ParisEncore

~ ROUEN ~

2017-07-24T09:10:00.001-04:00

A visit to Rouen has been on my "to see" list since our first trip in 2006. We didn't make it then and it has been on every "to see" list since. I first became interested after seeing Monet's paintings of the fascade of Rouen Cathedral at different times of the day.

We finally made it to Rouen May 24,2017. We took the train from Paris and arrived in Rouen in 45 minutes.The train station is just outside of the old city which is, primarily, a pedestrian area; cobblestoned with many timbered buildings.

Throughout history, Rouen has been an important city. Located on the Seine river, it is a seaport. It is also the capital of the Normandy region of France.

We opted to walk since it was downhill. I had the small hand drawn map from Rick Steeve's Guide. We followed it and first stopped at the Abbey of St. Ouen on the way to the Cathedral. We passed by the Ceramics Museum, Museum of Fine Arts and the Ironworks Museum, which was closed until the afternoon.

Abbey St. Ouen

The statue of Napolean stands in front of the Hotel de Ville (city hall); adjacent to the Abbaye St. Ouen.
Founded in 563, it was an important Benedictine monastery. The abbey was sacked, destroyed and rebuilt several times during France's violent history. No longer a place of worship, it was listed as a historic monument in the 19th century. Today it is used for concerts and exhibitions.

gargoyles

The nave is very tall (108 ft.), higher than Rouen Cathedral and it is very bright inside due to the 3 tiers of windows. The monks wooden stalls have been maintained as well as the ironwork. The stained glass dates to the 14th century.

This stained glass was above the door leading out to the cloister.

Outside the covered walkway is a remaining part of the original cloister.

The renowned organ is massive. It is housed in oak and is said to be the finest in France.

From the Abbey we walked a couple blocks to the Cathedral, passing many timbered buildings. Did I mention all the cobblestones?

That is the spire of Rouen Cathedral.

This is the spire of St. Maclou which is behind the Cathedral

I loved the variety of architecture. The alleys and streets were narrow and you could just imagine what it was like in Medieval times. Below is a narrow passage between two streets. There were small,pretty courtyards in there!

Rouen Cathedral

There is a large square in front of the Cathedral where you can find the Tourist Information booth, souvenir shops and some really nice cafes. The one we chose, Paul's, had the BEST croque madam. Woody had chicken with cider sauce. A very good lunch. There was also one of those little trains that take you around the area. It would have been perfect since I had Achilles tendonitis and walking was becoming difficult; but it was booked through the afternoon.

There was a lot of exterior restoration going on. The statues of the Apostles (and others) had been removed from the facade and were placed inside the Cathedral.

The nave is tall and the interior quite bright with all the tall stained glass windows. This is a side chapel.

We had seen a replica of this carved stone stairway at the Architecture Museum in Paris. Awesome!

The pillars were massive while appearing light and delicate. I am always reminded of Ken Follet's Pillars of the Earth when touring a gothic Cathedral.

I don't think I got the best photos of the stained glass.A tripod sure would help! I would love to see one of these incredible windows created and installed.

After the Cathedral, I wanted to see the Plague Cemetery. My feet were screaming and I didn't know how much more walking I was going to be to do. The plague cemetery was close by. It was built at the time of the Black Plague in1348. Three fourths of the St. Maclou parish died and the small church cemetery had no more room for the dead. So another cemetery was created next to the church and the victims of the plague were buried in communal graves. Later 4 galleries were built around the cemetery to create a central courtyard. Three of these galleries were used as an ossuary during a later plague. The 4th gallery served as a school.

The eerie decorations on the gallery buildings included skulls, cross bones and grave diggers tools. From the 18th century, burials were forbidden in town centers.

After the cemetery we began heading towards the train station. We stopped at the Ironworks Museum that had been closed in the morning. It was small, interesting and free. The museum was housed in an abandoned church.

Notice on the wall what appears to be the original "Swiss army knife".

There were several display cases of keys. Some were extraordinarily large.

The Ironworks Museum was the end of our Rouen visit as I just couldn't walk anymore. It was very disappointing because there was so much that we did not see; i.e. the Gros Horloge (large clock), covered market, Joan of Arc church and museum. You could easily spend a day or two in Rouen. Maybe next trip.

~Paris 9 May 2017~ DIJON

2017-06-05T23:09:00.000-04:00

I hope you aren't getting bored of hearing about Paris. We decided on this visit rather spur of the moment. Woody had been checking airfares and when he showed me the price, I said "That's a no-brainer!" So we are off on adventure #9. Our stay was for 2 weeks~ May 11 to 26, one of our favorite times to go. Spring and fall are the best.

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.

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.)

The halberds were evil looking. How many ways can you slay an enemy? They looked like implements of torture and death to me.

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.

~Beehives in the Garden~

2016-10-28T10:13:00.000-04:00

Jardin du Luxembourg

While researching and planning this year's trip, I read about an apiary in the Jardin du Luxembourg. The bees and the beekeeping school have been in the garden since 1856. Since we usually spend time in the gardens each time we visit, I added the bees to the "to see list", wondering why we hadn't seen them before.

This is a perfect place for the bees as there are many flowering and fruit trees in the garden. There's an extraordinary orchard next to the apiary.

The antique bee boxes are under the gazebo; the bees now make their home in the newer 'pagoda-like' houses. The fountain in the middle of the apiary is especially for the bees. The colony thrives as Paris is a pesticide free zone.

We entered near the Luxembourg Palace built for Marie de Medici in 1615. It currently houses the French Senate.

We couldn't have been further from the apiary, which is in the southwest corner of the garden near the Rue de Fleurus entrance; an entrance we've never strolled by.

The Medici Fountain, a beautiful,quiet place to sit and enjoy the moment..

Walking along the Luxembourg Palace, the flowers are gorgeous.

The lovely white statuary circles the parterre garden. They are all women, many Queens of France

French gardeners love their Dahlias. They were spectacular!
Always reminds me of the dahlias my Mom grew in her garden..

More of the parterre garden

The Palais Luxembourg~now housing the French Senate.

We are slowly making our way to the other side of the garden, enjoying all the beautiful plantings.

Soon we came to a very large boules area. There must have been a dozen games in progress. These men are obviously friends and quite competitive. They do have fun and we enjoyed sitting and watching.

