Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Walking around Paris part 1

The Tour Eiffel at night


As a person that loves to walk, I walk up to about ten miles a day. There no better place to walk around in the world then Paris, France. You don't have to know where you are going but being lost in Paris is like being in Paradise! I remember the first time I walked the streets of Paris. I and my French boyfriend having arrived to our lovely hotel in a 18h century building on rue Madame not far from Saint Germain, When we open what we thought was our suitcase and found to our surprise silk lady's undergarments in it we realized we had the wrong case. We called the airport and our suitcase had been found. My partner made the hour trip in a cab back to the airport. Realizing he would be gone for hours he suggested I walked around Paris. I few hour walk turned into 3-4 hours, I got lost and was walking around in circles. I tried to get a cab back to the hotel but when I told them where it was located I was told with a French accent "cabs won't take you a few blocks in Paris". Because I had on New shoes the heels of my feet began to bleed! I was surrounded in so much Old world beauty. I was tired and in pain but still full of excitement! I was finely in a place I wanted to visit all of my life. A place I had read so much about.




Since this first time I have walked the streets of Paris many times. Become quit a expert. My French boyfriend was from the South of France, and not that accustom with Paris. I can remember one day telling him. I can take you to a Kentucky Fried Chicken. He said there is no KFC in Paris! I said yes there is and taking him thru medieval winding back streets we walked upon a KFC even if we could not make out what pieces of the chicken we were given and they gave us one piece of ice in our coke. Before the economy went down I would go to Paris 2-3 times a year by myself. Walking the same old streets of Paris. The night before I was to go to some site or museum in Paris I would plan the walk there as I loved to walk to a monument or place instead or taking transportation I would stop at a local restaurant to eat along the way and on my walk back to my rented apt it might be night. I had a full day. Enjoy some of my photo's from a trip I tuck in May 2007.


The Seine at night

Notre-Dame


Palais de la Légion d'Honneur

Palais de la Légion d'Honneur

Assemblée Nationale


18th century art in a Antique shop window

18th century art in a Antique shop window


18th century art in a Antique shop window


The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel


The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

 It was built between 1806 and 1808 to commemorate Napoleon's military victories of the previous year. The more famous Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile nearby was designed in the same year, but it took thirty years to build, and it is about twice as massive.




Central bas-relief under the main arch



The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel


Louvre

French Empire snake door pull



French Empire snake door pull



French Napoleon lll snake & lion door pull



Detail French Napoleon lll snake & lion door pull




17th century door


Look at all of this detail

I just fell in love with this 18th century church. It was not open but the stone and wood details on the outside were amazing!

Pigeons were turning this amazing carvings white


 
I want to take this home!

I just fell in love with this 18th century church. It was not open but the stone and wood details on the outside were amazing!



Notre Dame

3 comments:

  1. Walking, eating, drinking, poking your nose into buildings, photographing, more walking, more eating... way to go!

    I knew Paris' architectural history very well indeed, but even so, there were surprises. Le Marais appeared to be a district whose architectural history had not been rewritten by Baron Haussmann's modernisation. I loved the town houses, Carnavalet Museum, the Jewish history, gardens, churches, antique shops to die for. And the food... oh the food!

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  2. Hi Hels, The Marais is my favorite neighborhood in Paris and the place were I stay when I'm there! You are right most of it's preserved medieval streets are full of 17th & 18th century architecture and older. It is in this neighborhood that one gets the true since of Old Paris! I love to window shop and the French are the best at dressing a window. I must admit that my favorite place to eat in Paris are the Patisseries. I have been known to zigzag from Patisserie to Patisserie sampling the goods.

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  3. I love old door knockers... they are fabulous and you've picked out some lovely examples. What a walk!

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