Sunday 12 May 2013

Visiting Paris


I have a bad cold at the moment.  I caught it from the children at school.  They all seem to have sniffs and coughs at the moment . . .

So here I am reclining on the sofa with a small glass of cointreau, and my thoughts are on Paris.  
Why?
Well, the other week I received a copy of 'Black's Guide Book for Paris'.
Dated 1879, this is Paris prior to the building of the Eiffel Tower.   A slim but interesting book, I intend to take it with me next time we go there and use it as a guide.

There have been various blog posts about Paris on various blogs and I always enjoy reading the thoughts of people who have visited or who want to visit that city, and seeing the photographs they decide to include.  It got me thinking about the places in Paris that I like: The unusual, more out of the way places.  Of course in any city the size of Paris there are hundreds of little nooks and hidden places and I feel sure that I have not seen a tenth of them!
However I thought I would share some of my favourite places in Paris with you.  That photograph at the top of this post shows the Printemps Department store. It represents 'shopping' which is one of the things we like to do when in Paris...

1: Musée de Cluny

It is now called the National Museum of the Middle Ages but I prefer its old name.  Situated on the Left Bank, it is on the Place Paul Panlevé.  Such an interesting place to explore!  There is a very nice Italian restaurant nearby but at the moment I just cannot remember its name...


Originally a town house for the Abbots of Cluny, the present building dates from the 15th Century.  All sorts of people have lived there over the years, including Henry VIII's sister Mary Tudor (widow of Louis XII) and Cardinal Mazarin.  Incorporated in to the structure is the ruined 3rd Century Roman Baths:

The Museum houses the fabulous fifteenth century tapestry series: 'The Lady and the Unicorn'.
(Thankyou Wikipedia)

One can't take photographs of the tapestries but they are to be seen in a darkened room which all adds to their air of mystery and awe.
Of course there are many, many other treasures to be found within the museum:

I like this Golden Rose: 

And these rabbits in the corner of one of the museum walls:

Black's Guide tells me that the mansion first became a museum in 1833, to hold the Renaissance collection of a certain M. de Sommerard.

2. St. Eustache

St Eustache is a big old gothic church that has a certain elephantine elegance about it's exterior:


The interior is lovely!

Madame de Pompadour, Cardinal Richelieu, and the playwright Moliére were all baptised here.

And at the other end of life, the great Baroque composer (and my all time favourite) Jean Philippe Rameau was buried here.

I believe that the funeral for Mozart's mother took place here too.
Sometimes when you visit a modern funeral will in fact be taking place for this is a church that is very much alive, and part of the lives of people around it.  A soup kitchen for the homeless is run at the side entrance and whenever we have visited something is taking place.  This last time we were there it was the rehearsal of a children's choir.
St. Eustache is a beautiful church and well worth a visit.  It is not far from the major train stop Chatelet les Halles.  We were there last month during Holy Week which is why there are palm branches in some of these photos.

Black's Guide does not include St. Eustache among the best churches to visit but I disagree!  It should be right up there with Notre Dame. What's more, St. Eustache is just up the road from Dehillerin!

3 Dehillerin

A fantastic cooking shop in Paris.  For those of you from Australia, Margaret Fulton says that she loves to go and visit this famous shop.  The shop includes many famous chefs among its clientele.

Dehillerin is an old fashioned sort of place.  No shiny shelves.  No white plastic display tables.  No extra bright neon lighting.  No flashy, smiling, sales assistants (sometimes the assistants look a trifle grumpy if anything).  
But this is a shop with old fashioned overtones: a bit dark (but your eyes soon get used to it), wooden shelving, pots and pans stacked up everywhere, narrow aisles. Steps down into the basement where there is a veritable feast of cookware to admire.  Shopping is done with your 'guide' who helps you chose, tells you the price from a ledger (no price tags here) and then takes you to the counter where the clerk takes your money (or credit card - they aren't that old fashioned!) while the guide arranges for your purchases to be wrapped.  I love that shop.  I don't always buy things there as it is sometimes more expensive than the cost of the same item in a nearby department store but so what; I am there for an experience and sometimes it is just nice to walk in and wander about.

