Paris Parks

The Jardin des Plantes, Paris' botanical garden, is a short walk from our apartment. We are amazed at the number and variety of parks in this city - seemingly very well used by its residents.

The museum of Natural History is housed here as well.

The Jardin des Tuileries was laid out in 1664 by the same architect who did the Versailles gardens. Open space, beautiful plants, wonderful walking paths and lots of sculptures -

 

 

 

 

 

And the Jardin de Luxembourg, dedicated by Napoleon to the children of Paris:

 

 

 

 

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Memorial de la Shoah

Established in 1956 as the Memorial to the Unknown Jewish Martyr, it has evolved to become a memorial to the Holocaust and an important documentation center. The actual memorial to the victims of the Shoah (a Hebrew word meaning 'catastrophe') stands at the entrance where there is a wall inscribed with 76,000 names of children, women and men deported from France to Nazi extermination camps.

This was instructive about the role of the Vichy government during the war, and the relatively recent acknowledgement by the French government of its complicity.

The Wall of the Righteous on the outside of the memorial recognizes those who risked their lives to actively help the Jews during the Holocaust in France.

 

As you travel throughout France there are plaques like this - this is the first we saw that specifically called out the role of the Vichy government.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Musee's d'Orsay and de l'Orangerie

These are two museums featuring primarily the work of impressionist masters. The Musee d'Orsay wins the award for most stunning setting of the two impressive museums. It is housed in a former railway station that was only used as such from 1900 to the early 1940's when increasing electrification of the rail network meant its platforms were too short for mainline trains. The station was used as a mailing center during WWII, and by Orson Welles in 1962 for the filming of Kafka's The Trial. Luckily it was saved from demolition by its listing as a historical monument in 1973, and opened in 1986 as a museum.

Even the cafe on the 5th floor is quite a sight:

The view from the 5th floor outside deck:

 

The Musee de l'Orangerie is set in a 19th century orangery built to shelter the Jardin des Tuileries in the winter. It is most well-known for its two oval rooms that house Monet's Decorations des Nympheas (Waterlilies), built specially per the artist's instructions in 1927. There is also an impressive collection of works including many by Cezanne, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, and others. We really enjoyed the special exhibition of works by Emile Bernard - works created from the late 1880's (when he was in his 20's) to the 1920's showed the continuing evolution of his artistic style.

Standing by Rodin's The Kiss, located in front of the Musee de l'Orangerie.

 

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Moving from the 3rd to the 5th Arrondissement

 

After seeing the rest off on Thursday morning, we headed to the Latin Quarter where we will stay for the rest of our time in Paris. We had some time to kill since we couldn't get our new place until mid- afternoon. We sat in the park watching kids play and people eating lunch; then was intrigued by the dismantling of a five story scaffolding - all by a hand pulley system.

Our new apartment is on the 3rd floor of a building on the corner of Rue Mouffetard - our bedroom window is middle row of windows right on the corner above the fruit stand's red awning.

 

Rue Mouffetard is a market street, and as Daniel who let us into the apartment said - everything we need is right here. There are cheese shops, boulangeries, fruit stands, many cafés, fish and meat markets, chocolate and ice cream shops, etc... After settling in, we went out and gathered basics and fresh pasta and veggies for dinner.

 

Above, Mary stands in front of our "kitchen in a cabinet". It worked just fine to make a wonderful meal - fresh pasta and pesto, salad greens and bread from our market street.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Group's Last Two Nights in Paris (no tango)

We bid farewell to our fellow canal boat crew members over 2 days - Dick leaving on Wednesday and Ruth, John, Jan, and Maureen the following day. We shopped one of the market streets in our neighborhood and gathered roasted chicken, pommes de terres (potatoes) baked under the roasting chicken, fresh salad, great bread, wine and pastries for dessert. Bob, a Seattle friend also visiting Paris, joined us as we gave Dick a proper send-off.

We went on a Seine River cruise the next night, boarding just as it was getting dark. It was amazing to see Paris in lights!

 

 

The group on Pont Neuf with the Eiffel Tower sprouting from Mary's head:

We ended with a longer than expected subway ride - our transfer station was closed so we took an underground metro tour on our way back to our home station in the Marais.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Promenade Plantee and the Galeries Lafayette

Billed as the " most innovative green space in the city", this elevated, linear park was built on the old Vincennes Railway, in operation from 1859 to 1969. Three stories above ground level, it includes all the usual park amenities and an unusual vantage point from which to view the city. The High Line in NYC was modeled after this.

 

 

The Viaduc des Artes, located beneath the arches of the Promenade Plantee, is home to traditional artisans and contemporary designers.

 

We saw an entirely different perspective on the city from the top of one of the city's famous department stores - great views of the Eiffel Tower and the back of the opera house.

 

 

 

 

On the way to the rooftop, we admired the amazing art nouveau cupola and the overall design of the store, but didn't buy anything this first trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Wandering the Marais

Paris' Marais (marsh) was cleared in the 12th century, with grand mansions built here from the 16th century. "Hip bars, boutiques, restaurants and the city' striving gay and Jewish communities all squeeze cheek-by-jowl into this vibrant patch." (LP). In the 1850's, Paris town planner Baron Haussmann razed much of the city, creating sculptured parks, a hygienic sewer system and grand boulevards too broad for rebels to blockade. The Marais district was bypassed leaving its medieval lanes intact.

Since our apartment is located in Marais, the 3rd arrondissement, we have spent much of our time wandering its streets, exploring the area. In addition to the bustling street scene, there are a number of museums and historic sights we visited.

Musee des Artes et Metiers, founded in 1794 and refurbished in 2000, is right in our neighborhood - it's a "store of new and useful inventions", also noted as a museum of technological innovation. Organized in 7 collections (scientific instruments, materials, energy, mechanics, communication,construction, and transport), it is quite a collection of the key inventions of the past 400 years.

Part of the museum was housed in a former church - the picture below does not do it justice but it was quite breathtaking.

Place des Vosges - Paris' oldest square began in 1612. Arranged around a large square are 36 symmetrical houses with ground floor shops, steep slate roofs, and large dormer windows.

Musee Carnavalet - dedicated to the history of Paris - had a lot of neat stuff but its organization lacked a coherent story. We did like its cool courtyard:

and the only remaining part of King Louis XIV's statue (the rest of his statue and the horse on which he sat melted down by the revolutionaries in1792):

 

The Marais also includes lots of shopping opportunities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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