Above the main entrance and to the right. She is joined by Roi Saint Louis IX on the left.
l'Eglise La Madeleine.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
arcade of Joan - le 15 juin
Basilique du Sacré Coeur.
Above the main entrance and to the right. She is joined by Roi Saint Louis IX on the left.
l'Eglise La Madeleine.
Above the main entrance and to the right. She is joined by Roi Saint Louis IX on the left.
l'Eglise La Madeleine.
naughty-bits - le 15 juin
La Colonne Vendôme
So, yea, sure this isn't a real Kiki, but again I say, it's a skotch phalic..
sphinx-ters - théâtre daunou
Mythology Lesson time...
These are Greek Sphinxes, and not Egyptian. How do we know this?
Easy.
Greek Sphinxes have the body of a lion with wings and female heads.
Egyptian have no wings and typically have the head of lion with a male head, or occasionally with the head of a falcon, hawk, or ram.
juste pour rire - le 15 juin
Paris Is Burning.
And no I'm not talking about the documentary on drag ball culture in NYC back in the 90's, I mean Paris IS burning. When we were leaving Sacré Coeur, I noticed some smoke in the skyline... An apartment building in the Marais.
And no I'm not talking about the documentary on drag ball culture in NYC back in the 90's, I mean Paris IS burning. When we were leaving Sacré Coeur, I noticed some smoke in the skyline... An apartment building in the Marais.
Trash in the streets.
You know back here in Montréal, you'll see old newspapers, Coke cans, cigarette butts... BUT, in Paris you find empty Veuve Clicquot...
beauté est la bête - Sacré Coeur
A regular looking Gargoyle...
Two slightly more greusome visiting ones with some of the locals...
Two slightly more greusome visiting ones with some of the locals...
knock-knock - Montmartre
One of the main doors into Saint-Pierre-de-Montmatre. A nice sturdy looking door, wouldn't you say?
Another door, just below both Saint-Pierre-de-Montmatre and Sacre Coeur, to a house overlooking the city of Paris.
I loved the Art Nouveau look, and there was a placque beside the door stating that the artist Maurice Neumont dies in that building. (yea, I don't know who he is either, so I looked him up on the web. So there yu go, we all learned a little something.)
Another door, just below both Saint-Pierre-de-Montmatre and Sacre Coeur, to a house overlooking the city of Paris.
I loved the Art Nouveau look, and there was a placque beside the door stating that the artist Maurice Neumont dies in that building. (yea, I don't know who he is either, so I looked him up on the web. So there yu go, we all learned a little something.)
day two (3): montmartre, sacré coeur and beyond
Hello, and welcome to Beyond...
After leaving Montmartre, we took the metro to Charles de Gaulle-Etoile, and took some time at l'Arc de Triomphe.
After leaving Montmartre, we took the metro to Charles de Gaulle-Etoile, and took some time at l'Arc de Triomphe.
And then we started to make our way back East along the Champs-Elysées.. passing amongst many top of the line boutiques like Cartier, Hermes, Dior, The Gap, Starbucks Coffee, McDonalds, and... Louis Vuitton...
A short while later we took a side street off the Champs-Elysées and walked past the Palais de l'Elysée. The modest home of the French President. We were supposed to stop in and have a glass of Champagne with Nicky and Carla, but it seems there was some sort of mix up and they were unfortunately stuck entertaining the Bushs. Poor Nicky and Carla.
So since we were felt so bad for them we headed straight on over to La Madeleine to pray for them...
After leaving La Madeleine we walked around the square and although it was close, we were very pleased to see the Maille Boutique... As some of you may know Didier and I, while not agreeing on whether it's correct to just call Maille Dijon Mustard, 'mustard' or 'dijon', we both agree that everything is better with a little Maille.
"Que Maille, qui m'aille"
Our next stop in the Beyond was to be the Opéra Garnier. La-ti-dah! Unfortunately it was closed so we didn't have a chance to get in and look around... OR catch a matinée.
But we did take a table at the Café de la Paix, designed by the same man that designed the opera house (Charles Garnier), had a little apero (Kir, Ricard and an appetizer... 27 Euro!) and looked out onto the front facade of the Opéra.
After our 'little snack' we walked over to Place Vendôme...
Walked past the Ritz..
Then headed on back to our friend Lionel's place, had a little rest, then went back out, walked by the Parc de Bercy to Cours Saint Emilion and had a late dinner in an old wine warehouse area converted to swanky dining establishments and boutiques. We ate at a chain called...
Yup.... Le Hippopotamus Grill.
One last late night stroll and we were back at Lionel's and ready to call it a day. Tomorrow... Notre Dame, and La Tour Eiffel...
day two (2): montmartre, sacré coeur and beyond
Once we finally climbed (ok walked) to the top of Montmartre, we first visited l'eglise Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre. A great old church with personality and a lot of history.
Then we headed for the Basilique du Sacré Coeur.
And due to some minor inclement weather, we took the opportunity to take the tour of the Dome and Crypt. And luckily got there before the masses started heading in for cover...
...and so up 300 steps we climbed... (the dome is 83 metres above the ground).
...for a spectacular view of Paris...
...and a few moments blatant tourista photography...
That's the bell tower and Saint-Michel.
Then after walking around inside and out of the Dome we descended back down the 300 steps into the Crypt. There were many statues of Saints This and That, but this is the one that caught my eye, Saint-Denis (and you'll get to see him again tomorrow at Notre-Dame)
And even more spectacular is the statue of the Pieta.
Once we emerged from the Crypt, we walked around the Basilica and then made our way down the front gardens, fountains and steps...
...finally landing at the bottom next to the double decker Carrousel, where of course is where Amélie finally returns Nino's photo album (after making Nino climb all the way to the top and have him watch her through those ridiculous tourist magnifying viewing devices.
And with this part comes to a close the Amélie Poulin walking tour. :-)
Now we go... BEYOND...
day two (1): montmartre, sacré coeur and beyond
Day two starts off in Montmartre, at, of course the Moulin Rouge. and I KNOW the movie was just a movie, but shame on them for building up such a ho-hum place.
But then we weren't really there for the Moulin Rouge. It was all about walking the steps of Amélie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain), starting of course with Le Café des Deux Moulins...
If you recall the film, you'll recall the door to the washrooms saw some rather intense action... I can only report that, like the film, these were (as are many washrooms in restaurants) 'co-ed'
Here's a closer up behind the bar, with the Polaroids of Amélie's Father's garden Gnome...
And here is Shawn deciding what to take from the menu...
Please know the ridiculously small size of their water glasses... A man could die of thirst here. ;-)
After a wonderful lunch we began the trek up to the top of Montmartre toward Sacré Coeur....
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