Paris Day 3 ~ Part 2

Surprisingly, the Place des Vosges was somewhere we'd never been before - and a warm sunny day was perfect for taking it in.

This little piece of art was on a wall along Rue de Birague,
after leaving the Place des Vosges

This old clock dates back to 1640, but has been incorporated into the facade of a modern apartment block.

Next along the street is the doorway of an old house, Hôtel  Raoul, which was built in 1810 and demolished in 1961. All that remains is the old doorway - behind it is another modern apartment block.

We passed a shop specialising in mirrors (possibly even bathroom mirrors) - which made for some wonderful reflections, of which these are just a couple.

Then we crossed the Seine over the Pont de Sully - views from there. We don't often end up looking up towards the back of Notre-Dame, I liked that aspect.

Pont de la Tournelle

And since that is more than enough photos for one post, it looks as if Day 3 also is going to run to a Part 3!

Paris Day 3 ~ part 1

On Saturday morning we started off with a visit to a cookware shop I'd never been to before - an amazing treasure-trove of almost everything you could think of for the kitchen, and in all sizes from tiny to enormous.
From there, we walked to the Place des Vosges, but I can't remember all the street names where the photos were taken.
I'm fairly sure that the gargoyle was at St. Eustache, and the statue is Blaise Pascale, underneath the Tour St. Jacques.

Paris Day 2 ~ Part 2

After we left the environs of the Eiffel Tower, we walked along the Seine as far as the southern end of Boulevard St Germain, then up the Boulevard St. Germain, Boulevard Raspail and back to the apartment.
There was a Spring market just after the Eiffel Tower - the roast peanuts were there. I'm sure the stand with Russian dolls and beautiful little glass animals was the same as the one we once saw at a Christmas market down at St Germain des Près.
Since our last visit, a considerable stretch of the river bank along the Rive Gauche has been pedestrianised and made into a public space. It was still too early in the season for all the eating places to be open - but we enjoyed going onto the pontoons which have been planted like little islands. In the greenhouse on one of them are some information booklets describing the different birds and fish that can be seen.

musée de quai Branly

Right bank

Pontoons

Seine barge

pont de la Concorde

Louvre

April cards...

...are thin on the ground. Partly due to being away, partly due to lack of time in general.

I made the first one as a thank-you for the woman we rented our apartment in Paris from, hence "Merci" rather than "thank you" or any other sentiment.

Paris, Day 2 Part 1

I should really have ended off my previous post with this photo of Notre Dame by night, just to keep things chronological for my own memory!

The next morning we went to BHV, where we always go round the hobby and leisure department, and most of the kitchen and cookware department too. An exhibition I'd hoped to go to wasn't on any more, and since we were still tired from travelling we just went back to the apartment after a morning shopping, buying something for lunch along the way.

Tour St. Jacques, again

BHV, now rebranded with Marais in its title

In the afternoon we went to the Eiffel Tower. Line 14 (from our nearest station) took us straight to Bir Hakeim station, and then we went into the Maison de la culture du Japon; we both love the gift shop there with its beautiful Japanese ceramics and origami papers, and there's almost always some exhibition worth seeing. This time it was a small exhibition of paintings based on the theme of remembered childhood.

Bir-Hakeim metro station

Just like the Champs Elysées and the Tuileries, it was thronging at the Eiffel Tower. I don't recall that it used to be open so late (11, midnight in the summer) - maybe it's to cater to the increased number of tourists. I'm pretty sure we've been there late in the evening before and it's been closed. Anyway, we didn't want to go up, just to enjoy the area. At the moment they are working on adapting the public space on the first level, added a clear floor. Not for me!!! I hope they still keep the winter skating rink - C loved it the time he was able to skate up there.

poster showing artist's impression of the work

The starlings were in starling heaven having discovered a wonderful self-service canteen. Even standing on tippy-toes it was still worth it.