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Published: October 2nd 2013
L'Hôtel de Ville at Montmartre
Just down the road from my apartmentA lot with the help of le Métro. A labyrinth of tracks running under the streets, the Paris Métro has served me well getting around; here, there and everywhere. I'm happy to report, that on the whole Parisians are well mannered too, offering a seat to "une jeune fille aux cheveux blancs" when its standing room only! Amazingly there is a lot of graffiti down there; I've even seen a few piles of bedding and personal belongings which would seem to suggest that it must be a home to a few people too.
My first stop was at Saint-Georges where I went to the Musée de la Vie romantique which was the house of the painter Ary Scheffer with connections to George Sand, Charles Dickens and others. The Dickens connection is something I must do a bit of research on when I get home.
Then it was on to Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris and not far from the Hotel de Place des Vosges where we stayed twenty eight years ago when we had the three youngest kids with us. It was also where Margot and I sat and enjoyed the sunshine as we pondered
on the meaning of life and other big questions a few years ago. Remember Margot? This time the lunch I'd made myself earlier was actually eaten before I ventured into the Maison de Victor Hugo where he lived from 1832 to 1848. I learnt a lot about Victor Hugo which has sparked my interest to learn more once I get home. Having seen the musical "Les Miserables" at least five times, it's about time I learnt about the man who wrote it.
From there I went to the Musée Carnavalet which tells the history of Paris and its inhabitants and like the previous two places I'd visited it was free. I really enjoyed seeing the many paintings of Paris over the ages as well as the various artefacts on display. I was however, by this time, a bit museumed out for one day which, I think, shows on the photo I had taken with Poh (of Poh's Kitchen fame shown on ABC television) who I met just after leaving Musée Carnavalet.
Then I trekked off to Notre Dame again, sitting down for a while enjoying a comedic busker who had us all in fits of laughter. Then it
was off to have another look at the Shakespeare & Company bookshop with my last port of call the Hotel Dieu. As a symbol of charity and hospitality it was the first hospital in Paris until the Renaissance but it would appear that it's now facing closure.
Back on the Métro again I headed to Montmartre; my last night on my own as Kev arrives in the morning. Yippee!!
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Val Eddleston
non-member comment
memories of Paris
Keith and I have really enjoyed your Paris blogs, they have reminded us of our happy times when we were living in France and visited these places. Pleased you enjoyed Musee Dorsay, one of our favourites and managed to go on a walking tour. Enjoy the rest of your time there with Kev.