DAY 4 - PARIS

 

Bateau Simpatico made it into 'Extreme Hotels'

 

The bathroom

 

 

We added another notch to our successes today and actually managed to reach our destination on the Metro - now that we realise that it is not enough to know the colour and number of your line but also which way you need to go.

Many of the city museums and galleries are closed on Mondays so we decided to go early to Notre Dame - as the queues yesterday were off-putting (so we had lunch instead!) - but today we were able to move in with a group immediately.

Mondays - a good day to visit Notre Dame

Another 12th century building - wasn't that an amazing era! - not as breath-taking as some we've been to but beautiful stained glass and wonderful sculptures on the facade. I loved the tribute sculpture to Joan of Arc - burnt alive in the 1400s as a traitor and redeemed in Notre Dame in 1909.

Tribute to Joan of Arc

But my favourite is Saint Denis, who was the bishop in Roman times - he was beheaded for forsaking the Roman gods. Legend has it that he tucked his head under his arm and found a suitable resting place to die. The Parisians were convinced this was a miracle and he was sanctified.




St Denis

We had arranged to meet Mark's cousin's daughter today at 11 at Hotel de Ville - a huge plaza near Ile de la Cite. Annika has just completed a Psychology degree and is working with mentally disabled people in group houses in the south of the city. She showed us around the Marais district.

Cafe in the Marais district with Annika

We had a wonderful hour or so with her. She found a creperie for lunch. We were the first customers of the day. Our host, put on some classical music, breathed deeply, and created our savoury crepes with great professional aplomb.

Our inspired host, motivated by classical music and heavy breathing

 

Crepes supremo

 

Today we decided to walk from the Marais - up through the Place des Voges - to the Canal St Martin. Maybe not the greatest decision, although it was a fascinating walk - as today was the clearest, hottest day we've had. Once we reached our destination - lovely to see so many people eating lunch in parks and along the canal - we found a Metro station and cooled down on the way home.

The entry to Place des Voges. Henry 1V (1589-1610) built this centrepiece and called it La Place Royal.
From 1832-1840 Victor Hugo lived at #6 and wrote Les Miserables during this time.

 

Canal St Martin, with its locks, fine arched footbridges and treelined walkways - very picturesque.

 

M&M
27/8/12

PS: Click on photos to enlarge.