Paris Day 18 – Night walk along the Seine from the Pont Alexandre III to the Pont au Double

Tags

2014, April, Eiffel Tower, Fontaine Saint-Michel, Grand Palais, Horse Chestnut Trees, Ile de la Cité, Institut de France, Night, Notre Dame, padlocks, Palace de Louvre, Paris, Petit Palais, Pont Alexandre III, Pont au Double, Pont des Arts, Pont Neuf, Pont Saint-Michel, Pyramide du Louvre, Seine River, Square du Vert-Galant, the Seine River, Winston Churchill

Going back to the Petit Palais, I wanted to walk along the Seine River and try and capture some nice night shots along the river, I did make a peek into the Louvre also!

The Grand Palais at dusk!

The Petit Palais!

Statue of Winston Churchill and the Petit Palais!

Pont Alexandre III and the Eiffel Tower!

Pont Alexandre III, the Seine River, Horse Chestnut Trees and the Eiffel Tower!

Invalides, Pont Alexandre III and Seine River

Pont Alexandre III, Street Lamps and the Eiffel Tower!

The Palace de Louvre, Pyramide du Louvre and Street Lamps!

The Pyramide du Louvre!

The Fontaine Saint-Michel!

Pont Neuf, Seine River and Square du Vert-Galant!

Pont des Arts and the Institut de France and Padlocks!

Pont Neuf and the Seine River!

The Pont Neuf and the Seine River!

The Ile de la Cité, Pont Saint-Michel and the Seine River!

The Seine and Notre Dame!

The Seine, Pont au Double and Notre Dame!

 

 

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Paris Day 17 – A rainy day visit to the Paris 1900 exhibit at the Petit Palais

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"Armchair called voluptuous or love of the Prince of Wales", 2014, Abbesses Metro, April, Carl Larsson, Every master bedroom parlor should have one of these! Translation of sign, fashion of the 1900's, hair pick, Hector Guimard's original Art Nouveau, Marble Stairs, Monet, Paris, Paris 1900, Petit Palais, rainy day, Renoir, rockin' shoes, Toulouse

I saw a poster in the Abbesses Metro tunnel that a 1900 Paris exhibit was happening at the Petit Palais and this sounded like a good fit for a rainy day! So off I went!

Walking up to the Petit Palais!

Checking out the current exhibit signage!

Great, a two for one, Carl Larsson exhibit going on at the same time! Dig that artwork in the background on the Pont Alexandre III.

Waiting in line in front of the Petit Palais!

Entry into Paris 1900…

First stop, the beautifully designed Hector Guimard’s original Art Nouveau entrance for the Paris Metros!

The fashion of the 1900’s.

Now those are rockin’ shoes!

Can’t go out without a beautiful hair pick!

What a century!

Can’t have an exhibit without a little Toulouse!

Or miss a Monet!

Another Monet!

And don’t forget those Renoir’s!

My great-great grandmother would have looked stunning in this dress!

Wall mural depicting life in the early 1900s!

How about an Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec workbook!

Every master bedroom parlor should have one of these! Translation of sign, “Armchair called voluptuous or love of the Prince of Wales”

I just love marble stairs, what an exhibit and exit!

 

 

Paris Day 16 – Pont Alexandre III

Tags

2014, April, Champs-Élysées Port, Champs-Elysees quarter, Dome of the Invalides, Eiffel Tower, Eiffel Tower quarter, frogs and padlocks, Grand and Petit Palais, Invalides, left bank, low light with rain and dark heavy clouds, most picturesque bridge in Paris, ornate beauty, Paris, Pont Alexandre III, Toes and lamp posts, Universal Exposition

The Pont Alexandre III is the most picturesque bridge in Paris, even in low light with rain and dark heavy clouds in the middle of the afternoon! The bridge over the river Seine connects the Grand and Petit Palais as well as the Champs-Elysees quarter on the right bank with the with the Invalides and Eiffel Tower quarter on the left bank. Dedicated in 1900 for the Universal Exposition it was another glorious piece of work introduced to the world at the same time as the Eiffel Tower!

Eiffel Tower and the Left Bank of the Pont Alexandre III on a cloudy rainy day!

Eiffel Tower and the right bank of the Pont Alexandre III.

The Champs-Élysées Port below the Pont Alexandre III and Seine River with the Invalides in the background!

Street Lamps of the Pont and the Dome of the Invalides in the background!

Eiffel Tower in background through one of the ornate statues of the Pont Alexandre III.

A grey and rainy day not spoiled with beautiful views like this!

Toes and lamp posts!

Plaque with date and name!

