Paris Feb 2019 Monday

And just like that, it was all over. But not before we did some shopping .....

A confession to make here, I'm not the world's best shopper. I know, how can that be? In Paris? Blasphemy.  Without bottomless pockets, I'd rather spend my money on travel. This beautiful shopping centre is certainly a travel destination - Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. If possible, even more bling than Liberty's or Harrods in London with all the luxury brands present.

https://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/en/culture-and-heritage/

This dome is just beautiful

But probably the most awe inspiring and anxiety inducing is the 9 meters footbridge suspended below the dome and 16 meters above the void. Access is from the 3rd floor and there's usually a queue as they limit numbers at any one time - thank goodness. 

 

If you are in Paris, you need to include this amazing place.  They even have guided tours - free of charge and arranged upon request (parties of 10 to 20 people).

Details: To make a reservation, contact the store at the following address: patrimoine@galerieslafayette.com leaving your name, surname, contact details and the number of people interested in attending a tour.

So, what did we shop for you ask?  Macarons - the only thing in our price range ....

Then back to Gare du Nord and the long trip home. Actually, it's not that long - easily doable for a weekend. We'll be back!

Paris Feb 2019 Sunday

Still so much to see and the weekend is almost over!  We caught the Metro this morning, no problem. Quite easy to understand, even when you miss the stop and have to back track, which may have happened ...

This is where we were headed today - The Eiffel Tower.

But breakfast first ...

It didn't take too long to get tickets - a good time of the year to travel, especially when the weather plays along. I had seen the tower from the river previously but up close it's seriously impressive.

This is apparently the most visited (paid) monument in the world - almost 7 million visitors in 2015. It is 324 metres high and the concept was initially hated by the French. This is an exerpt from a petition in 1887. Ironic that the tower has become the iconic symbol of France.

'We, writers, painters, sculptors, architects and passionate devotees of the hitherto untouched beauty of Paris, protest with all our strength, with all our indignation in the name of slighted French taste, against the erection … of this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower … To bring our arguments home, imagine for a moment a giddy, ridiculous tower dominating Paris like a gigantic black smokestack, crushing under its barbaric bulk Notre Dame, the Tour Saint-Jacques, the Louvre, the Dome of les Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe, all of our humiliated monuments will disappear in this ghastly dream. And for twenty years … we shall see stretching like a blot of ink the hateful shadow of the hateful column of bolted sheet metal.'

These are glass floors, gulp!

But good to orientate youself, if you can bear to look down.

 

The view from the top!

And so, back down to earth. Tick that off the bucket list ✔️

A Seine cruise was next on the agenda - Batobus - hop on, hop off.

These make good bookmarks.

Lunch at a street cafe in St-Germain-des-Pres. Wine at any time of day, but never to excess.

and dessert from a local patisserie.

A stroll along the riverbank popping in to an unexpected sculpture exhibition at The 11 Conti - Monnaie de Paris - Thomas Schutte a well known modern German Sculptor

Onwards to Notre Dame - we were so lucky to see this beautiful cathedral before it was so badly burnt in April

That was the end of a very long day with so much visual input - it's exhausting. I find that it takes numerous visits to a place to get beyond the iconic sights and tourist attractions. You can only see and absorb so much in a weekend. This is a reason I enjoy this blog so much. I've seen the place, now I go back and look up and research the places.  I will go back to Paris, we only scratched the surface. Thank goodness for Uber!

Paris Feb 2019 Saturday

With an 11am timed booking for the Louvre, we headed out quite early for a walk down through the city. 

Doors, fantastic doors everywhere you look.

Just a few tourists around and not much traffic. We found the traffic here surprisingly polite and considerate. Being more accustomed to the madness of London traffic, this came as a bit of a surprise. There were lots of electric vehicles and electric scooters - apparently quite new to the city and so far pretty unregulated. I've just read an on-line article reporting that there have been dozens of accidents and even a fatality, so that's going to change.

The Gallerie Vivienne, built in 1823 with worn but still beautiful mosaic floors.

 

Roman Equestrian Statue of Louis XIV in the center of the Place des Victoires.

With gorgeous shops. Look at this wedding dress ...

This was a bit of a surprise, but a welcome resting place on what was going to be a hot day.

The Church Saint-Eustache, built in 1532, overlooking the park with this amazing sandstone scuplture of  a head being cupped in a hand. It's called "L'Écoute" which means 'listen'.  (Henri de Miller 1986)

Then down into this enormous underground shopping centre complete with shops, gym, cinemas and it's own entrance into the Louvre.

As anyone who has ever been to the Louvre will tell you, it's enormous. So, on a first visit it's all you can do to see the highlights.  It's also crazy busy with people. I rather liked the scuplture garden.

And the Rubens room with 24 paintings commissioned by Marie de'Medici (widow of Henri IV) in 1622. 

Having recently re-read 'The Girl with the Pearl Earring' (which is in a collection in The Hague) I was keen to see 'The Lacemaker' but that was out on loan. 'The Astronomer' had to do, and it did quite well. 

A quick stop for tea and sublime patisserie at Angelina's

Having made further plans for the afternoon, we had to do some race walking down the corridors to find the most famous - yes, the 'Mona Lisa', but with quick stops to see the Apollo Gallery,

Venus and the Three Graces by Botticelli

and more ...

We almost missed it!

Having impulsively booked theatre tickets for the afternoon show we had to hurry, but as we reached the exit gates they clanged shut (a bit Bastille like).  A Mouvement des gilets jaunes (yellow jackets) march. Initially sparked by high fuel prices, using the yellow high-visibility vests all drivers are compelled by law to have in any vehicle, some of the protests have been extremely violent, but not this time fortunately.

It was all quite good natured, but they weren't letting us join the crowd so we had to backtrack.

I can't find any information about this street-art picture, but Louise Michel was an anarchist (1830 - 1905) who belonged to the Paris Commune, was deported only to return 8 years later as politically active as ever. She continued the long tradition of revolution and her spirit obviously lives on.

And, from one extreme to another - the Folies Bergère. Thank goodness for Uber, we made it in time for the Jean Paul Gautier show, Fashion Freak Show. It was great! Part catwalk show, part revue, outrageous, shocking, fun.  It'll be in London in July, see it if you can.

That was a memorable day!