We arrived in Paris at the Gare du Nord late in the afternoon. The station was only five minutes walk from our Hotel, Le Relais de Paris Lafayette; we found our room to be quite nice, and very convenient to public transportation in Paris. Without question, we were amazed by Paris. What a great city! I think we ate at every sidewalk café there is, and still found time to see many of the ‘big’ sights. After checking into our hotel, we went up to Sacré Couer on Montmartre that first evening so we could get a twilight look out over the city; with the warm evening sun, the soft sound of French being spoken all around us, and the magic of the view, we were quite overwhelmed. And that pretty much describes our thoughts of Paris.
We went to Notre Dame and were treated to the sounds of a visiting Asian choir singing favorite hymns and liturgical music. The purity of their sound reverberating off those ancient walls was an unexpected joy. Notre Dame is very much alive: it is old and dusty around the edges, but amidst all the tourists and shuffling of feet, there is a continuity of purpose that is very evident.
Before long, we became quite proficient at using the Paris Metro, buses, and commuter trains to get around.
We left the hotel one morning and traveled down to the Eiffel Tower to be among the first to go up in it for the day. We went all the way to the top, and I have to mention that this thing is all open framework, 300 meters high, and even the elevator has glass sides. Very soon, I found myself looking into the elevator rather than out, and focusing quite strongly on the toes of my shoes. 300 meters is a l-o-n-g way up. When we reached the top, there were two levels, the first enclosed with fine viewing windows, and another above that which was wide open but with screening to keep folks from a speedy descent. Initially I stayed in the lower area, as the height did not agree with me. Finally though, I took the last climb up the metal staircase to the open deck, and found that I was much happier. Maybe it was the fresh air, or maybe something else, but the view was spectacular and not to be missed.
On our last day in Paris, we went down to the Musée D’Orsay to look at some of their collection of impressionist paintings. We have long liked the works of Renoir and Monet, and the Musée D’Orsay is supposed to be one of the better places to see them. There is no question, it is a fine museum. Their impressionist collection is marvelous and we spent our whole day on one floor – now, we'll just have to go back to Paris to see the rest of the museum!.
(Click on the Images to Enlarge)
Sacré Couer. The church of the Sacred Heart is built at the top of
Montmartre, and is a gathering place where tourists, lovers, and people who just
like a grand view, gather to look out over Paris. The neighborhood around
the church is a warren of narrow shop-lined streets, with cafes, souvenir shops,
squares where artists gather to sell their wares, and one special boulangerie,
"Le Fournil du Village," where the most marvelous warm pastries were offered to
customers.
Notre Dame. An ancient church, construction began
in 1163, and over eight hundred years later, Notre Dame is still a vibrant building.
Surrounded by tourists much of the time, Notre Dame continues to thrill
individuals each day.
L'Arc de Triomphe. Sitting astride the Champs Elysee, the Arc de
Triomphe overpowers a viewer when walking at its base and looking up. There are many
memorials underneath the arc to soldiers lost in past battles, and an eternal
flame in memory of France's Unknown Soldier. In the midst of Paris'
bustling traffic, the Arc de Triomphe is an amazing place.
Eiffel Tower. One of the most iconic buildings in Paris, the Eiffel
Tower is amazingly large and beautiful - far more beautiful in person than a
picture could ever represent. Trips up into the tower are very popular and
it is best to be among the first to arrive in the morning in order to avoid long
lines. There are three levels on the way up, with shops and restaurants,
and
where looking down on the crowds on the ground seems truly like looking at ants.
The very top of the tower is far above anything else within miles, and the
view from there is spectacular.
L'Arc de Triomphe from the top of the Eiffel Tower. This picture
demonstrates just how special the view from the top of the tower is. The
Arc de Triomphe seems huge from the ground. From the top of the Eiffel Tower, a
viewer realizes that height is relative.
Les Deux Magots. This cafe has long been a favored gathering spot for
writers, poets and philosophers. Ernest Hemingway, Jean-Paul
Sartre, and Oscar Wilde were all patrons of Les Deux Magots.
Fountain Médicis in the Jardin du Luxemburg.
As a quiet interlude in the midst of a busy day of sight seeing, the
Fountain Médicis in the
Jardin du Luxemburg was a place to gather one's thoughts
for an hour or so, and reflect on the wonderful city of Paris.
Musée D’Orsay.
Situated in a renovated railway station, the Musée D’Orsay is an easily
accessible art museum with a magnificent collection. We were mesmerized by
so many paintings that we didn't get to see nearly enough in the one day we had.
We'll have to go back.