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Published: September 8th 2023
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A Day South of la Seine
Domfert Rochereau
It’s a new morn and, having broken our fast at Hotel Aviatic, are setting out on a cheeky single day in Paris before Armenia. Cheeky in the modern sense used by younger friends. e.g. ‘Shall we have a cheeky half pint to end the evening?’ A treat, an extra, a bit of fun not normally on the agenda.
We’re in the Montparnasse district and we intend to explore the area between here and the Seine, shunning the Louvre, Pompidou Centre, Arc d Triomphe and places one might expect.
200m up the road (past La Rochefoucauld Centre de Gérontologie: where ageing is valued study material) we’re heartened to see the Orlybus terminus, ticket machines and info, for an easy depart tomorrow.
We continue walking going past the Catacombes entrance and on to l’Observatoire (founded by the Sun King in 1667 for astronomical research) which signals the start of the Luxembourg Gardens. These were founded in 1612. It’s 25 hectares site, split into French and English gardens.
It’s a fine resource with immaculate formal gardens, wooded areas, sporting courts, play areas, puppets, ponies
and donkeys, bandstand, lake, palace and much more.
We watch a squad of ten gardeners hard at work and reflect upon Newcastle’ equivalent: occasional grass cutters, volunteers, a handful of wardens and occasional contractors who respond to Urban Green’s project needs. When will central government include Northern cities in their financial planning, The Covid Pandemic confirmed the universal need for public parks as a free municipal resource which need to be valued and invested in.
Alongside the park we are distracted by the intricate brickwork of Université de Paris Institut d'Art et d'Archéologie, designed and built by Paul Bigot between 1925 and 1927. It’s Deco, I suppose, but influenced by Catalan / Arabic architecture: Moorish with red toned terracotta against a cloudless blue sky.
Le salon de thé Mademoiselle Angelina at Le Sénat
Mindful of the fact we vowed not to do what we normally do (i.e. walking all day wearing down the shoe leather) we stop for a Perrier and a slice of lemon in a café by the Sénat, part of the Luxembourg Palace around the corner from the Orangerie.
St Sulpice Church
and Square.
Then further northward into the Latin Quarter choosing narrow lanes and backstreets to get away from the car pollution of the boulevards. We dodge bikes and scooters which seem more threatening than before because the speeds now achieved with the assistance of lithium batteries. And popular, there are at least four different app-hire companies servicing the area.
Then we come upon the church of St Sulpice, currently replacing Notre Dame for important Catholic ceremonies. On the 10th century site, a number of édifices have exited but the current église façade was proposed first in 1726, in a classical-style.It was Servandoni who won the competition for its construction in 1732.
Inside it’s rich with large frescos. Oversized proportions propose power, with gold leaf, carvings, pillars to the heavens....... though it’s now dirtied with age, candle soot and incense indicating a degree of neglect.
Maroon velvet thrones embroidered with gold await the priests’ well-kept backsides: it’s all a bit too rich for me. But former realisations of wealth probably weigh down the Catholic Church as a financial millstone these days: scaffold covers large parts of interior.
We continue through
back lanes to La Seine then onto the Île de la Cité, east past the Gendarmerie. Large numbers of policemen in teams are sitting in vans whilst eating hot meals from compartmentalised foil trays, seemingly ready to ride off to a crisis point. It seems a big presence, with machine guns held at the ready, all officers in boots and military style combattive gear.
What other professions get their lunches provided as part of the job in 2023?
Notre Dame is behind wraps after the 2019 fire. The spire caught fire and collapsed into the ancient 13c church roof, a complicated construction. One theory is that the electric mechanism which struck the bells (the bells, the bells.....) malfunctioned and there were enough ensuing sparks to ignite the inferno. On our à pproach to the cathedral we spotted building works installing a new water supply to the area, which may indicate a further problem that existed.
With the repairs partout, it all makes work for the artisan stonemasons, carpenters (and plumbers) to do.
The last time I was here was in 2003 (?) with John and Sarah, and Thêatre sans Frontières. We were filmed sporting
Lycra gear on wheeled transports. I was on a unicycle, John a scooter and Sarah a racing bike, all riding up to the édifice. This unicycle route from the award winning multi media show ‘Around the World in 80 Minutes’ is now blocked with a large, but temporary, viewing platform.
We lunched on salades nearby in Maison La Blanche, Rue de la Huchett.
Then took a métro from St Michel to the Musée D’Orsay. It’s 1848 station building constructed to cater for the Great Exhibition tourists of the time, with innovative luggage conveyer belts and a steel girder skeleton.
Redundant by mid 20C it was renovated and redesigned for a 1980 opening as a museum for 1848 -1914 art works.
The 5th floor galleries are the most crammed with tourists who seek out Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh. It’s good to see old favourites in their original glory but I soon migrate to the pre-impressionism rooms: Millet, Corot, early Manet etc. and enjoy their finish and depth of tone to the rather sketchy Gaugins etc. upstairs.
Most of all, I’m taken with the Art Nouveau furniture exhibitions. A Scandinavian
section and British, German and USA section with the gracefully simplicity of oak and maple adorned with Celtic and floral decorative carving. Renée Mackintosh’s white lacquered furniture is star of the show. There’s a stain glass window here that looks as though it should be re-united with very similar pre-Raphaelite work in Newcastle’s Laing Art Gallery. I couldn’t find a credit for it but I thought it might be a Burne Jones.
But best of all is the huge glass clock in what is now the 5th floor café with a forest of lampshades and a wall o fragmented mirrors. Though the clock there are views of the Sacré Coeur on Montmartre in the distance.
Cheesecake for Marion and carrot cake for me. Earl Grey tea.
Further exploration of the magnificent Salle de Fêtes ensues before we throw in the towel and head for a metro. It’s 39°C......
Bouillion Chartier
It turns out that 18.10 excellent timing for an easy entrance to the fabulous Bouillon Chartier.
Art Nouveau decor throughout this Montparnasse incarnation of the Chartier trio of restaurants. Most often there is queue. One can’t reserve, but the queue
moves quickly and the reasonably priced homely traditional French food rewards the wait. Service staff an clientèle are noticeably multiracial providing a very génial and efficient atmosphere. The order is scribbled on the paper table cloth and is retained in the grosse-tête of the waiter and very quickly a large tray of goodies arrives at head height: great theatre.
I’ve been once before to a different branch with a revolving door, wood panelling and serviette drawers for regular clients. I think this was even better. My Tête de Veau with Sauce Gribiche fell apart with tenderness. Fillet de lieu noir for pescatarian Marion. We ordered extra frites, salad and mushrooms not realising that delicious patates à vapeur came with the dish. We were pogged but found enough room to share an ice cream stuffed profiterole. A bottle of the recommended red wine of the day €14.50: you can’t get vexed at that.......
Value for money. Theatre. Party atmosphere. Beautiful interior. Staff in traditional waiting gear who are professionals.
A big long queue has formed as we depart.
We walk back home through a crêperie district. Every restaurant is serving buckwheat galettes and crepes. It’s
still happy hour and the main deal seems to be ‘pints’ for the price of a 25cl bière. And most people are guzzling large glasses of Kro as if they were Geordies.
And so many people troughing away...........
Home to bed for 6am start tomorrow.
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Bridget Enever
non-member comment
Gastronomes…
This all sounds fabulous. The food - oh the French know how to live! Thanks for taking us with you on your journey. :-)