4. Luxembourg Gardens

Black's Guide describes the Luxembourg Gardens (Jardins du Luxembourg) as being one of the most beautiful promenades in Paris:

It is the perfect place to stroll around on a nice Spring day: To people watch, to sit and read, to chat with friends, or to sit and enjoy the pleasures to be had in the flowers that surround you.

There is a famous fountain complex there to:

Known as the Medici Fountain it was built to the orders of Queen Marie de Medicis in the 16th Century.
I like walking in the Luxembourg Gardens.

5. La Sainte Chapelle

La Sainte Chapelle.  In English: The Holy Chapel.  This is perhaps my favourite building in Paris.  It is to be found in main island in the middle of the Seine: the Ile de la Cité.  This is the island which also houses that big old medieval palace known as the Conciergerie, as well as the Cathedral of Notre Dame.  There is a nice flower market there too.  
Sainte Chapelle is not an overly large building.  But it is very beautiful.  It was built by St Louis, King of France, to hold the most important relics in his collection.  This included the Crown of Thorns, now kept at Notre Dame.  The glory of Sainte Chapelle is its stained glass windows.  Although it was damaged during the French Revolution, the stained glass had for the most part survived and forms one of the best examples of 13th Century glass to be found anywhere in the world.  When Henry III of England visited, shortly after its construction, he told Louis he would like to pick it up and take back to England with him!   Its design certainly influence Henry when it came to the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey.  Black's Guide states that it is 'one of the finest religious monuments in Paris'.  



Evening concerts often take place at la Sainte Chapelle.  AGA and I have been to a couple there including one given by the wonderful Frédéric Moreau and 'Les Violons de France'.  Seated in this bejewelled, medieval wonder, listening to glorious music and thinking of all the many people who have set foot in there since it was first consecrated on 26 April 1248: What a perfect evening that makes!
Of course you can visit la Sainte Chapelle during the daytime too.  If you do, then be sure to buy a ticket that lets you visit the Conciergerie as well.

6. The Conciergerie

How can I not speak of the Conciergerie.  What a history that building has had!  First a royal palace and then a prison, Black's guide says that it is well worth a visit but will require permission from the Prefecture of Police.  We don't have to do that today as it stopped being a prison in 1914.



The ground floor is all medieval with arches, pillars, and huge fireplaces.  Upstairs are the old prison cells.  The cell of Marie Antoinette is to be found there too.  There is a sense of great sadness in that room and when I visited it with my sister in the early 1990s we found ourselves close to tears upon leaving it.  These days there is an exhibition about the Revolution including a room covered by lists of those who were guillotine during the revolution.  I remember seeing that a man was executed merely for being a chocolatier and another who was a baker of cakes.  I don't think I would have lasted long.

7. The Basilica of St Denis

You have to get the train to visit St Denis but it is well worth a visit and doesn't take too long to get there.  It is the burial place for almost all of the king and queens of France.  Most of their remains were destroyed during the revolution but the tombs remain (many restored) and it is still a powerful place:


Here are some photographs to give you a feel for the place:




In the above group you can see the statues of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.  The photo next to it shows the vessels containing the existing remains of the bodies of the kings and queens that were not destroyed.  The heart of the boy 'king' Louis XVII is to be found there too.
The stonework is amazing:



8. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Most of the places I am describing are not as crowded with tourists as some of the main sites of Paris.  This one however is often crowded; not with tourists but with pilgrims.  Situated in the Rue de Bac, it was here that St Catherine Labouré had her visions of Our Lady, and was inspired to create the Miraculous Medal that many Catholics have in their possession today.
Also to be found here is the glass tomb of St Catherine, whose body is considered by Catholics to be incorruptible.  

The Chapel is beautiful and filled with people when it is open to the public.
No flash photography is allowed.  I don't have a photograph of the incorruptible body of St Catherine to show you but you can easily read about it on the internet.  Even if you are not Catholic, it is well worth paying a visit.  Is the body in the glass case real and is it really 'incorruptible'?  I say 'yes' but see what you think when you visit.

