Paris, France

Flying deeply into my memories to write about a two-decades-old trip has provided an opportunity to increase the synaptic connections in my brain. But, the narrated video created by daughter Nicole on our return from the vacation was invaluable as well.  Using the instant street view function of MapCrunch (click here), I was actually able to retrace some of our steps.  

Alan has continued with his online composition course, dealing with the inevitable tech challenges accompanying this endeavor, but learning and enjoying the process in spite of those occasional difficulties.  His most onerous task of scrapping barnacles from the dock pilings has been completed.

Local pickleball courts have opened for singles play, and by arriving shortly after sunrise we have all 8 courts to ourselves, so no problems with social distancing!

June 2000.  In anticipation of our family trip to Paris and Italy, I took a sorely needed French refresher course.  Having taken 2 years of the language in high school (and not used since) left me with the ability to say little more than hello and goodbye.  At the same time, Alan took a 6-week class to learn some basic Italian.  Though our language skills were still woefully inadequate, it was definitely helpful.  Looking back 20 years, the predominance of English as the international language was not as commonplace, and dealing with hoteliers or ordering in restaurants was more difficult without some knowledge of the local language.

On our arrival at the Charles de Gaulle Airport, we took the metro to the inner city near our hotel.  Scheduling Paris as a 3-day layover on our trip to Italy, required cramming a lot into our visit and we didn’t waste a minute.  Though jetlagged and tired from our overnight flight, fueled by our excitement to be in the city, we dropped our luggage and took off.   With the sun rising before 6 AM and not setting until almost 10 PM, we had many hours of daylight to enable our explorations.  The hotel’s proximity to the Seine River afforded us numerous opportunities for walks along the riverfront and our tiny balcony provided entertaining overviews of street activity.  A wonderful boulangerie (bakery) nearby was a convenient resource for croissants and snacks like the tasty jambon-beurre sandwich (ham and butter on a baguette).

Immersing ourselves into the nearby Marché Bastille after our arrival, the farmer’s market furnished the quintessential French experience.  Providing over 100 stalls of colorful flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, loaves of bread, cheeses, meats, and seafood, takeaway food was available for some unique nibbles.  

Staying in the 5th Arrondissement of the city, we were easy walking distance to everything we wanted to visit.  Following the market stop, we headed to Notre Dame.  Built on a small island in the middle of the Seine River, construction was started in the 12th century and was completed almost 200 years later.  The medieval Gothic Cathedral was built over ancient Roman temples.  Long lines formed outside but moved quickly, and soon we were inside gaping up at the towering vaulted ceilings and the beautiful main altar featuring the Pieta statue completed by Nicolas Coustou in 1723.

In spite of the beauty of Notre Dame, our next stop blew us away.  Sainte Chapelle, consecrated in 1248, was in a word, magnificent.  From the exterior, this gothic masterpiece is beautiful, but not anything that makes it stand apart from hundreds of other cathedrals around the world.  But walking inside, the stunning walls of stained glass were jaw-droppingly gorgeous.  We spent quite a while just mesmerized by the exquisite interior.  

Walking along the Seine, we moved on to the iconic, Eiffel Tower.  We opted not to go to the top, but just looking up and enjoying a picnic on the lawn was a highlight for the day.  Following the lunch, we hired one of the numerous artists along the waterfront to complete a quick portrait of Nicole, and then boarded one of the many boats offering a multi-lingual tour experience along the river.

Of course, no trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Arc de Triomphe.  Crossing the busy Champs-Élysée to get to the monument almost seemed like a dare-devil endeavor.  Commissioned by Emperor Napoleon in 1806 to celebrate one of the most important battles of the Napoleonic Wars, construction was not completed until after his death.  

Musee d'Orsay entrance

Heading out the next morning to the Louvre, we arrived to find they were closed for the day.  Purchasing tickets for entry the following day, we moved on to the Musee d’Orsay.  Housed in a former railway station, the building was transformed into a museum that opened in 1986.  It holds the world’s largest collection of Impressionistic and Post-Impressionistic art.  Masterpieces by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and countless other renowned artists fill the halls.  Finally, hunger pangs won out over our enthrallment with the artwork and we moved to a nearby street cafe.  Utilizing the Google Arts & Culture site, in the street view mode, you can take a virtual walk through the Musèe here.

Originally built in 542 AD with portions reconstructed in 1163, our next stop is the oldest church in Paris.  The Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is said to house numerous holy relics, including remnants of the true cross according to our guide. 

Finally, we wandered to the Luxembourg Gardens.  During our visit, an expansive large-format photo exhibit was on display on temporary walls surrounding the park.  The show featured fabulous photos taken around the world from an aerial perspective.  Intrigued by the collection, we purchased the accompanying book, La Terre Vue du Ciel (The Earth from the Sky).  Meandering around the formal gardens and the paths, we spent a couple of hours in the 61-acre park.  It was perfect for some serious people-watching. 

Ceiling at the Louvre

With tickets purchased the day before, we were able to bypass the line on our entry to the Louvre and maximize our visit.  Originally built as a royal palace/fortress in the late 12th and 13th centuries, the structure was first opened as a museum in 1793.  Considered to be the world’s largest art museum, we were only able to experience a fraction of the offerings, but it was extraordinary.  Walking beneath the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo, we almost had the rooms to ourselves.  Crowds surrounded the Mona Lisa but our viewing of the portrait was not blocked and we could take time to appreciate the famous smile.  Works like the massive (16X23) Raft of the Medusa provided a gloomy view of the human state contrasted by The Coronation of Napoleon (33X20) reflecting the grandiose riches of the entitled few.  One thing we noticed, as we moved through the museum, was that the ceilings frequently rivaled for beauty with the art on the walls.  
It was an all too short but fantastic visit, but now it was time to fly to our next destination, Venice.

Sainte-Chapelle