We leave Versailles around 6.00PM for a short drive to Paris. To be more accurate, Montparnasse on the left bank of the River Seine, part of the 14th arrondissement. Thanks to the GPS, we find it in no time. We chose to stay in Montparnasse for several reasons. The "metro" is only a 5 minute walk, affording us direct access to the city centre, there is an inside and guarded parking for the car (important if you want it safe during your stay), reasonably priced restaurants and bars. Hemingway and Fitzgerald used to make regular appearances in this arrondissement, us writers stick together. Finally, a very well priced Ibis hotel (European chain with a reputation of great beds and free, reliable WIFI in small rooms!). We were not disappointed. We had a fabulous dinner upon arrival and hit the sack totally worn out by our bike ride.
Refreshed and ready to attack Paris, we buy the 10 pack of metro passes and head for the "La Cite" station downtown Paris. First stop, a cafe for coffee and croissant.......we order and eat at the bar because in Paris, if you sit at a table for breakfast, you are charged double! I suppose they don't want you to linger......The waiter is not too happy with me because I didn't order all at once..... We have rules here, you mustn't waste the waiter's valuable time by making me serve you more than once. Oh La la! He also commented in French (of course) to Johanne " So you took an English! (talking about Don)" Then laughed. Got to love that sense of humor.
Our first stop is Notre-Dame (the kilometre 0 of France meaning all distances are calculated from that point). A walk around is essential to appreciate the proportions of the vast cathedral. It was once scheduled for demolition but thanks to the popularity of Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre-Dame....a movement started to restore it instead. Can you imagine Paris without the famous gargoyles? They are devilish and ugly but can't you feel Quasimodo with Esmeralda right there?
We then proceed to walk around the island to admire The Sainte Chapelle... Johanne and I went to a Vivaldi concert there in 1999.....inspirational! The photo below from the bridge crossing the Seine of "La conciergerie" (its the building far right) the infamous symbol of Dr. Guillotin and his little invention of the same name.. Losing your head was not the worse in those days....you could be tortured for years if you were enemy of the state!
We cross the River Seine, walking beside the "Hotel de Ville" (City Hall). While there have been many stories told and acted out inside this magnificent building, none is more famous that of Mr. Ravaillac (murderer of King Henri 1V). After being caught, tried and convicted, he was drawn and quartered in this very square. His body tied to 4 horses that bolted in opposite directions...and we thought the English were bad with all their poisoning intrigues!
Our next visit offers gentler visions, the very relaxing Place des Vosges in Le Marais...a square of perfect harmony where Victor Hugo wrote most of his work and called home for 16 years. A chance to experience the Paris life, with its small lanes and old paved streets.
A long stroll along the Seine with the familiar site of "bateaux-mouches", beaches (yes with sand and all), the antique and souvenir shops, the beautiful buildings on each banks and the historical bridges. What a sight!
The Louvres is right in front of us....possibly the most famous museum in the world, built in the 12th century to be the royal palace before Versailles.. 2 famous ladies are in there....la Mona Lisa and la Venus de Milo. The line-up for tickets, of course, is infinite. Don and I have already done the race through the building to find the 2 treasures in our past visits, but Bruce and Rae? After seeing how large the museum is, they decide to pass. They say it takes 6 days to see all that the Louvres has to offer. Given the line up, there was no way they were going to be able to make the time for today...Maybe tomorrow?
The view from here is to die for! All perfectly lined up are the pyramids of the Louvres, the gardens of Tuileries, the Obelisk (3,300 years old, a gift from Egypt) on Place de la Concorde and at the end of the Champs Elysees....the Arc de Triomphe (busiest traffic hub, don't ever try to drive there or cross the square....it is "a vehicular roulette with more balls than numbers"! Death is certain! Take the underground stairs and live longer! Napoleon had it built to celebrate his victories 4 years before he died.)
So we start the trek to heaven with a stop on the legendary Champs Elysees for a refreshment...as the tradition requires. We are tired but so full of adrenaline, we continue on to the Trocadero with the Grand et Petit Palais along the way. This area is posh, bourgeois, high rents, expensive boulevards...it is rich....and it loves being so! The gardens of the Trocadero are the best place to view the Eiffel Tower.
The tower weighs 7,000 tons. It was built for the 1889 Universal Exhibition...same architect as the Statue of Liberty in New-York. It was not made to be permanent but being the only very high site at the time in Paris, it was saved for use of Radio antenna (later on for TV)
Absolutely exhausted now, we find our way to the metro but it is temporarily closed for repairs....a series of buses and connections later, we finally make it back to the hotel. I might add that without Johanne we would still be trying to find our way. The bus/train connections were hard to understand even for her. Still she is a great navigator and the best tour guide anyone could ask for when in Paris. Tres Bien!!!
We've never slept better and wonder how Bruce and Rae will survive another day of this frantic discovery! All together we covered almost 20 km on foot! We weren't kidding when we said bring your walking shoes.
Tomorrow, Montmatre, the theatre district, and new shoes for all.
Be Well
Sante
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