Even the frogs and padlocks become ornate beauty on the bridge!

Paris Day 15 – Bassin de l’Arsenal

Tags

2014, April, Bassin de l'Arsenal, Canal Saint-Martin, Jardin du port de l'Arsenal, many beautiful walking paths, Paris, Port de l'Arsenal, Seine River, Twelveth Arrondissement

Bassin de l’Arsenal incorporates the Jardin du port de l’Arsenal and the Port de l’Arsenal, all sitting in the Twelveth Arrondissement and along the waterway that starts the Canal Saint-Martin. At the north end overlooking  the Bassin is the July Column and next to the East is the newer Opéra Bastille. I walked from the Column at the north to the south and mouth of the Bassin to the locks that boats use to gain access to and from the Seine River. The beautiful gardens of the port did not disappoint with many beautiful walking paths and flora in bloom!

Street lamp and July Column!

Opera Bastille!

Port de l’Arsenal.

Stairway to the Port de l’Arsenal.

Colorful boat of the Port de l’Arsenal.

A beautiful start to the gardens!

A cafe sits at the start of the garden and overlooks the Bassin!

Easy place to sit and take in the sun!

A look back at where the canal disappears under the July Column and goes into darkness!

Kids enjoying the day in the garden!

Another look back at the column!

Icelandic Poppies, just beautiful!

Ditto!

Purple and Yellow, Mother nature sure knows her colors!

A view from where I sat and enjoyed a coke!

Refreshing!

Enjoying the time of just sitting and sipping on a coke!

The view around me!

Another peaceful walkway!

Look back again at the garden and column!

Beautiful Calla Lily!

Easy place to just wander and take in the peace and quite!

Beautiful views everywhere!

Another great walking path!

Next to the port!

An area map of the bassin and canal!

A street level view looking north up the bassin!

Down the stairs looking for the locks to the river!

The Lock House!

A walking bridge over the lock, beware of the light turning red!

A look up the Bassin de l’Arsenal at lock level!

Paris Day 15 – The Fourth Arrondissement Marais

Tags

2014, April, Bassin de l'Arsenal, Café Français, Cafe Victor Hugo, Colonne de Juillet, Fourth Arrondissement, Hotel Sully, Les Amis du Musée Carnavalet, Marais, Musée Carnavalet, Paris, Place des Vosges, Red White and Blue

Hoping that spring had actually sprung, today I was headed to the Marais and the Musee Carnavalet or the official name, Les Amis du Musée Carnavalet, beautiful gardens and museum! After that a walk over to the Place des Vosges and maybe lunch at Cafe Victor Hugo. After lunch pass through the Hotel Sully and then over to the Bastille area!

Entrance to the Musee Carnavalet.

The gardens from ground level!

Beautiful intricate designs!

A gardener’s job is never done here!

Beautiful from all angles!

Gardener finishing one design!

On to another!

The Statue of Victory overlooks the gardens!

The gardens from the second floor!

The Statue of Victory overlooking the gardens on the ground floor!

The gardens from the second floor!

Beautiful rooms filled with treasures from a bygone era!

Marble stairs to exit by!

Place des Vosges!

Place des Vosges!

Place des Vosges!, All four sides of the square have these beautiful walking arcades!

Place des Vosges! Another arcade view from around the square!

Place des Vosges!, All four sides of the square have these beautiful walking arcades! One of them even has a cafe in the middle of it!

Cafe Victor Hugo!

Cafe Victor Hugo!

Entrance to the Hotel Sully via the arcade of Place des Vosges

Hotel Sully.

Hotel Sully.

Red, White and Blue chairs at the Cafe Francais!

Colonne de Juillet, The July Column (French: Colonne de Juillet) is a monumental column in Paris commemorating the Revolution of 1830. It stands in the center of the Place de la Bastille and celebrates the Trois Glorieuses — the “three glorious” days of 27–29 July 1830 that saw the fall of King Charles X of France and the commencement of the “July Monarchy” of Louis-Philippe, King of the French. It was built between 1835 and 1840.

A view onto the Bassin de l’Arsenal.

 

 

Paris Day 14 – Saying Goodbye to my Wife!

Tags

2014, April, bad taste in my mouth, beautiful walk up the 140 stairs of the Abbesses Metro, Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord, got a sick feeling, high speed train from London, how could I leave my wife, I did not like this scenario, Jardin Villemin, Paris, Saint-Martin Canal, stairs are also in the Amelie movie, tenth arrondissement

Today was the day I had to say goodbye to my wife Lois! Her visit to Paris was over and she had to return to home and work. Leaving her at CDG was an awful feeling. I took the train from the airport back into Paris and was going to get off at Gare du Nord and check out the tenth arrondissement. As the train left CDG I really got a sick feeling, how could I leave my wife and let her fly home without me, I did not like this scenario that was planned many months ago! As the train moved into the city my thoughts fought off the bad taste in my mouth and I started thinking about the week ahead, alone in Paris and work to do!