Next to the boules courts was a very large play area. This is a serious playground!

Now we are close to the bees! The sign says; "Don't walk on the grass. Danger Bees"

I am so glad I read about this part of the garden. Those bees have some luxurious housing.

The area near and around the apiary is quite beautiful as well.

Such a beautiful walk. This area will definitely be on my "must do again" list.

This is the walkway from the south entrance to the gardens. I love how the gardens are maintained.

Returning to where we began, we pass the large pool. On weekends, there would be kids sailing boats.

The Jardin du Luxembourg is on every Paris 'must see' site list. I've shown photos of the garden from every one of our Paris visits. I hope you don't ever get bored with this beautiful retreat. I know I won't.

~Our 2016 Paris Holiday~

2016-10-23T19:40:00.000-04:00

Our 8th trip to Paris began in Orlando; taking Icelandair to Reykjavik, Iceland for a brief stop before continuing to Charles DeGaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris.

Our plane in Orlando

The airport in Reykjavik is very small and does not have enough gates or jetways yet to accommodate the increased traffic. When we arrived, we had to de-plane on the tarmac and were then transported to the terminal by bus. When we reboarded, we followed the same routine. On arrival, it was cold and raining. Since Iceland was the first stop out of the country, we went through customs there.

We arrived in Paris at Terminal 1 which we hadn't done before. We found the taxi stand eventually. It was quite a surprise to see that the fare to Paris was a set fee (55 euros). The result of Uber competition.

Our apartment was located on Avenue de La Bourdonnais, in the 7th arr. This was the view from our 6th floor apt window; as you can see we were quite close to the Eiffel Tower. We stayed in this same area the last time we were here, so everything was quite familiar.

We were so fortunate to find this apartment with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Usually the apartments with a view of the ET are booked way in advance.

We have apt hunting down to a science now. Having a set criteria is the most important aspect in the apartment search. For us, #1 is an elevator. The closer you are to the central part of the city, which is the oldest, the harder it is to find apartments with elevators. Then we want to be close to transportation. We no longer use the Metro because I have difficulty climbing stairs. Using the buses is so easy; being in the vicinity of a larger correspondence makes traveling to various parts of the city convenient.

The first surprise when we arrived was finding the elevator landing between floors. We try to avoid stairs.Christophe, the landlord, greeted us at the apt and showed us around and answered all of our questions. He lives above us and was available if there were any problems. (There were a few.)The apartment was full of light. The living room faced the street which was only a problem when the windows were open. The double-paned windows really reduce the street noise. The owner of this apartment probably lives here at times because it was filled with personal and family possessions. The furniture was a bit 'tired' but certainly adequate. I loved the small roll top desk. I hooked up to WiFi right away.

The kitchen was narrow but well equipped with a full refrigerator and freezer, dishwasher (which we did not use), stove, oven and microwave. It was well stocked with pots, dishes, glasses and utensils as well.

Woody spent more time in the kitchen than I did. My job was to wash the dishes.

French bathrooms are not the same as American bathrooms. This room which included, tub/shower, sink, bidet and washing machine was connected to the bedroom. The toilet is in a separate room, the water closet (WC). It was adjacent to the bedroom.

I'm not including a photo of the bedroom because it was a bit 'messy', but there was SO MUCH storage! More than we've ever had in any previous apartment. They are quite resourceful when creating storage space. The bed was queen sized but the pillows were flat, hard and square; very awkward and uncomfortable. I bring my own little memory foam pillow so I wasn't as uncomfortable as Woody.

View looking South towards the Champs de Mars

Walking along Avenue de La Bourdonnais.

You are going to see many photos of the Eiffel Tower, it seemed to be everywhere. Even after 8 visits, I do not tire of looking at it.

After arrival, our first task was buying some staples (eggs, milk, bread, raspberry preserves,paper towels and Coke). The Franprix, the local supermarche, was only 2 doors from the apt...very convenient. Since it is on 2 floors, it seemed very roomy. There was an elevator to the lower level, which I never saw. My job was to get the items on the upper floor and Woody went down. We have our own tote bags for carrying the groceries to the apt.

After Franprix, it was off to Rue Cler for the fruit and pastries.

I love the produce stands. Everything is arranged so creatively. We got some fresh squeezed orange juice and bananas. Then bought our pastries across the way at the boulangerie. I eat Pain au Chocolat (flaky pastry with bits of chocolate inside) and Woody usually gets Chaussons aux pommes (an apple filled beignet).

Having our chores done, we rested a bit before going out for dinner. Our routine includes a walk after dinner, usually down to the river.

This is the view of the Eiffel Tower from the promenade along Quai Branly; the perfect ending to our first day in Paris.

~ Paris 7.0 ~ Rue Cler

2015-11-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Rue Cler is a pedestrian only open-air market street located in the heart of the 7th arr. Unlike other pedestrian-only streets i.e.Rue Mouffetard, Rue Buci & Rue Montorgueil, Rue Cler is wide with a very relaxed village-like feel.

Since Rue Cler was a block from our apt., we frequented it often.

Just about everything we needed could be found there.

The street is cobbled. The only vehicles are delivery vans/trucks.

The post office is the first building on the street; that was my first stop to buy stamps.

There are a variety of specialty shops; chocolate, honey, wine and imported salmon. I think you'd really have to love salmon to pay those prices.

What you notice most, though, are the colorful produce markets. Most were "help yourself". Below are blackberries, blueberries, red currants and raspberries; I had to look up groseille because I had no idea what those little round berries (red currants) were.

Inside there were nuts and oils.

Shopping here for the evening meal would not bother me at all. No crowds, no cars or parking lots and really fresh produce.

That's Woody shopping for oranges to make freshed squeezed orange juice. There's a juicer in the apt.

Flowers~one of the things I love about Paris.This was a very large flower shop.

Further down the street are two charcuteries (delicatessen). Both offer a wide variety of pre-prepared meals. The spaghetti bolognese (below) is 4.5 euros; across the street at the cafe it's 12.95 euros. As you can see, there is a large selection of vegetables and roasted meats and chickens.

Love the green beans (haricots vert).

The tray on the left is a tangine.

The choices change daily.

There are a handful of restaurants on the street. Cafe Central, is where we would go if I wanted Spaghetti Bolognese.

I loved that large antique cash register.

