Paris

Discovery in France's capital.

December 19 - 23, 2005

Arrival


Sheffield to London: 2 hours by train
London to Paris: 2h 50min by Eurostar
Exploring new territories: timeless


For my vacation, I looked forward to "all the glories of France", as this building aptly puts.
(at the Palace of Versailles)


I was excited.
Paris is legendary for inspiring romance ...
(The Kiss by Rodin, photo from Rodin Museum)
... and inspiring the creative spirit.
El Dorado - Aristide Bruant, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (image source)


Paris can also be overwhelming - especially when you are like I was, alone and unable to speak French well.
It didn't help that the weather was cold and foggy during my entire trip, with conditions worse than Britain.


When I checked into my hotel room, I was pleasantly surprised by the view from my balcony.
I stayed in the Latin Quarter, next to the Sorbonne and the Panthéon.

Ile de la Cité


I started strolling aimlessly in Paris, and found my way to the Ile de la Cité in the Seine River.
What better place to start my sightseeing than the spot where Paris began in 250 BC.
This tiny island was where a tribe of Celtic Gauls, the Parisii, founded their settlement.
2255 years later, this is the view from the island.


After traveling for 11 hours 10 minutes, I found refuge at the Notre Dame Cathedral.
(I like to get to train stations super early.)


Candles in the cathedral provided me with peace.


I briefly admired the cathedral's Christmas tree.
I then continued my stroll, exploring the entertaining sidewalks, and admiring the Parisian architecture.

City of Light


116 years old
300 metres tall
18 000 pieces of metal
20 000 flashbulbs
2 500 000 rivets



The Eiffel Tower has an American "sister" and a British doppelgänger.


From the summit, you can see out for 65km on a clear day.
I saw nothing through the fog.


Sorry, I did see the light on top of the tower.


On the mid-level observation deck, I had a better view.
The Seine River.


The city twinkles at night.
For its physical beauty and intellectual heritage, Paris has earned the name "City of Light".

Art


The Louvre.
I roamed the 12 miles of corridors and tried my best to see all 35 000 works of art.
I saw the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. My favourites were the sculptures in the lower ground floor.


I like this pyramid and the idea behind it: an ancient structure built from modern steel and glass.

A palace in the suburbs


A garden at the Palace of Versailles.
French design, English climate.


I participated in a guided tour and learned of the elaborate protocols and etiquette of Louis XIV and his court.
Here is the Chapel Royal. It is simultaneously Gothic and Baroque.


Many rooms were too ostentatious for my taste.


My favourite part was the walkway to the Opera.
Simple, strong, and proud.
Lining the hall are statues of kings from Charlemagne onwards.


My favourite piece was the metal grid shielding the King's balcony seat at the Opera. I like the reason for it.
King Louis XVI was a private individual and did not enjoy the theatre for entertainment. With this grid, nobody knew whether he was watching the performance or had left the room. The audience and performers were left to wonder.

Victory


Symbols of triumph.


Underneath the coffered vault.


A cliché perspective.

Kindness of strangers


One day, I became nostalgic for the Anglo-Saxon world.
So I visited an English language bookstore.
Here is a virtual tour of this world-famous institution.


To take the photos of the bookstore, I sat on the ledge of a fence with my groceries between my legs.
A baguette is prominently displayed, très français.


Suddenly, a cat appeared to sniff at my purhcases.


The cat was a French gourmet.
Preferring quality food, it turned its back to my cheap groceries, offended.


Though the cat moved too quickly for me to pet it, it cheered me up nonetheless.

Stores


I walked along avenue Montaigne and rue de Fbg-St-Honoré, and looked into the store fronts.

Great space


What looks like an oil refinery in the center of Paris is my favourite building.
This building is turned inside out. The architect put the service elements (electricity, water, etc.) and the building's framework on the outside, so there could be uncluttered space on the inside to display art in the museum and to house a library.


The space inside could even house a donkey.

Underneath Paris

I really like subways. I am fascinated with their combination of technology, community, and art for such a useful purpose. During vacations, I can devote hours underground, riding the tracks, watching passerbys and admiring the stations.

I witnessed events I could only imagine happening on the Paris metro:

Technology, art, and people in motion.
A horizontal people mover connecting travelers between transfer stations.


The trains on Line 1 have rubber tires, just like the Montreal metro.
Both the Paris and Montreal systems are beautiful. Perhaps it is French systems who value subway aesthetics the most, differentiating their stations with unique art and design, while Anglo-Saxon systems are typically ruled by economic efficiency with their uniform stations.


On the suburban commuter trains (RER), I could see the sites along the bank of the Seine River - all in the warm comfort and high visibility from the train's upper deck.


I enjoyed riding the trains, letting my mind wander ... becoming lost in thought.


The metro platforms were also great for learning about French culture.


There were moments when descending beneath Paris was very uplifting.
Click image for mpeg video.


The Abbesses station is one of my favourites. It has a long spiral staircase, and murals decorate the walls.


Unfortunately, the murals are entirely covered in graffiti.


Above ground, the Absesses station has one of the Paris Metro's famous Art Nouveau entrances.
Montreal has one as well.

Capital of cuisine

People say one of the great joys of Paris is finding a little cafe or restaurant to enjoy a pleasant evening, complete with good food, good friends, and good conversation.


Alone and on a budget, I did not go out to eat.
I bought fatty meats and crusty baguettes from grocery stores.
I ate in my hotel room, lying in bed like an ancient Roman.
For company and conversation, I had CNN or BBC World News on the tv.


A heavy dinner.

One day, I treated myself and had an Italian sandwich at a nicer grocery store.

At gardens


Jardin des Tuileries with its famed fountains and gravelled alleyways.


The Place du Carrousel brought to mind a German structure.


You can not help but be laid back in the gardens of Paris.

Prison


I went to Place de la Bastille, expecting to find the original building (which turns out is no longer standing).
This building was as close to a prison as I could find.

Small world

Is France resembling Britain?


A red double decker.



The Christmas campaign at Printemps department store.


A "Royal Idea" at Galeries Lafayette, a department store in the Republic of France.

Columns


A lamppost, an obelisk, and a tower.
(Place de la Concorde)


The Vendôme column has a complicated history.

Must see sites

After a several hours walking in Paris, I started to freeze. I rushed from site to site, and took pictures of the environment so that I may admire them later from the comfort of the warm indoors.
Here are some of the sites I zipped past:


A university.
La Sorbonne


An act of contrition.
Basilique du Sacré Coeur


A view of the city from its highest point.
Montmartre


Another view of the city.


A place of national power.
Assemblée nationale


A place of local power.
Hôtel de Ville (city hall)


A hall of fame.
Panthéon


A palace of science.
Le Palais de la découverte (museum)


A former hospital.
Les Invalides

Home


After four days of roaming the Paris streets, I abruptly returned to Sheffield for the holidays.


Je vous souhaite une bonne année 2006!
I wish you a Happy New Year 2006!