9. Place des Vosges

This is a very old square which you can find in the Marais District (on the right bank).  During its previous incarnation, as the Hotel de Tournelles, Henri II was mortally wounded in a tournament.  The site was abandoned and later demolished.   The Place des Vosges took its place.  There is a statue of king Louis XIII on horseback, in the centre of the park, and around the gardens are beautiful 17th Century buildings and arcades.  A lovely place to go and spend some quality time.

10. The 'back rooms' of the Louvre

Everyone tries to visit the Louvre when they are in Paris but often it is but a fleeting one.



I love going there myself, and I can recommend going 'down the back' to see the apartments of Napoleon III:

Each of the rooms is sumptuously decorated and while they are of course security guards all over the place, you can still walk around at leisure, especially as far fewer people make it back here.

11. Montmartre

It is nice to get up early and get over the Montmartre before the main crowds arrive for the day.



Make sure you visit the Basilica.  AGA and I went once and Mass was being sung by the nuns.
After your visit, stroll down the street and visit the graveyard.  What an interesting place to walk around and what a lot of interesting people you will 'see' there!

The tomb on the left is Nijinski's.  Fragonard was a famous artist.  Adolphe Adam, Offenbach and Delibes are buried there too.

12. The Madeleine


We have all seen the iconic Madeleine with cars constantly whizzing around it; but how many of us have ever been inside?  Black's guide describes it as simply but richly decorated in the style of the Renaissance.  I agree.


13. Notre Dame

Like the Madeleine, many of us know the image of this famous church and if you have been to Paris then it is more than likely that you will have visited.
But...
There is more to Notre Dame than just the beautiful Early Medieval architecture, its stained glass, its rose windows, its lofty magnificence!  If you go down the left side of the Church, down near the back, you come across the entrance to the Treasury.  It is well worth paying the few euros to go inside.  One of the most amazing things is this:


The preserved robe of King (St.) Louis IX.  He died in 1270.  Many other wonderful and valuable objects can be seen in the Treasury (such as the Crown of Thorns) but I am always drawn to this one.

Outside of Notre Dame, at the far end of the cathedral square, a series of steps leads down to the Notre Dame Cathedral Archaeological Crypt.
The remains of Roman, of Merovingian and of Carolingian buildings are to be seen along with other amazing finds.  This is an unseen wonder of Paris!



14. Wandering About

This is only a few of the interesting but less visited sites to see in Paris: Things that you may not necessarily think of going to look at.
If ever you are lucky enough to come to Paris then I would suggest going out for a wander, accompanied by your camera, map and an old guide book (and perhaps a new one too) and see what there is to be seen.  Read all those little, sometimes obscure, plaques on walls; delve into interesting looking buildings (if it is permissible).  Look down alleyways...
All sorts of things are sitting there, just waiting for you to discover them! 
I have no idea where this was taken.  I think it was on the Left Bank.  It was on a day when we just went out walking about with no fixed intent.  I do like that red brick building though!  Here are some more random photographs I have taken in Paris:

Above:  The statue of Charlemagne outside Notre Dame, the base of a lamp on the Pont Neuf, and the lamps that line the Aexander III Bridge.
 Above: The site of the Nesle Tower, one of the towers of the town wall of Paris.  Antoine de Bougainville died in that house.  He was the French Admiral who circumnavigated the earth and after whom the beautiful bougainvillea flower is named.  St Vincent de Paul lived near the church of St. Eustache.
 Above: The allée Barbara, named for the French singer of that name in the 1960s through to the 1990s.  A window in the Cathedral of Notre Dame.  A statue of King Henri IV on the Pont Neuf.
 The Tuilleries Gardens on a summer's day.
I have no idea where I took this.  I am fairly certain this was on the Left Bank.

I do hope that you enjoyed this post.

Is there a special place in Paris that you have seen or would like to see?

63 comments:

  1. What a lovely post Kirk. I am sorry you have a cold, but we have benefitted in the way of an informative post! I will be posting a "French" post this week for Anita's blog Castlescrownscottages.blogspot.com. You should see if there is still time for you to join us, as this is perfect!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks ND, that's very kind of you!
      I do like going to France and while we are living not far away we are making the most of our opportunities!

