Paris 4 - Montmartre-St Chapelle

On day four we headed to Montmartre. This is an area a bit farther from the center of the city compared to where we had been the previous days. I had been there just once back in the day. I anticipated that it would be an area that had experienced considerable change over the years but, generally speaking, it was less than I anticipated. As you might guess, Montmartre is a hill that affords a beautiful view of Paris. It’s known for its artistic history, for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur and as a nightclub district – the second most popular tourist destination in Paris after the Eiffel Tower.

if you're going to have a snack, it might as well be the best croissant in Paris

Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur

This is a well known and well photographed church, largely due to its prominent location on the top of a hill. It is beautiful but it’s less historic than most of Paris’ other landmarks. In fact it’s recent enough that there are photos of its construction. It was proposed in 1870 after the defeat of France and the capture of Napoleon in the Franco-Prussian War. The bishop attributed the defeat of France to the moral decline of the country since the French Revolution and proposed a new Parisian church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. To my knowledge, there aren’t any studies that assist in determining whether or not the basilica contributed to reversing the moral decline but, given the area’s history of cafés, public dancing and cabarets (including Moulin Rouge), I suspect it had no impact.

 

Montmartre

The neighborhood is steeped in history. Near the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th, during the Belle Époque, many artists lived, worked and/or had studios in or around Montmartre, including Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Camille Pissarro and Vincent van Gogh. 

Bal du moulin de la Galette (Renoir) scene of Montmartre

The main square, in addition to being filled with restaurants/cafés, is still teeming with artists (though maybe not of the same ilk). Kinaya made the request to have her portrait done and we obliged. The artists, mostly disheveled, chain-smoking men (that hadn’t changed in the last 30 years), were more than happy to immortalize our daughter on canvas. They guy we chose ended up doing an admirable job, but he was no John Singer Sargent.

So. Yummy.

Montmartre is also the setting for several well-known films: An American in Paris (1951), Moulin Rouge (1952 and again in 2001), Amélie (2001), Beauty and the Beast (2017) and many others. A new movie, John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) has part of its final fight scene in Montmartre.

In addition to our daughter’s portrait, we nestled in for some typical French fare in one of the square’s restaurants – a charcuterie board loaded with meats and cheeses paired with a Bordeaux. The girls opted on fish and chips.

We ended up dedicating more than a half-day to the visit so we had time for one more stop before heading back to our B&B for tea.

 * * *

Sainte-Chapelle

The Sainte-Chapelle is a Gothic royal chapel within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century. It’s located on the Île de la Cité, the central island on the Seine near the Notre Dame. The chapel, built in the 13^th century, was damaged during the French Revolution and restored in the 19th century. It has one of the most extensive 13th-century stained glass collections anywhere in the world. The chapel is stunning and a worthwhile visit.

Picnic on the Seine

One request from the kids was to see the Eiffel Tower by night. The problem was that after a full day of tourism and tired feet, we would need to muster the energy to head back out, knowing that it would involve more walking.  But, tourism often involves stepping up, knowing that you likely won't get the chance anytime soon, if ever.

After having our tea, putting up our feet and resting up, we headed back out. The plan was to grab some food, take it with us and have a picnic on the riverbank with the Tower as a backdrop. First stop was a Turkish take-out place near our B&B. We then hopped on public transportation to get us to the river where, after a short walk, the Eiffel Tower rose above the horizon to the southeast. The riverside walkway was teeming with people walking, sitting in cafes, jogging, cycling, picnicking like we were, etc. As the sun set, the lights on the river and bridges came on. Cafe cruises on the river passed every few minutes. Soon the lights of the Eiffel Tower came on. It was a wonderful setting and well worth it.

Pont Neuf by night

Paris 3 - May Day-Cruise on the Seine

 (still catching up)

 When I began to write about our trip to Paris, I had planned on a single blog entry. As I wrote, it became clear that so much happened that I wanted to capture it. This is a personal record, sort of like a diary but less personal, so regardless of whether this is interesting to people, I want to remember it happened.

 * * *

Protests

Our third day happened to fall on May Day (May 1), which is generally recognized around the world as Labor Day, or International Workers’ Day (I realize that the US and some other countries have labor days, but this day has the most breadth of recognition). It would normally not be worth mentioning, but on this occasion the day was energized with a bit more meaning that normal. Since January, France has been plagued by protests and civil unrest organized by opponents of the pension reform bill which would increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 years old. The strikes have led to widespread disruption, including garbage piling up in the streets and public transport cancellations. In March, the government forced the bill through the French Parliament, sparking more protests and two failed no confidence votes. (I'll resist the temptation to comment on the politics.)

