On Thursday (20 March) we woke to blue skies and a promise of warm weather so we opted for a long walk. Through the courtyards of the Louvre where there were hardly any people about and we got great views of the buildings and of Mr Pei’s pyramid.
Then back down the Tuileries where the flowers and trees are looking increasingly lovely. Today was officially the first day of Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere. And the Eiffel Tower was standing out against a blue sky.
The sun was glinting on the obelisk at the centre of the Place de La Concorde and a great golden ball that’s in the centre of a pool near the Orangerie. This is at about 9.30 in the morning. Found ourselves near Seine after crossing the Place, and couldn’t resist a photo.
Then we were walking up the Champs Elysee. So big it’s impossible to get a picture of the whole. Amazing traffic. There were a whole lot of police at one intersection, all with motor bikes, and we wondered whether someone important was going to come through but I think it was just normal traffic duties. There were some lovely flowers along the way. Springtime in Paris. We came upon the a Grand Palais where they are having an exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe photos – might come back to it. Joe took some time out to make sure we were on track for our destination.
Which was the Cafe Laduree. So pretty both outside and in. This is the place where macaroons were born. A great legacy! We should have stuck to eating the pastries but we hadn’t had breakfast. So we both had eggs. Mine are pictured. They were in fact cold softly boiled eggs in soft white bread with warm Hollandaise sauce. Interesting. Joe had scrambled eggs (that came in a square block) and bacon. Coffee and cakes are the speciality of the house and were fantastic. I had the best coffee I’ve had in Paris. An Expresso Blue Mediterranean I think it was called. It cost $9! But worth it. And yes we had a macaroon – a giant one.
Then we needed exercise – so we climbed the Arc de Triomphe. All 284 steps. I was pleased that I did so with relative ease. Not too many others. On the way up we could see this huge flag hanging underneath it. But as we arrived they took it down. A big flag! As usual in these historic places a French school group was there for a lesson. Beautiful views of Paris from the top. Including the Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur as well as the great Boulevarde itself. Where a troupe of incredibly athletic young men were entertaining the crowd. We had a great view of them somersaulting and break-dancing. They were amazing. You get a profound sense of history here – this arch has borne witness to so many historical events!
From there we walked to what was once the wealthiest quarter in Paris around the Parc Monceau, home to the Rothschild’s and Charles Ephrussie (from The Hare With Amber Eyes). The park was quite lovely. There were a lot of people – workers from offices nearby we surmised) having lunch on the grass while school children from a school beside it were playing in the central Boulevarde that ran through it. They weren’t allowed on the grass! We sat and watched everything. The little kids were gorgeous.
We then walked down Rue Monceau to what is now the Nissim de Camondo Museum. This is one of the great houses that overlooks the park that has been perfectly preserved. Another great story similar in parts to that of the Ephrussi family, the Camondo’s were Jewish bankers who came from Istanbul to Paris. Moise didn’t spent his time adding to the family finances. Instead he devoted himself to collecting furniture, paintings and objects d’arte of the late eighteenth century and built this mansion to house them. He and his wife divorced but he brought up his two children, apparently in a very loving and supportive way. The boy Nissim was killed in the First World War fate which Moise became a bit of a recluse. His daughter lived with him for a while even after she was married but then had her own home. She was very down to earth and loved horse-riding. She and her two children (we think her husband had died previously) were killed in Auschwitz. It was a beautiful house overlooking the park. There was so much stuff in it! I really loved seeing the kitchen and all the beautiful Sevres china.
From there we wanted to see the Expiatory Chapel which is off the Boulevard Haussmann. We’d read about this in Edward White. It’s on the spot where Louise XVIII and Marie Antoinette and the Swiss Guards who protected them to the end were originally buried after their execution. Some time after their were restored to the proper resting place of Kings at St Denis (the Swiss Guards remain here) supporters agitated for this chapel to be built. I love the name – ‘expiatory’. Edmond is right that the place is a haven of peace amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. There were quite a few people resting and eating lunch in the little park next to the building. We were disappointed to find that it was closed for renovations.
We continued home via Galleries Lafayette where we had some therapeutic shopping! And where I took a photo from the ladies bathroom.
Dined at home on very thin sausages from our butcher across the way. They were delicious. Washed down with some of Roger Champault’s very lovely vin rouge.
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