      P.S.
      I have written to Anita to see if I can join her French party. I thought I was a follower of her blog but I wasn't so I have rectified that as it is a nice one.

      Delete
  2. Hello Kirk

    This is a marvelous insight into your Paris. You are a brilliant tour guide and I would love to follow along with you. I find the information on churches fascinating. Thank you for this and I have made notes for when I visit again.
    Have a brilliant week
    Helen xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Helen,
      I do like going to Paris. But as with any place we visit, we like to explore and find things that are, to use a cliché, off the beaten track. I'm glad that you enjoyed this and I thoroughly recommend the Cluny Museum to you.
      Bye for now and enjoy this week,
      Kirk

      Delete
  3. Dear Kirk - what a excellent and comprehensive guide you have given to Paris.
    An interesting visit, which has tours laid on, is the Parisian sewer system dating back to the 14th century.
    Another of my favourite places is Père Lachaise Cemetery - like a free open-air sculptural gallery with many tombs sculptured by famous people for famous people.
    Eldest son lived in Paris with his family for 5 years, and there is a possibility that he may be returning to live there again in the summer.
    Next time I go, Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier and Jardins Albert Kahn are top of my list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Rosemary, I enjoyed choosing which places to include when writing this post.
      Pere Lachaise is on my list of things to see as is the Picpus cemetery where various French Revolutionary victims are buried. I have tried going there before but it is always closed for various reasons.

      Delete
  4. Stunning photos and a wonderful travel guide. I still have not been to Paris, but I'll use this when I go.

    By the way, that last photo was either on the Left Bank or the left (or right) side of a bank...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have been in Europe for a while and have not been to Paris? But mon ami you must! You must book a ticket and visit right away!!

      Delete
  5. KIRK! Well, it is a pleasure to meet you and first of all:

    Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment...
    Thank you so much for joining my blog....

    AND YOU ARE SO welcomed to join our France link party! Your post here is luscious! Our link party actually starts THIS COMING FRIDAY, May 17 and runs all week to May 24. I will put your name on my list and include your link on my LAUNCH OFF POST THIS FRIDAY MAY 17. Would you also like a chance at winning Vicki Archer's gorgeous book?

    Let me know. I am putting your name on my current list, then your name and link will appear on this coming Friday's launch off post. Just come to my blog during that week to visit the other blogs as well...this is all a fun way to get to know more people and have THEM get to know your blog!

    MERCI! Anita

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Anita,
    Thank you for your kind comments. Yes I would love to be entered into the draw for that book!
    I will enjoy taking part in this France link party and if I have time I will try to make up another post to include as well.
    I enjoy these sorts of blog perambulations!
    a plus tard
    Kirk

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kirk, I didn't want to visit Paris, have no idea why. And now watching Paris's photos and reading your interesting thoughts, I would like to see Paris, some places as Madeleine (inside) and Luxemburg gardens. Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nadezda,
      Paris is such a lovely city. I think you should take a holiday and visit. In this post I have put less visited places but there are other places (where lots of people go) that are well worth taking the time to see, such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d'Orsay.

      Delete
  8. Merci beaucoup, Kirk! Excellent, so we are on, and your name will also go into the draw for Vicki's book! HAVE FUN! See you Friday! Anita

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello Kirk, I am saving a copy of this whole post for when I get to Paris. I like all of your out-of-the-way discoveries, but perhaps the most intriguing is the Notre Dame crypt--so mysterious-looking.

    My main objective in Paris will be the musical instrument collection of the Conservatoire. I believe it has been built into a new music museum, but even if they are not in an interesting old building, the instruments themselves are what I really want to see.
    --Road to Parnassus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jim,
      Thank you for your kind comments. The crypt is certainly very interesting. AGA had passed it a few times when visiting Paris and never gone in until my Mother came on hols with us and we decided to take a look.