We had been tracking these protests in the weeks leading up to our trip. We kept hearing mixed comments about whether traveling to France at this time was a dumb idea. Once everything was booked, however, we threw caution to the wind and decided to carry on as planned. Visiting France during a strike is hard to avoid given their frequency. We just hoped that it would not disrupt the visit.

The day prior, it became apparent that some big things were being planned by the protestors. The government had anti-riot equipment gear and police at the ready. There was some rain in the forecast and we had hoped that it might put a damper on the protests. We were informed that it likely wouldn’t slow them down at all.

In the end, our day went forward without incident. However, around the country, 2.3 million people protested according to the protest organizers (while 800,000 protesters were estimated by French authorities). 108 police officers were injured in the clashes, 19 seriously injured in Paris and 291 protesters were arrested. We heard lots of sirens and saw some broken glass here and there but we were able to avoid any direct contact with it.

Boat on the Seine

We had booked a boat tour on the Seine. We thought, after all the walking the previous two days, we would have a lighter day. But the weather had turned colder and the skies were gray. The river is generally cooler than the rest of the city anyway, so it wasn’t quite the experience that we had anticipated.

We caught the boat on the Ile de la Cité, the same island on the Seine where the Notre Dame is located but at the other end. The tour would take us westward, towards the Eiffel Tower, then turn around, back past where we started, by the Notre Dame, another U-turn, and back to the dock.

The girls began on the top but the chilly breeze eventually motivated them to go below and enjoy the experience through the windows. It was nice to be out on the river in spite of the cold. The commentary was interesting but the guy could have used a sense of humor to lighten things up a bit. Some of it I already knew. Some was new to me. One thing I learned was that the Pont Neuf (“new bridge”) is ironically the oldest standing bridge in Paris. It has 381 “mascarons”, different stone masks decorating the sides of the bridge. They represent the heads of forest and field divinities from ancient mythology. According to the guide, and this may need some verification, Henry III, who commissioned the bridge, had the grimacing masks placed on the bridge to represent the faces of the elite who questioned whether or not the bridge would be sturdy enough to last.

* * *

After the tour, we made our way south to meet up with some friends (partly French) who were also in Paris. Meeting the would take us to the Montparnasse neighborhood. They have kids so we did the unthinkable and went to McDonald’s. I realize that such a thing should be a crime in a city like Paris. But when you have five children in your group, the idea of spending a ton of money on food they would appreciate less doesn’t make much sense. So we bit the bullet and they all ended up having a great time.

As we finished lunch, the skies opened up and rain began to fall. We had rain jackets but as the rain became stronger, we soon realized that we were going to get wet. We bid farewell to our friends, caught a bus to take us back to our B&B, and called it a day. And yes, it was time for tea.

Paris 2 - Camps Elysée-Arc de Triomphe-Louvre

(still catching up)

We took our time waking up on day 2. We’d had a big first day and some of us needed to catch up on some sleep.

My plan for the day was to take the metro to the Champs Elysée, continue on to the Arc de Triomphe, over to the Eiffel Tower, circle back past the Louvre and eventually back towards our B&B. It was ambitious and I figured that we could take public transportation as needed in case we tired of walking. But that was the plan.

 

Champs Elysée

We emerged from the metro a midpoint along one of the world’s most famous streets. The sun was shining. The weather was perfect. The Arc de Triomphe, just up the street from us, loomed large in the morning sun. It was a fantastic day, at least for now, to walk around the city. Crowds unfortunately were rather thick. For one, it was a Sunday and the weekend will naturally draw hordes of people to the main sites of Paris. Secondly, it was the first weekend of the school break. Our girls are on the same calendar as the children in France so our break was their break. And thirdly, of course, it was one of the first warm days of spring. Having spent a decade experiencing Europe's gray winters, I keenly remember the sensation of the first warm, sunny days.

We made our way towards the massive arch and spent some time taking in all the scenery. With the broad Champs Elysée connecting to the massive roundabout circling the Arc de Triomphe, large crowds, etc., it's quite the setting. 

Arc de Triomphe 

The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments of France, and possibly the world. It was built in the early 1800s to honor those who fought and died during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. It was commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon when he was at the height of his wealth and power. He had been on a bit of a roll as he waged war around Europe and possibly thought there was no end in sight for his successes. Sadly for him, he and his army began to run out of steam. After a disastrous invasion of Russia and a subsequent thumping by Prussia and Austria, Paris would fall and Napoleon would eventually abdicate the throne for good in 1815. What a difference ten years makes. After a few years of living in exile on an English island, and in declining health, he died in 1821, long before the 1836 inauguration of his famous arch. But his relationship with the Arc was not finished.