Amuse bouche (hors d'oeuvres). The marinated olives were very tasty.

The patisserie where we bought our daily pain au chocolat is marked by the purple awning.

Pain au chocolat is a sweet roll made with the same dough as a croissant, it is a chubby little pillow filled with pieces of dark chocolate.

The outside counter is supposed to be for convenience, but the yellow jackets were all over the sweets.

macarons

melt in your mouth meringues

Only one small souvenir shop on Rue Cler~a real plus!

But there were two fromageries (cheese), which I suppose the French love. The smell was really awful walking by these shops.

There were also two grocery stores. We shopped in the Franprix, which is a chain grocery. You can find just about everything you need, but be careful how much you buy because you will have to carry it home.

The very first thing I did when we booked our apartment, was to search for the closest ice cream shop. Lucky for me there's an Amorino on Rue Cler.

I did a little research and found this old photo from circa 1900 of Rue Cler.

a bientot~~

~Paris 7.0~ First Days Settling In

2015-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

The agency we used to find the apt was Lodgis. They were very friendly and fast to respond to any of our questions. The apt managers were friendly and quite helpful. Benjamin spoke very good English.

Our apartment building was located at 7, Ave de la Motte-Picquet in the 7th arr. The little green door between Max's Restaurant and the auto repair shop is the entrance.
They were doing construction on the street; Woody watched the daily progress and was amazed at the efficiency of the workers. It was completed before we left.

The building's elevator was certified for 3 persons.

This photo shows Woody and I in the elevator. We were always coming up with scenarios for fitting in a 3rd person. We could barely fit in if we had a bag of groceries.

We were thankful for the elevator since our apt was on the 4th floor.

The apt was quite roomy. There was a living room with a dining area and kitchen in the front facing the street.

The bedroom which you could walk around, had a chest of drawers and closet space. They really know how to utilize the limited space available.

The bathroom was also in the back of the apt. It, too, could accommodate all of our 'paraphenalia" and had a spa tub. When I saw the apt on-line I thought this was terrific~something that would be great for a sore body at the end of the day. But in reality, I could not justify using the amount of water needed to fill it.

There was a large screen TV with several English speaking stations...mostly news. Woody was able to watch Ohio State Football on the computer and I listened to the Federer/Djokavic final of the US Open tennis tournament.

The kitchen was laid out quite efficiently. I loved working in the kitchen (though that was rare ). We (Woody) used the coffee maker, orange juicer and microwave all the time. Woody also figured out the cook top and made french toast for breakfast several times. There was a washer in the kitchen, which we did not use. No dryer though.

The dining table became the

computer work station and general "catch-all"

If you stood in one exact spot in the living room, there was a view (glimpse) of the Eiffel Tower. And, we were able to see it 'twinkle' on the hour.

The neighborhood was wonderful. The pedestrian market street ~Rue Cler (there will be a blog post highlighting rue Cler)~ was 2 blocks away. The apt was located between the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides. These were the tourist areas. (Rick Steve's loves Rue Cler.)

We had lots of choices of restaurants and each one that we chose was good.

There was access to about 6 bus lines and 2 Metro stops.

This is the large intersection at the Ecole Militaire Metro stop. Lots of restaurants here and it's where most of the bus stops were located.

At the other end of the street was this little park. So quiet, relaxing and just beautiful.

This is the Invalides that houses the superb Musee de l'Armee. We've been here twice. The Medieval exhibits and World War I & II exhibits are great.

Just past the Ecole Militaire intersection is the

Champs du Mars and the Eiffel Tower.

Woody ,on Rue Cler, buying oranges for my fresh squeezed OJ.

Next time we'll take a closer look at Rue Cler. ~a bientot.

~Paris 7.0~ Prologue

2015-09-29T23:41:00.000-04:00

We've just returned from the "city of light". I intended to call this post Paris 7 (which it was) but it was also a celebration of a milestone birthday that I wasn't particularly looking forward to. That resulted in our 7th visit to my favorite city and the revised title.

Each of our Paris stays has been different, but there are things we always do, places that must be revisited and food that can't be missed. This trip was, indeed, different. We didn't go to the Louvre or Montmartre ; no nutella and banana crepe or tomato and mozzarella sandwiches, therefore no feeding the pigeons; but, we survived ~another perfect Paris holiday!

Our apartment for the 2 week stay was located on Ave de la Motte-Picquet in the 7th arrondissement. The area is clean and fairly quiet because of the many embassies located there. We were between 2 main tourist attractions; the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides. The Ecole Militaire Metro area was a main hub for many buses, which was our main mode of transportation. Only a block from the apartment, near the Champs du Mars, the Place de l'Ecole Militaire is a sprawling intersection of 5 streets. 6 bus lines use this area as a correspondence. The real challenge is finding the bus stop for the correct line, going in the desired direction.

When I was planning this trip, I tried to include many of the sites that were missed on the previous 6 visits. (My plans always tend to be a bit amibitious.) At the same time, I tried to make each day easy on my body (limiting walking and stairs). There were 2 side trips planned; 2 days in Brussels for my birthday and a day trip to Rouen. I also included 3 neighborhood explorations, 2 open air markets and 3 museums. The rest of the time we would 'play it by ear'. My goal was to take lots of photos. We did go to Brussels, 1 museum and did a lot of 'playing it by ear'. I took over 1500 photos

So let's begin this photojournal of Paris 7.0.

~ Artists Paint Paris ~

2014-01-28T20:41:00.001-05:00

Many artists have used sites in and around Paris as the subject of their art.

Edgar Degas "Cafe Concert" 1876

Charles Marville "Rue Glatigny " photograph 1865
Marville was selected to photograph Paris before the Hausmann Transformation.