Watching Lois leave me at CDG airport!

Watching the train schedule board change at Gare du Nord.

At Gare du Nord we used the high speed train from London in on our 1998 trip to and from Paris, in 2003 we used the high speed train to and from Amsterdam!

Exterior shot of Gare du Nord!

A short walk gets you from Gare du Nord to Gare de l’Est! We love these stairs!

These stairs are also in the Amelie movie!

5 minute walk from Gare du Nord and you are in Gare de l’Est! We used the Gare de l’Est in 1998 to transfer out to the Champagne Region and return.

Beautiful interior of Gare de l’Est.

Exterior of Gare de l’Est. Nord means North and Est means East, the direction these trains head from their stations!

Across the street is the Jardin Villemin, a beautiful short cut to get to the Saint-Martin Canal!

A beautiful sunny day with white puffy clouds at the Saint-Martin Canal. In 2003 we cruised the canal from the Seine on a two hour relaxing journey.

A walk back through the Jardin Villemin to the Gare de l’Est to catch a metro ride back to Montmartre!

The beautiful walk up the 140 stairs of the Abbesses Metro!

Paris Day 13 – Musée de la Vie Romantique

Tags

2014, April, Ary Scheffer, Aurore Lauth-Sand, Chopin, Delacroix, early days of King Louis-Philippe’s monarchy, George Sand, Henri Scheffer, Liszt, Musée de la Vie Romantique, Paris, Pauline Viardot, Rossini, Thiers

As this was Lois’ last full day in Paris, my goal was to at least get her to the Romantic Museum, after all we were celebrating our twentieth anniversary! Just a 15 minute walk from the apartment in the 9th arrondissement, we made it to the front entrance on the street and looked up the alleyway to the museum just as it started pouring rain, and we did not bring an umbrella! The entry is free, the dry cover of the inside of the museum, priceless! Without quoting too much from the brochure, it is a very special place with the auora of a bygone era, it was, romantic to say the least. 

It is one of the few remaining artists homes, dating from the early days of King Louis-Philippe’s monarchy. The ground floor displays keepsakes, furniture and portraits, previously owned by the writer George Sand (1804-1876) and bequeathed by her grand-daughter Aurore Lauth-Sand to the City of Paris in 1923.
The upper floor offers highlights of Ary Scheffer’s art (portraits, historic and religious paintings…) among other artefacts of Romanticism.
Each Friday Ary Scheffer would entertain prestigious guests in his working studio opening to the left of the passage – when arriving –: George Sand, Chopin, Delacroix, Rossini, Liszt, Pauline Viardot, Thiers… The opposite studio was used by his brother, the painter Henri Scheffer, as well
as assistants and pupils. These twin studios facing north, on each side of the paved courtyard, are used nowadays to show two temporary exhibitions each year.

 

We arrive as the clouds open up and start pouring!

Up the alleyway to the entrance.

The entry room after getting our free tickets!

A break in the rain as we move to the first floor of the museum!

Inside the Museum of the Romantics!

Views from the second floor! Beautiful wisteria in bloom!

Lois didn’t really want to leave, it was just too beautiful!

Our exit down the alleyway!

 

Paris Day 12 – A walk from the Square Jean XXIII to the Cite Metro

Tags

2014, a crowd of three, April, at least twenty deep, Cite Metro, Love Padlocks, never be unlocked or broken, Paris, Pont de l'Archevêché, Square Jean XXIII, take the key and throw it into the Seine

Starting at the Pont de l’Archeveche and the south east corner of Notre Dame we came to put another of our Love Padlocks, key and all this time, on the bridge! Finding a spot to place your padlock is quite a decision, you want to be able to find it in the future if it still exists when you return to Paris. The padlocks are at least twenty deep across the bridge and the site of the wire fence and railing are no where to be found. If you are not sure what we are doing here, I’ll try to explain! You and your lover bring a padlock to one of the bridges that cross the Seine, you unlock it and find a place on the bridge to lock it onto the bridge. After locking the padlock, you take the key and throw it into the Seine River, showing your love for one another will never be unlocked or broken! Romantic stuff huh! Well, we found the perfect spot, on top of a thousand other padlocks on the far southwest end of the Pont de l’Archeveche. With a crowd of three younger Germans watching, Lois videos the act and the key goes flying into the Seine, a kiss is shared by Lois and I and we give each other a loving hug!