Interestingly, in 1840 Louis Philippe I obtained permission from the British government to repatriate Napoleon's remains to France where he was finally given a state funeral. On a cold December afternoon, rather than sitting proudly on his steed, Napoleon's remains would be carried in a horse-drawn hearse through the completed Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs-Elysée.

Eiffel Tower

Eventually we began making our way towards the Eiffel Tower. It’s not too far but it did add another stretch of walking. We could have sorted out some public transportation to get there but it was such a nice day that I didn’t feel it was worth it.

As we entered Trocadero Square (Place du Trocadéro), not quite in view of the tower, I thought back to when my parents came to Europe the first time in the late 1980s. I had picked them up at the airport in my little Renault 5. We made our way straight to this neighborhood (finding a parking spot was a bit easier back then). We took this same walk to the square, up the steps and suddenly the tower appeared in the distance. It’s a wonderful site, even eliciting a tear in my mother’s eye as my parents experienced something they never thought they would.

My daughters, on the other hand, likely knew they would get this chance at some point. Their upbringing, far different from that of my parents or me, comes with radically different expectations (something we, as parents, are constantly trying to keep in check). After flying through Europe since they were born, plus years of schooling in the French system, learning about this country and speaking its language, approaching the Eiffel Tower for the first time, while still a thrill, is less of a jolt to the system. Nonetheless, it was fun to see the excitement on their faces. At least until they are teenagers, they still show unbridled enthusiasm for things like this.

After taking in the view, we worked our way down the steps, across the Seine, towards the base of the tower. One thing that struck me as very different from my experiences more than three decades ago was the crowds. Even with the online booking you have nowadays, there was still a massive, winding line to get in. Then there is the security screening. Back in the day, I don’t think they even checked our bags. Now it’s akin to stringent airport security. Understandable, I guess, given the inevitable threats around the world these days. Sad though.

Thankfully, we would not be joining the queue on this day. Our Eiffel Tower reservations were for later in the week (when crowds were significantly diminished). We walked around the gardens near the base of the tower, took a few photos and then stopped at a pizza place for lunch. Our goal was to find something somewhat affordable but with some sort of view of the Tower. Which we did.

"La dame de fer" (French for "Iron Lady"), it was constructed from 1887 to 1889 as the centerpiece of the 1889 World's Fair. It was initially criticized by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but has become one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Indeed, it's the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world.

After lunch, we moved in the direction of the Hotel des Invalides. This was on my list to see but not to visit, at least not on this trip. We only had so much time and this would need to be for another trip. I have visited it in the past, however, and it’s worth a visit.

Hotel des Invalides in the backgound; Pont (bridge) Alexandre III in the foreground

Indeed, the name can prompt questions for English speakers. First of all, it’s not a hotel. Constructed in the late 1600s under the leadership of Louis IV, the main building amazingly still retains its original function as a hospital and hospice for badly injured and disabled war veterans. Thus, the term “invalid” (not an ideal term). Also in this area is the Army Museum which I visited many years ago. Interesting for history/war buffs. Possibly a bit tedious if you're not.

 Place de la Concorde

We walked through the grounds and worked our way back across the Seine towards the Place de la Concorde. It’s hard for me to make my way past the ancient Egyptian obelisk at the center of the square without thinking of the hundreds of Tour de France riders flying by on the cobblestones during the traditional last stage of the three-week race.

Beginning in 1789, the square was a central stage for the events of the French Revolution. The first executions by guillotine in the square took place in 1792. The following year, Louis XVI met his demise followed a few months later by Marie Antoinette. Over a roughly six-year guillotine-fest, well over a thousand people were subjected to beheading just in this square alone (over a thousand took place elsewhere in the city). Supposedly this is where the expression, "heads will roll" comes from.

Thankfully, there was no sign of a guillotine and no executions on this day as we made our way across the square and eventually to the Jardin des Tuileries for some ice cream.

 

Jardin des Tuileries and Louvre

The Tuileries is a large garden adjacent to the Louvre. For hundreds of years, Parisians have celebrated, met, strolled, relaxed and probably did some naughty things in this sizeable green space in the center of Paris. In addition to ice cream, we just strolled and relaxed.

After resting our tired feet, we made our way to the Louvre to walk around and at least get a feel for the exterior. Again, we sadly had to make tough choices as to how we would spend our time and entrance into the Louvre would need to be saved for another time.

From the Louvre, we followed the river back past the Notre Dame, past the Bastille and to our B&B. It was a long day of walking but good to take a load off the feet, have tea and relax.