Vincent Van Gogh "Juillet 14" 1886

Henri Toulouse-Latrec "At the Moulin Rouge"

crica 1893

Gustave Caillebotte "Toits sous la niege" 1878

Auguste Renoir "Pont Neuf"

Gustave Caillebotte "Rainy Day Paris"

1877

Contemporary Artist in Montmartre

Stanislas Lepine "Pont de la Tournelle" 1881

Auguste Renoir "Pont des Arts" 1867

Vincent Van Gogh "Pont du Carousel & Louvre" 1886

Paul de Castro "Winter in Paris" 2012

Hugo Schimmel "Boulevard du Clichy"

1907

Camille Pissarro "Rue Saint-Honore" 1897

Pierre-Auguste Renoir "Place de la Trinite"

Camille Pissarro "La Place du Theatre Francais" 1897

Jean Beraud "Les Halles" 1879

Jean Beraud "On the Boulevard" 1931

Claude Monet "Boulevard des Capucines"

Felix Buhot " Coin datelier, 71 Bd. de Clichy

circa 1887

Jules Breton "Returning from the Fields"

Setting is Pas-de Calais north of Paris 1871

Ernest Meissonier "1807, Friedland" defeat of Napolean

Henri Lerolle "The Organ Rehearsal"

Set in the choir loft of Saint Francois-Xavier in Paris

circa 1885

Paul Gaugin " rue Carcel" 1881

Claude Monet " Gare St. Lazare" 1878

Having done this research, Jean Beraud and Camille Pissarro are my favorites.......au revoir.

~Bonne et Heureuse Annee a tois!

2013-12-31T23:17:00.002-05:00

~Autumn in Paris~

2013-11-22T18:15:00.001-05:00

Autumn is a beautiful season no matter what part of the world you experience it.

Place de Vosges

Bois de Boulogne

Eiffel Tower

10th Arr. Rue Rene Boulanger

Place Igor Stravinsky

Bois de Vincennes

Cimetiere du Montmartre

Fontaine de Quatre Patries du Monde

Jardin des Tuileries

Place Marche St. Catherine

Petit Palais~inner garden

Jardin du Luxembourg

Montmartre Vineyard

Place des Vosges

Parc de Belleville

Grand Palais along the Seine

Place de la Contrescarpe

Place des Vosges

Pere LaChaise Cimetiere

Looking from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower

(These photos were taken from Wikimedia Creative Commons)

~Theme: Marquises et Auvents~

2013-10-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Marquees and Canopies

These iron and glass canopies first appeared during the late 19th century Art Nouveau period. Many of these might be original but it is a popular design feature that can be found all over the city. We found many over the doors of hotels and entrances to apartment buildings and restaurants. Finding them was like a treasure hunt.

Both of these photos are of the Musee d'Orsay which used to be a train station.

This is the small hotel where we stayed in Tours. Hotel du Manoir

The prestigious Tour d'Argent restaurant.

I never really noticed these fancy wrought iron and glass canopies until I became interested in Art Nouveau architecture. Then, they showed up everywhere.

~The Banks of the Seine~

2013-09-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Seine runs through Paris dividing Left Bank from Right and carving out the 2 islands~Ile de la Cite and Ile St. Louis. It is so vibrant and diverse; a neighborhood in itself. It flows through 10 of the Paris arrondissements. Most of the iconic sites can be found along the river including the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral and Musee d'Orsay just to name a few.

The tour boats "bateaux mouches" are running constantly. There are several different companies, so you will see long glass-enclosed boats as well as those that are open-air.

There are 37 bridges that cross the Seine in Paris. You can see many in a days leisurely walk.

We were walking on the Right Bank near the Grand Palais and noticed the walkaway littered with leaves and branches. Then we came upon this interesting piece of equipment. Now we know how they keep the trees trimmed so perfectly.

The barges moored along the river are varied, unique and interesting. I wish someone would come up with a "Barge Tour". I would love to see these up close. Some are working barges, some are restaurants or belong to the police and fire departments; most are someone's home.

This is the beautiful entrance to the Quai Branly. It is a wide open walkway.

This is a children's play area along Quai Branly.

( I think next time, I should take pictures of the "Playgrounds of Paris")

Les Berges de Seine (click on the link to read about the new look of the Banks of the Seine) is the newest project going on in Paris. This segment on the Left Bank when finished (which it probably is by now) will be a "floating park" as you can see on the sign. It is 2.3 km of interconnected islands. This is only one part of the huge renovation of the quais along the river. The pedestrian walkways have been widened and are more accessible, more benches and plants have been added, safer crosswalks have been created and there has been a restructuring of the traffic patterns.

It's one of the best things about Paris, they are always trying to make it even more beautiful and accessible to all; and when they do it, as the article says, "they get it right".

~Les Bouquinistes~

2013-08-30T17:02:00.001-04:00

The bouquinistes are the green booths that cling to the walls along the Seine on both sides of the Ile de la Cite. These prime spots are much coveted, many are passed down from generation to generation. There is no set schedule for when they will be open. The license that allows them to operate only specifies that they must be open so many hours a week.

Every booth is different. Some sell only old books. Some are full of souvenirs. All are interesting and provide a perfect way to browse while walking along the river.

I like looking through some of the old (not so old) maps.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame is in the background. On weekends, the quais are quite crowded.

Prints and postcards are plentiful. There is something for everyone.

Original art can be found too.

What is really interesting is watching them open up in the morning and pack up at closing (which is anytime they want).

This view is typical~not all bouquinistes open at the same time.

Near the Pont Neuf

These old magazine covers were very interesting and pricey.

These look like illustrations torn from a book on fashion and sold singly.

These are reproductions of old Belle Epoque posters.

Since these booksellers are located right in the heart of Paris, there's no way that they can be missed.

~Art Nouveau in the 7th Arr.~

2013-08-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Until our last trip in 2011, I didn't have much knowledge of Art Nouveau. Then, I saw a beautiful Alfonse Mucha calendar with 12 of his famous posters. This was the beginning of my understanding of the style~Art Nouveau. Art Nouveau is a philosophy and style of architecture, art and decorative arts which was popluar from 1890-1910. It is inspired by natural forms, structures and curved lines One of its most distinctive characteristics are the 'whiplash' curves. These whiplash motifs, formed by dynamic flowing lines are found throughout the architecture, painting, sculpture and other decorative forms of Art Nouveau design.

Mucha's poster Gismonda, which was an advertisement for the play featuring Sarah Bernhardt in 1895, popularized the new artistic style. In Paris, the gallery Maison de l'Art Nouveau managed by Seigreid Bing showcased modern art objects. The fame of his gallery increased at the 1900 Exposition Universelle which presented an overview of this modern style. Soon this new modern art form became known as Art Nouveau.

More of Mucha's posters can be seen here.