      I believe that the musical instrument collection is at the Cité de la Musique. This is a place we have not been to. I looked it up and it is a very modern building but you are right, the box is not as important as the jewels inside! I am going to add it tour own list of things still to see. Do make sure you get to a concert within Sainte Chapelle - it is quite an experience!

      Bye for now

      Kirk

      Delete
  10. Kirk, I was going to say this post is a twelve-course meal, but it's more like a twenty-course banquet. I'll have to come back!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A really sumptuous banquet can be eaten over many days Faisal!

      Delete
  11. Dear Kirk, You are a very good tour guide, and I completely agree that it's important to get off the beaten path and just wander. There are so many things to like in this posting — I was particularly taken by the quadrifoil pattern of Sainte Chapelle's stained glass windows. Say, that golden rose looks a little like your birthday candles!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Mark,
      Thank you for your comments. I think that you would love to see Sainte Chapelle. The very first time one enters the upper chamber renders that person speechless. It is so beautiful!

      And now you come to mention it that rose does look as if it belongs with my birthday candles. Those roses were given as gifts by the Popes to various folk. I would love to receive one of them! I wonder if AGA could arrange it.

      Delete
  12. This is the most wonderful post, Kirk. Especially since my brother and his wife just returned from Paris a couple of weeks ago. Knowing their propensity for not taking many photos (I know, what can you do...) I'm glad I got to see yours and I did learn a bit more about a city I've always wanted to visit. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Yvette,
      My problem is taking too many photographs and then trying to work out which are the best ones. When we are on holiday dinner often includes a 'photo check'.
      I"m glad you enjoyed this post. Thanks to Nantucket Daffodil I have joined the French posts week instituted by Anita at Castles Crowns and Cottages. I am looking forward to seeing all the other blogs with their photographs!

      Delete
  13. GOOD MORNING KIRK! Our PARTY HAS BEGUN and I am so happy that this luscious post has been ready! You have shared so many important aspects of Paris, and I am hoping you will have a chance to visit the other posts. Many thanks for contacting me to let me know you wanted to participate! Anita

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Anita,
      And of course here I am late but I have a good excuse as I was whisked off to Rothenburg for the long weekend however here I am returned and visiting all the lovely blogs.

      Delete
  14. Dear Kirk,
    Merci! I enjoyed touring Paris via your sumptuous photos. Thank you for sharing your favorites, and for all the tips and history. It's true: I've driven around the Madeleine numerous times but have never been inside. And I've never been to Dehillerin. I'm bookmarking this post for future reference and trips.
    Cheers,
    Loi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Loi,
      Merci to you too mon ami!
      We have been to Paris many times and always whizz round the Madeleine until one day I said to AGA that instead of that we should actually pay a visit. I did not imagine it would look like that.

      Delete
  15. First of all...I'm so sorry you have a cold.i pray you get over it soon.
    Thank you for all the wonderful buildings you have shown and the info along with them.I love the Chapelle of course.I'm from New Orleans and we have some grand ones ourselves.
    The Lady and the Unicorn is my favorite piece.Its so beautiful.
    It has been a pleasure to visit your blog,
    Get well soon,
    Marie Antionette

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear MA,
      Thank you for visiting my blog and thank yo for your kind comments. I have been away for a few days and so am just now catching up on my delightful correspondences!
      When we first visited them, I was surprised at how large the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries were!

      Delete
  16. Hello,
    I'm coming over through Anita's link party. Your pictures are very nice. The stained glass windows are so pretty, but I have to say that the golden rose is my favorite, as I am partial to roses.

    ~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Sheri,
      I am rather partial to those golden roses myself! I could do with one or two of them in our apartment!
      Kirk

      Delete
  17. I'm loving this tour through France, and I'm enjoying your blog!.
    Much passion for ART, I usually enjoy the cities also through art and history, his is a magnificent view a unique artistic journey.
    I am delighted to enjoy their vision of France.

    Luisa Maria
    http://personallyselected.blogspot.com.es/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Luisa Maria,
      Thank you for your kind comments!
      I agree with you: Art and History tell us so much about the city or town that we visit. I am pleased that you enjoyed your visit with me!
      Bye for now
      Kirk

      Delete
  18. This post was a delight and I enjoyed revisiting through it many places I have seen as well as the new ones to which you introduced me. Fritz and I are planning some time in Paris next year and I will make a list of some of your suggestions. One of the things on my list not in the city is Versailles, which will be a new experience for me.