Pont de l’Archevêché and it’s padlocks!

Selfie time!

We found our spot!

Stan looking at all the hardware!

Looking down river!

A walk through the beautiful Horse Chestnut Trees at the Square Jean XXIII.

Gargoyle Alley!

Close up of the statues on Notre Dame!

Love the way these are presented!

Flying Buttress of Notre Dame!

Church detail.

A walk to the oldest cafe on the Ile de la Cite!

Founded in 1594, Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole. The building is from 1512!

Cupcake anyone?

The Cite Metro, bright and white!

 

Paris Day 12 – Walk through the 5th to the Ile de la Cite

Tags

2014, April, Bombardier, love padlock, Luxembourg Gardens, Pantheon, Paris, Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, Street lamps have eyes

Leaving Luxembourg Gardens we wanted to go the the Pantheon and climb the stairs to the top of the dome to get a great birds eye view of the city. However, our luck here was similar to many of the other venues on our list, they were closed for remodeling, just our luck! So we skipped that and headed next door to our old stomping grounds of 2003 and passed the beautiful Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church and went around the corner to the Bombardier for a cold beer; it was beer thirty by then and this English Pub had seven ales on tap! After a nice chat with the bar keep we left and headed towards the river, our goal was to put a padlock on one of the bridges of love! As we headed that way, we saw a lonely padlock all by it’s self and said this would be a great place to leave one of ours, and, as we will surely be coming back this way again on our next visit to Paris we can stop and say hello to it! Upon completing that task of love, we moved towards the Seine!

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church!

The Bombardier English Pub!

I don’t know, but do these street lamps have eyes?

Narrow beautiful streets!

Our Love Padlock!

Bright cafe chairs and tables!

Our home away from home in 2003!

A view of the top of Notre Dame’s South Tower with folks taking in the city’s panorama!

Made it to the Seine and the most iconic view of Notre Dame!

Paris Day 12 – Luxembourg Gardens

Tags

2014, April, Fontaine Médicis, French King, happy Lois and Stan, Henri IV, Horse Chestnut Trees, Horse Chestnut Trees and flowers, Insects have their own lodging, Itialian born consort of King Henri IV, Jardin du Luxembourg, King Louis XIII, Luxembourg Gardens, Marie de Medicis, other life long Parisians, Palais du Luxembourg, Paris, Renting a radio controlled boat, Statues, the other Statue of Liberty, Watching chess played with spirit and passion!

When we discovered the Jardin du Luxembourg in 2003 we loved it; fountains, statues, flowers, people playing chess, kids having fun, relaxing benches and chairs and acres of beautiful trees to stroll through and sit under for shade! Located in the gardens is the French Senate housed in the Palais du Luxembourg, a beautiful castle if you will. The “find” was the Fontaine Médicis, built on orders of Marie de Medicis, Italian born consort of King Henri IV. The Medici Fountain has two sides, one with a marble group representing Acis and Galatea lying under a rock on top of which the colossal figure Polyphemus overlooks the beautiful reflection pond in front of the fountain and a smaller fountain on the back dedicated to Marie de Medicis! When we were standing there in 2003 we had a local explain the reason why the fountain was built and dedicated to the Queen. Marie had just finished training in London at a nursing teaching school and was headed back to Italy to train nursing to the people of her country when she was given word that she was to be married to the French King, Henri IV. When she became consort of the King she started working on building a nursing training school in Paris. She took over an old apartment close to the present gardens and turned it into a nursing school and later it became a hospital. Later in her life she became Queen and regent of King Louis XIII of France. At her death the fountain on the back was built as a tribute to her and her service to the people of France! We cannot verify this story with any known published articles on the internet, but other life long Parisians have verified that this is the story they know also. We couldn’t wait to get back and sit next to the fountain!

Wonderful strolling lanes to pass the time!

Renting a radio controlled boat is another enjoyable pastime!

Watching chess played with spirit and passion!

A view from the south end of the gardens!

Many paths to take or just sit on a bench!

Statues, Horse Chestnut Trees and flowers.

Icelandic Poppies in bloom!

Orange Icelandic Poppies!

Insects have their own lodging at this garden!

Looking for and finding the other Statue of Liberty!

Statue of Marie de’ Medici, 26 April 1573 – 3 July 1642

Back side of The Medici Fountain!

Closeup of dedication plaque!

View of fountain and reflection pond at The Medici Fountain!

Closeup of front!

From the side!

One happy Lois and Stan!