29 Avenue Rapp

We came upon this building, completely by accident, walking near the Eiffel Tower. It caught our eye from a block away. The architect of this building and several others in the area was Jules Lavirotte.

This masterpiece won Lavirotte first place in the prestigious Parisian Facade competiton of 1901. The use of glazed tiles embedded in the stone and bricks was the first of its kind in Europe.

The Art Nouveau style incorporates forms from nature; plants, flowers, insects etc. The door pull on this main entrance is in the form of a lizard.

Lavirotte signed his buildings.

Here's another link that describes some of Lavirotte's designs.

Rue Sedillot

This is another Lavirotte building. It is quite fanciful with a Medieval inspired tower over the main entrance.(seen in the photograph below)

This building is now the Liceo Italiano Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian high school.

The building has asymmetrical features. The windows are unevenly spaced and of different sizes.

Art Nouveau architecture made use of many of the technological innovations of the 19th century, especially the use of exposed iron and large pieces of glass (note the Guimard Metro entrances below). These window grates are great examples of the 'whiplash' curves used in the design.

This photo shows the windows of the building next to the Liceo Italiano. There were several buildings on this street with Art Nouveau features.

Square Rapp

Just a few steps from the 29 Avenue Rapp building is Square Rapp. Here you will see another Lavirotte building at No. 3 .

The first thing you notice when turning into the Square is the back wall. It is covered with a 5 or 6 story tall trellis with a 3D architectural design. It's magnificient. The iron gate was designed by Lavirotte as well.

The main entrance and balconies feature stone carvings and cast iron details. Each of the balconies has a different Lavirotte design. You'll notice the turret towards the back.

The facade, the balconies, the iron work and the beautiful carved doors are breathtaking.

Looking back out of the Square through the iron gate that encloses the square, a full view of the Eiffel Tower.

By the start of World War I the elaborate stylised nature of Art Nouveau fell out of favor because it became too expensive to produce. It was eventually replaced by the 20th century 'modern' styles which were more streamlined, linear, and cheaper. One of these plainer industrial styles became known as Art Deco.

Excellent examples of Art Nouveau architecture can be found in many cities in Europe including Brussels, Belgium; Riga,Latvia, Aviero, Portugal and Barcelona, Spain. (There are many more.)

Other Art Nouveau artists include Gustav Klimt; jewellry designer and glassmaker, Rene Lalique; glass artist Louis Comfort Tiffany and architect Antoni Gaudi.

Other Art Nouveau creations

Hector Guimard was an architect and contemporary of Lavirotte and more well known. He designed the Paris Metro entrances. There are two of the original structures left in the city. This one at Place Abesses in Montmartre.

and this one at Porte Dauphine near the Bois de Boulogne. Notice that both incorporate the large glass panels in the design.

(photo is from the internet)

Today Art Nouveau is considered a 'total' style including architecture, interior design, jewellry, furniture, textiles and visual arts.

So now you know~if it's decorative and curvy, it's probably Art Nouveau.

~Themes: Colors~

2013-08-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

I've found that having a particular item to search out actually makes you look even closer at everything. On a previous trip, I decided on the spur of the moment that I was going to look for 'green things' and try to take a green photo everyday. Green, it turned out was not the easiest color to find but once we started looking for it~it seemed to be everywhere.

So as part of my trip planning, I made a list of possible themes. Colors was at the top of the list. For this trip I was going to do blue. While walking the first couple days, we noticed a definite trend in the shop windows. Orange~obviously THE color to be wearing. So orange and blue were the 'theme colors' for Paris 5.

The first orange photo was easy. This little ball was one of the lamps in our apartment. It made the perfect backdrop for our May Day Lily of the Valley.

I have to admit, I think these are just about the ugliest shoes I saw; we passed this shop almost twice a day.

Maybe this is the same shop~they do change their windows often.

I thought these lace shorts were quite unique. The first blue item that I found.

(I was shopping last week and found that lace shorts are "in".)

Little girls get to wear orange too.

I coveted this scarf but couldn't justify 79 euros. I was really tempted though.

I don't like to take photos of people on the street but this orange coat screamed for a photo.

This little tourist tram is new~at least for us. We've seen a white one in Montmartre but not in the city by the Ile de la Cite. I didn't see any advertisements so have no idea where it goes.

ORANGE shops are everywhere....they sell products for mobile phones. A Parisian RadioShack.

Not something I would wear, but it did get my attention.

Outside seating at a small bar.

I found some blue at the Mineralogy Museum~ Lapis lazuli.

One of the clocks on the wall at the Architecture Museum;

each unique clock designated a different time zone.

Here you are ~a whole outfit.

The butterfly dress was pretty. This was an upscale shop on Rue Victor Hugo that we passed

on the way to the Arc de Triomphe.

Some shades of orange were more appealing than others. I prefer the cool oranges.

I didn't dare run over and take a photo of this woman.

She was walking rather fast, so it's probably not in focus.

Shops with kitchen gadgets are really fun. Sometimes we were at a loss at identifying the item. I guess this is a juicer for your fresh squeezed orange presse in a goblet.

The item that looks like a boat is actually a serving dish for dip. The spreading knife sits in the lid.

The blue juicer is displayed upside-down

Pick your shade.

I asked Woody to keep his eye open for something orange in the men's shops.

These are those little remote controlled puppies that run around and yelp. This was near the Eiffel Tower.

Little puppies begging the tourists to take them home.

I love this bike! It was parked at the Louvre.

Orange canaries in the pet shop~blue backdrop.

More accessories for your orange wardrobe.

It took some time before I found a shop that wasn't showing orange. I was beginning to give up on blue.

Indian tourists at the Trocadero

Finally found some men's clothes~maybe for that weekend in Cannes.

(With those yellow loafers in the photo above)

I was so surprised to find an orange scooter.

Robes/cover-ups in a tourist shop on the Rue de Rivoli.

An elegant little boutique in the Marais~oriental style clothing.

Ballet flats (all French girls wear these).

I really preferred the blue ones but then I'd have to buy a whole outfit to match.

This photo does not do this window justice. The store is very large by Paris standards. Those huge blue net pom-poms took over the whole window with only 2 mannequins displaying the lingerie. Tam-Tam specializes in loungewear, bathing suits and lingerie.

I wish I could have gotten a photo without all the reflections. These are Denver Bronco colors. I hit the jackpot with orange and blue in one window. (They are complimentary colors)

That's it for the colors theme....more themed posts to come.