    We always advise those going to Paris for the first time to visit la Sainte Chapelle but NOT to enter directly from the adjoining building (a Police Prefecture, if I remember correctly). We recommend entering from street level and seeing the rather low, darker undercroft, and then climbing the stairs to the soaring, light and color-flooded main chapel itself. It makes a very dramatic contrast!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Will,
      Thank you for your kind comments.
      Versailles is a lovely place to visit. You will love it although when you see all the luxury you can understand that the seeds of the revolution were sown there.
      If you can make sure you see the apartments of the princesses (sisters of Louis XV) They are not as extravagant but are really beautiful to see.
      I think (although I amy be wrong) that nowadays you have no choice but to enter la Sainte Chapelle via street level. It is such a beautiful building!!!
      At what time of year will be you be visiting Paris?

      Delete
    2. Early to mid spring if things go as we would like. From there we'll go to Amsterdam where Fritz has a beloved niece and her family, then to northern Italy for about 12 days. I've seen from Rome down to the Amalfi coast and am looking forward to seeing Tuscany and the Veneto -- the Fregosi chapel and family tombs are in Verona!

      Delete
    3. Tuscany is beautiful, Will. You will like it a lot. For northern Italy I recommend Bergamo and Siena - such beautiful towns.

      Delete
  19. What a beautiful long post !!!...Welcome in France...nice to see you here.......love to do this together...Anita is such a good friend to all of us...enjoy the weekend love Ria...xxx...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Ria,
      I'm glad you enjoyed this post. I quite enjoyed writing it!
      Bye for now
      Kirk

      Delete
  20. awesome Kirk Dale!
    my favorite...
    St. Catherine's Chapel!
    Love the colors!
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks EC,
      I also love the colours of the St Catherine's chapel. The paintings are child-like are very soothing.

      Delete
  21. Oh, thank you! I so enjoyed my little visit to Paris which evoked some wonderful memories of just wandering around the streets and gave me ideas of places to visit before too long - I retired from teaching in 18 days!

    I loved everything, but lately, while blog hopping, I find myself fixating on little things. I loved the rabbits on the museum wall at the Musee de Cluny. Also, the monks reading and the dog carved on a edge at the Basilica St. Denis.

    We hope next summer to spend a month in France so my artist husband can create memories of France in oil.

    Enjoy your visit to all the other guests at Anita's party.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello A&S,
      You retire from teaching in 18 days? I am jealous!
      Yes those rabbits and the monks - the little things one sees when visiting the monumental - that is what I like too! I love to take lots of photographs of such things.

      Delete
  22. Good morning Kirk! Thank you for keeping your post up for the participants of the party to see! Lovely photos...and I love your previous post on the maypoles! Anita

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Anita,
      I have been absent for the past couple of days (taken on a holiday to Bavaria) but I am back and strolling around all those lovely blog posts.

      Delete
  23. Wow! Kirk, I feel like I have taken a trip to France after reading your lovely post and viewing all of the pictures! What a treat to have heard a boys choir rehearsing.....there is nothing quite so angelic! And that culinary shop where a guide goes with you! That is totally up my alley!
    So happy to have connected with you via Anita's party! Hope your cold is better!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you PT for visiting my blog an your nice comments.
      Paris is such a nice city to visit. There are many lovely things to see. That cook shop also sells the best copper cleaner on the planet!
      Bye for now
      Kirk
      PS
      I like the idea of being a permanent tourist.

