewalk cafes, townhouses and small shops.
A line at 50 year old Berthillon demonstrated their ice cream’s popularity. That’s Fig Ice Cream.
Sainte-Louis-en-I’lle at first glance was simple. Taking a seat in a small reed chair, which commonly replace pews, the majesty soon started to unravel from colorful stained glass, gold accenting the detailed stonework and the simple stone floor exhibited centuries of parishioner wear.
Back to the Left Bank stopping at a street side crepe stand.
Sainte-Etienne-du-Mont.
The Panthéon was commissioned by King George XV in 1755.
At the top, the rotunda has brilliant views of the 5th arrondissement and beyond. Every photographer has to frame in Eiffel.
And more somberly underneath are crypts holding the remains of 76 famous French citizens including Marie Curie (left), Voltaire( right), Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Louis Braille.
The pedestrian streets never fail to excite! Rue Mouffetard cobblestones heralded a wonderful energy of folks enjoying shopping and at sidewalk cafes performing Parisians most active pastime of people watching.
This narrow but long stretch wasn’t without some bakery opportunities.
Monday, May 30th, 2011
Ambled around the 2nd Arrondissement hitting up some bakeries.
Took the 35 minute train ride southwest to the town of Versailles glancing up from the eBook enough to see the city transform into the suburbs.
Arriving at the train station purposely headed away from Chateau Versailles to experience the real part of the town.
How fitting that the first business I stumbled upon was a bakery.
Versailles Cathedral from 1743.
This is the more polished touristy section of Versailles.
Chateau Versailles was the center of political power from 1682 to 1789.
This picture is looking back at the Chateau from halfway down the ‘back yard’ which covers 37,000 acres. Boy, and I hate cutting my grass.
Back in Paris to fill in some gaps.
Getting tired of these pedestrian streets? Me neither!
Plaza des Vosges evoked a Spanish feel with the arched walkways boxing in a town square park.
Centre Pompidou and its gerbil tunnels has been the home to modern and contemporary art since 1977. Didn’t get any of it. And those tunnels were hot.
The 1637 Sainte-Eustache. Getting tired of these old cathedrals? Me neither!
Au Pied de Cochon beautiful cascading façade has been gracing Rue Coquillière since 1946.
Pig’s Foot Terrine
Salmon Escalope
Wrapped up the walk back to the hotel with a classic French pastry Palmier and then Middle Eastern bakery.
Tuesday, May 31st, 2011
With an 11:20AM flight walked to the train station with a duffel bag over one shoulder and backpack over the other.
The usual 15 minute walk took an hour with all the food stops. Finally had the omnipresent baguette sandwich.
8 hour flight to Toronto. 2 hour layover. 1 ½ hour flight to NYC. 2 ½ hour flight home. To bed after being up for 25 hours. 6 hours of sleep and back to work.
And about that rude anti-American reputation? Didn’t see any of it. And maybe 50% of those I interacted with spoke English and usually with no or little accent. The balance was split between speaking enough to get by and none at all. Gratefully, everyone was nice and I never felt unwanted.
Merci for checking this out.