~Stained Glass in Cimeterie de Passy~

2013-07-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

We visited the Cimeterie de Passy last year. My post highlighted many of the vaults I found most beautiful. Because the Cimeterie was in "our neighborhood", we returned for another look. My intention was to see the cemetery in a different way. The decorative stained glass windows caught my eye immediately. Some were very small on the inside wall of the crypt. Some windows were visible on the outside and some were only seen through small openings in a door or window. I was surprised by how many different ones I found.

(The cross on the inside viewed through the cross on the door.)

The windows in the vaults along with the decorative grave plaques attached to the graves, I found to be a beautiful, most personal way to honor a loved one's life..

~July 14th Bastille Day~

2013-07-14T01:29:00.002-04:00

Today the French celebrate La Prise de la Bastille (the fall of the Bastille). Music, parades and fireworks.

The Tricolor flyover by the precision flying team of the French Air Force.

The military parade up the Champs Elysee~

The city is decked out in the Tricolor.

and fireworks ~Lots of fireworks.

Van Gogh's interpretation of Bastille Day.

Vive La France!

~Garden of the Worlds~

2013-07-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

First a little background on Albert Kahn.

The Garden of the Worlds is the legacy of Albert Kahn; a French banker and philanthropist. He is most known for his compilation of photographs titled "The Archives of the Planet".

In 1909, Kahn travelled with his chauffeur and photographer to Japan on business and returned with many photographs of his journey. This visit, and the Lumiere brother's development of color photography, prompted him to begin a project collecting a photographic record of the entire Earth. Between 1909 and 1931, 72,000 color photographs and 183,000 meters of film were collected. These photographs form a unique historical record of 50 countries known as "The Archives of the Planet".

The economic crash of 1929 bankrupted Kahn and put an end to the project. Kahn died at Boulogne-Billancourt outside of Paris in November of 1940 during the Nazi occupation of France.

Since 1986, the photographs have been housed in a museum at 14 Rue du Port at the site of his garden. Kahn bought the property in 1893 and established this unique garden. It covers 4 hectares and includes a variety of garden styles including an English garden, Japanese garden, rose garden, winter garden and a conifer copse. By placing the distinct garden traditions together, Kahn meant for the garden to be a symbol of a world in harmony and peace. The garden, Garden of the Worlds, is now a French national museum.

When you enter, it is the Japanese garden that you see first. It is breathtaking; especially in Spring with all the vividly colored rhododendrons and azalaes.

This rock bed was unbelievable. Every one of those flat stones was positioned standing on edge...a river of rocks.

There were many ishidoro in the garden. I love these stone lanterns and they were all in perfect view.

Kahn was obviously fond of the Japanese culture. There are several village buildings along the pathways.

A rather unusual bridge. I didn't go back there so I don't know if it could be crossed.

This is part of the conifer woods...very rocky and quite a contrast to the flowering gardens.

A walk through the rhododendrons. There were so many unusual plants and shrubs. I only wish they had
been labelled.

This is a good example of how the rocks were laid and patterned. Around every turn there was something different to see.

A slightly sloped waterfall. There were several of these as well, each laid out different than the last.

Beautiful pond well stocked with koi~every color and pattern imaginable. And they were big.

My favorite photo.

Another ishidoro.

There were not a lot of peonies blooming. The spring had been quite cold and wet. The ones that there were in bloom were huge! Much bigger than your hand.

Can you tell I liked the stone lanterns?

This was a gate that lead into one of the village buildings. It's made of bamboo.

When we were there, there were several small groups of school children. These kids were 5 or 6 years old. Each one of them was very focused on their drawings. There were also artists visiting with their instructor sketching in various parts of the garden.

A small sitting area under a huge willow tree.

The day we were there none of the bridges were accessible, so this is how we crossed the stream.

No wooden stairs in this garden.

So serene. Japanese irises.

The English Garden.

The Winter garden.

I took this photo through the glass in the door. Just exquisite inside. It was closed however.

This is the rose garden. The bushes were espaliered and shaped. Very unusual. The bushes had buds but needed a few more weeks of warm weather before they would be blooming.

More of the rose garden; a lovely walkway with covered trellises. I think you can tell that it was quite easy to spend a few hours here even though it is not really that large.

The Albert Kahn garden and museum is easy to get to (Metro #10 and Bus #52,72) and the entrance fee is minimal (I thought it was a mistake). Since it is a national museum it is closed on Mondays.

A book of photographs, The Dawn of the Color Photograph and DVD, The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn:The Archives of the Planet show this vast photographic collection and beautiful garden.

I put both of these on my 'wish list'.

~Eiffel Tower Revisited~

2013-06-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's only logical that if we are viewing the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero, that we should walk down to the river, cross over Pont Iena and see it up close. I never get tired of seeing and photographing the Eiffel Tower (I refer to it as ET). I do not, however, like to be up close and personal; it's just too crowded.

You can see how much rain they've had in France judging by the high water level. In May it was very close to flooding the quai and the river was moving quite fast.

It is possible to see the Eiffel Tower peaking through at various locations around Paris...

You just never know when you are going to catch a glimpse.

Since I don't usually spend much time under the tower, I had never noticed this bust before. Gustave Eiffel is the engineer who designed the tower for the 1889 Universal Exposition. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited paid monument in the world.

If you don't have a reservation, you must stand in line to take your turn to ascend by lift. (Lines are much longer in summer.) I have been up to the upper levels but it was many years ago before I developed a fear of heights. Back then, there was no waiting for hours in line and there definitely was no such thing as 'reservations'. Of course if you are in great shape, you can take the stairs to the first level and second levels.

On the upper levels are restaurants, souvenir shops and telescopes; you can even mail a postcard with a special Eiffel Tower postmark.

This is a view from the top looking down at the Trocadero. You are able to see 360 degrees, 30 miles or so on a clear day.

Studying the structure from this point of view is incredible. It looks so light and airy then you realize all the parts that went into building it and it is even more awesome.

I prefer to look at it from the bottom up. You don't have to go far to be away from the crowds and get a totally different view.

This photo was taken next to a little pond with ducks. You couldn't see the hoards of people at all.

The absolutely BEST time to view the tower is after dark.