      Delete
  24. It is indeed great to see the city through so many eyes. I particularly like your view of Paris. Wonderful, thanks for sharing.
    Di
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Di,
      I'm glad that you enjoyed this post! I am relatively new to the world of blogging but I am enjoying it a lot.
      I do love visiting Paris.
      Bye for now
      Kirk

      Delete
  25. Merci pour ce magnifique billet qui m'a appris tant de choses ...
    Amicalement
    Marie-Ange

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Merci Marie-Ange pour vos aimables commentaires!
      Je pense que Paris est une très belle ville.
      a bientôt
      Kirk

      Delete
  26. Wow, Kirk, you put a huge amount of work into this beautiful post. Hats off to you. Saint Chappelle hold a special place in my heart. My studio was just around the corner and I was a regular customer at the Cite flower market, not only for cut flowers but when I would return to London I would always bring a plant back on the Eurostar with me and still today I have a begonia thriving in my conservatory from the market.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Paul,
      I had fun writing this post as I always enjoy a trip to Paris.
      I also love that flower market near la Sainte Chapelle, and I think that you would agree that you cannot go there and not buy at least one thing!

      Delete
  27. Hi Kirk,

    You have seen a lot of Paris! I have been there several times, but some of the places you visited are not familiar to me. I will remember them for my next visit. That cooking shop sounds interesting too. I enjoy walking around in specialised shops like that. We have an excellent one in Rotterdam too.

    Next time I visit Paris, I would love to go to Versailles once more....and perhaps the Merci store :-)

    Happy week!

    Madelief x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Madelief,
      I do enjoy a walk around cooking shops. There are always interesting things to see and buy! My next purchase is going to be the pan for making langues de chat! I am also looking for a pork pie tin.
      As for Versailles - it is beautiful isn't it.

      I hope you have a happy week too!

      Bye for now

      Kirk

      Delete
  28. Hi Kirk, loved this post! I am one of the ones who hopes to return to Paris-- soon!-- and I will try to visit the spots you've been kind enough to share. Love the stone rabbits!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anne,
      Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog.
      I like to take photographs of small details and when I saw those rabbits I immediately reached for my camera.
      Please drop by any time!
      Bye for now
      Kirk

      Delete
  29. Absolutely stunning photos!! Thanks for sharing for the link party!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hi Kirk,

    Lovely to discover your wonderful blog and see all your fabulous photos of France.
    Brought back many happy memories of some of the places I visited.
    And yes, about the Louvre you would need a month to get around and see everything.
    Thanks for sharing and hope you are over your cold.
    Happy weekend
    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Carolyn,
      Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are welcome any time!
      Thank you also for your kind comments. I am glad I brought back some memories for you.
      Bye for now
      Kirk

      Delete
  31. DREAMS ON 34th STREET
    Your post rekindled a memory of a trip to Paris with my parents in 1996.
    We were visiting the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. There was a group of nuns visiting at the same time. My dad said to me..."wouldn't it be great if the nuns started singing?" I nodded and said,"yes".
    As we gathered at the alter, the nuns started signing Ave Maria. My dad looked at me with the most joyous smile! It was what we call... an AHHHHHHH! moment!

    My twelve year old daughter was with us. Her wishes were to visit la Maison de Victor Hugo and the Musée d'Orsay. She loved both experiences.

    Tonight, I revisited the images in this post with your watermark. Your photography is stunning!
    Bonne Nuit!
    ~Lynne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Lynne,
      I'm not sure how I did it (not being all that good with technology) but somehow I cancelled the ability of your comment to be posted. So I have copied it and pasted it myself.
      Anyway I' glad you stopped by and I'm glad my post brought back some memories for you. Those sorts of moments when everything seems to happen just as you imagined it might be are very special.
      La Maison de Victor Hugo - how interesting! I didn't know about that and I have added it to my list of things to see next time we are there...
      Thank you for your kind comments about my photographs. I used to watermark them all but sometimes it seems silly so I just watermark some of them.
      Bye for now
      Kirk

      Delete
  32. What a great tour! I enjoy going my own way and discovering things on my own as I walk the streets of a great city. It would be interesting to do a tour using that little book you found, I wonder if you can still find most of the things on the list! I enjoyed seeing many of the places you were kind enough to show us... a special favorite is Dellherin... the copper is spectacular.
    Thanks to Anita for hosting the party that brought so many great people together. Glad to find your blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Deana,
      Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments. I am going to try and do a tour using that book when we next go to Paris. I might even blog about it!

      Delete