From the Trocadero terrace, you can see the Eiffel Tower and the fountains lit up.

It has such a warm glow; there is a search light on top. Then, every hour after dark, which in Spring is not until 10 pm in France, you can see the incredible "light show". 20,000 sparkling lights dazzling for about 10 minutes.

It's hard to believe that 100 years ago the Parisians wanted to dismantle it...communications and the wars saved it from demolition and kept it in use. It is still used to broadcast radio and TV signals today.

~Trocadero~

2013-06-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Trocadero is the area in the 16th arr. opposite the Eiffel Tower. Sitting on top of the hill is the Place du Trocadero; a large square with 5 large boulevards radiating out from it. An equestrian statue of General Foch (WWI commander of the Western front) stands in the center and many fine cafes and restaurants surround the square. The Cemetery of Passy is adjacent to the square on the south side.

This is a bustling square. Several bus lines pass through it, the #6 and #9 Metro lines stop here, there's a busy taxi stand and because of the spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower, the tour buses are constantly passing by or stopped and parked. With the 5 boulevards feeding into the sqaure, it resembles (a mini version) the large circle around the Arc de Triomphe.

The name Trocadero comes from the historic Battle of Trocadero in 1823 in Cadiz, Spain; in which French forces aided Spanish Bourbon King Ferdinand in retaining his throne. The first Palais was built in 1878 for the Universal Esposition; at this time is was called the Palais du Trocadero. The architecture was an unusual combination of Moorish and Byzantine styles. It was so unpopular with the Parisians, that a new Palais was constructed in 1937 for the World's Fair in a style more acceptable at the time. The name was changed to Palais de Chaillot for the village originally located on the site.

The neoclassical/ art deco building with its 2 curved wings separated by the 2-tiered esplanade is on the east side of the square. The Palais houses several museums, including the Musee de la Marine (Navy Museum) and the Cite du Patrimonie et de l'Architecture (the architecture museum) which I will include in another post.

An array of fountains extend from the terraces down to the river Seine. The Fountains of Warsaw, when working are spectacular; sequential towers of spray culminating with the 20 large water canons sending huge arcs of water in the center. On each side of the fountains are gardens with beautiful walkways, small streams, ponds and bridges creating a peaceful, quiet bucolic atmosphere. The gardens are planted with a variety of flowering trees (pawlonia being the most prevalent) which make the area beautiful in Spring and the perfect frame for the view of the Eiffel Tower.

The Palais, terraces and gardens are decorated with statuary; 8 gilded statues on the terraces, "Hercules" and "Apollo" on the 2 curved wings, the "Bull and the "Horse" at the head of the fountains and "Youth" and "Joie de Vivre" at the base of the fountains. There are others around in the gardens and on the buildings and terraces.

"Hercules"

"La Jeunesse"

"Youth"

View of the Palais de Chaillot and gardens from the Eiffel Tower.

(photo from Wikipedia)

The terraces of the Palais are massive and accommodate a lot of people. It is a favorite place for protests, demonstrations and celebrations (more about that in a later post). There are also dozens of guys walking around hawking small Eiffel Towers hanging on large rings. Beware! Most of these guys do not have a license for selling, as we witnessed. When the police are present, these guys take off en masse.

The best time to come to view the fountains and Eiffel Tower is at night.

It's a real treat and most spectacular site!

We were lucky. The Trocadero was on our daily itinerary....it is not to be missed.

~Paris Five ~ Overture~

2013-06-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

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 Planning~ Parc Georges Brassens

2013-03-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

This park located in the 15th arrondissement was created in 1984. The area used to be the hamlet of Vaugirard. It was incorporated into the city of Paris during Baron Hausmann's reconstruction in the 19th century.
In the 18th century, there was a large vineyard on this site and it employed most of the inhabitants of the area. By the 19th century, the vineyard disappeared and was replaced by market gardens; then in 1894 the slaughterhouses of Vaugirard were constructed. The slaughter houses were busy for many years but were finally destroyed in 1975.

Georges Brassens (1921-1981) was a singer, songwriter and poet. He lived in the neighborhood on rue Santos Dumont. The park was given its name by Mayor Jacque Chirac and was opened to the public in 1984.

At the entrance to the park are two bull statutes on pillars, symbolizing the slaughter houses.

Several original buildings remain; the belfry from the auction houses, the metal roofed horse market and ornamental gates to the auction market.

Pool in front of the belfry.

A vineyard is a reminder of the original vineyards of Perichot which once

covered the area.There are 700 Pinot Noir vines.

A bee hive was created in 1986. On the first Saturday in October,

there is a sale of the honey produced by the hives.

These are the original metal-roofed horsemarket buildings.

There is a weekend bookmarket held on this site now.

Bust of Georges Brassens by Alex Greck.

Like most parks in Paris, there are walkways, play areas for children, a carousel, a climbing area made with the stones of the former buildings, a gazebo for music concerts, a rose garden and a puppet theater.

It sounds like a beautiful place and it's high on our "must see" list.

~Paris Planning~2013

2013-02-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

In 2 months we will be on our way to Paris for the 5th time. I've been calling it the "Paris Finale" because the decision to go was based on my mobility or lack thereof.
On previous trips the planning stage was almost as exciting as the vacation itself; researching sites, finding new resources, reading travel guides etc, etc. But this time it is different. After exploring the city 4 previous times, the search becomes more difficult, not because it's hard to do. The reason is that the neighborhoods (arrondissements) have so many interesting 'hidden' places. The more I read, the more I find. It becomes overwhelming~to the point of research paralysis.

I've given this a lot of thought and have decided that the frustration and difficulty comes from the issue of this being the last trip. So, I'm changing that idea~it is not the last trip.

I'll never give up being able to go to Paris.

A couple of nights ago I was reading my DK Eyewitness Travel Guide for Paris. (I love the "Eyewitness Travel Guides", they're very well organized, include great information, photos and detailed maps). While reading, I found myself thinking, seen that, seen that, been there ~page after page.

I have many, many guide books~Rick Steve's France, Fodor's Paris, Frommer's Paris, Lonely Planet and Michelin Green Guides. I have books for finding the best walks, the cheapest restaurants, the 10 best sites and things to do. For this trip, I added several new travel books:

This little book Markets of Paris is a great guide to the city's food markets, antique markets, flea markets and artisan shows.
It is organized by arrondissement, especially good if you are already familiar with the city, and includes great directions, times and dates.

Another great find was Discover Paris by Metro put out by RATP (the public transportation operator in Paris) and the City of Paris. This book describes each line of the Metro, stop by stop. It lists sites to see, places to eat, museums to visit at the more prominent stops on each line.

Since I love architecture, I found Five Hundred Buildings of Paris a wonderful resource. The photos are black and white, the buildings are described by arrondissement and each is referenced in the back of the book with detailed information about the building's history. This would be a great guide to have for siteseeing if it weren't small, thick and heavy. Nonetheless, it is worth it's weight!

My favorite books though are the Thirza Vallois' Around and About Paris series. Each book in the series covers several arrondissements (1-7, 8-12,13-20).

These guides are not for the first time traveller unless you are extremely interested in history.
Arranged chronologically by arrondissement, the author,first, gives a thorough description of the neighborhood with detailed history about the people, places and events associated with the area. The introduction is followed by interesting walks through the neighborhood with accompanying maps.

And so, I have a renewed enthusiasm for planning. I've decided on a variety of themes for photographs and exploration ~Art Nouveau architecture, shop windows (my favorite), parks, gardens, squares & courtyards,art, cats, aerial views, Faubourg St. Antoine ~to name a few. The only guides I will take with me will be the new edition of the Michelin Green Guide and my well-worn Knopf Mapguide of Paris.

Now, I must get back to Paris~planning. Au revoir.

~Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900~

2013-01-01T21:22:00.000-05:00

The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was held in Paris from April to November 1900,

to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next.

Panoramic view of both exposition centers

Eight years before the launch of the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle, the Republic of France announced the exhibition to be one which welcomed and celebrated the coming of a new century. Countries from around the world were invited by

France

to showcase their achievements and lifestyles. The support for the exhibition was widespread, foreign countries immediately began to plan their exhibits,

The fair displayed, in view of over 50 million people, many machines, inventions, and architecture that are now (nearly) universally known, including; escalators, the Eiffel Tower, Ferris wheels, Campbell's Soup, Diesel engines, talking films, and the telegraphone (the precursor to modern-day sound recording). Russian sparkling wine defeated all the French entries to claim the internationally coveted "Grand Prix de Champagne". The exposition also showcased another Russian entry, the widely famous Matryoshka doll (Russian Nesting Doll).

The Russian Pavilion

Matryoshka Nesting Dolls

Many of the buildings and statues of the world’s fair were made of staff, a low-cost temporary building material invented in Paris in 1876, which consisted of jute fiber, plaster of Paris, and cement. The temporary buildings were built on a framework of wood, covered with staff, which was then formed into columns, statuary, walls, stairs, etc. After the fair was over, the buildings were demolished. All items and materials that could be salvaged and sold were “recycled”.

The site of the exposition, along the Seine, linked four originally unconnected districts of the city. The construction of the Pont d’Iena connected the Trocedero with the Champs de Mars, situated on the opposite bank of the Seine, to form the main exposition complex.

The Trocedero

View of the Trocedero from the Champs de Mars

Palais de l'Electricite

The site continued along the banks of the Seine up to the area in front of the Invalides, where it was planned to build a second centre. A newly built esplanade which led from the Hotel des Invalides over the new Seine bridge, the Pont Alexandre III, to the opposite bank. This formed the second exposition center.

Pont Alexandre III

Palais of the Nations

The continuation of the esplanade, the Avenue Nicholas II, extended the route past the two planned palaces of art, the Petit Palais and Grand Palais, to the Champs Elysees. This proved to be a magnificent street system which soon received praise as a brilliant invention for the exposition.

The Grand Palais

The style that was universally present in the Exposition was Art Nouveau. Exposition Universelle structures, such as the Porte Monumentale entrance, the Pavilion Bleu and the Grand and Petit Palais, were largely oriented around the Art Nouveau theme. The Petit Palais, was constructed to hold the exhibition of French art, but is known mainly for its Art Nouveau inspired iron work and general design. Much like the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais combines the styles of Neo-Baroque and Art Nouveau.

Porte Monumentale

The Petit Palais

Rue de Rivoli along the Tuilerie Gardens

Despite the initial enthusiasm, the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle was not a financial success as only two thirds of the expected public was in attendance. It was such an expensive exhibition to organize and run that the costs for the average citizen to see specific attractions would be about six hundred francs in addition to their admittance ticket. The 1900 Exposition Universelle lost a grand total of eighty two thousand francs after six months in operation.

The financial implications of the 1900 Exposition Universelle devastated Paris` people and resulted in the decision to end the streak of international fairs with the 1900 loss.

~It's Official~ Paris in May 2013

2012-11-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

We have our airline tickets and have reserved an apartment in Paris for the month of May. This time we will be staying in the 16th arr. on the rue Gustave Courbet. It's not far from the Trocodero across the river from the Eiffel Tower.

This will be a new area for us to explore. The 16th is mostly residential with many Embassies and high-end shops. There are many museums clustered around the Trocodero.

The Bois de Boulogne and Parc de Bagatelle have been on my list for years, but since it was so far out we never ventured that way. Now we will be on that side of the city and it is on the top of my list. We should be there in time to see the Iris Garden in bloom.

I do a lot of research before our trips, always trying to find something new and different to see and do. While doing my routine search, I came across this interesting site~Guided Photo Tours in Paris. Having a professional photographer take you on a personal tour with personal instruction sounds perfect to me. A photo tour of Montmartre would be wonderful. So, that's on my 'to do' list too.

There are still many museums we haven't seen; the Architecture Museum (I read that the cafe has a fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower) and the Counterfeit Museum are on the top of the list. Of course, we will go to the Louvre again. It's so big that there is always something new to discover.

There 2 areas of Paris that have also been on the list for several years~ Buttes aux Cailles and Canal St-Martin. Check the link~I have mentioned the Canal St-Martin before. It runs from the Bastille northeast to the Parc de Villette and is supposed to be a beautiful quiet walk.

Located on a hill, Buttes aux Cailles is a lesser known neighborhood in the 13th arr. It has a village-like atmosphere with winding, narrow cobblestone streets.

As I add to my list, I will share more of the "Paris 5" itinerary~ a bientot!