Aspects Of Paris: Part Two (Final)

Parisians desert their city in August leaving it to legions of tourists and the shopkeepers and restaurant owners who cash in on their needs. Every site of importance has long queues so you can't expect to see many things in the one day. Unfortunately we did find two places closed - one a recommended restaurant in the Marais, the other the French Cinema Museum (no mention of the closure on their website and we caught trains and then walked a good mile or more only to find a sign on the very closed door). So if you come to Paris at this time of the year be warned about closures as well as the crowds.

Still, we did act like tourists and saw both new and old sites. We began the day at St Chapelle, a church that we had not previously visited. It is a stunningly beautiful chapel with wondrous stained-glass windows rising high above. It's in the process of being restored for the 800th anniversary. Yes, 4 time older than white Australian civilisation!

And you exit via these wonderful gates at the Palace of Justice..

Nearby Notre Dame is shrouded in rain. Note the masses of padlocks that totally cover both railings of the bridge. These have been left there (and on many other bridges) by lovers who pledge their devotion to one another by adding a padlock and throwing away the key. You can almost hear the bridge groaning under the weight and there is little authorities can do to either remover them or stop them being added. But then Paris IS the city of romance and love, and this is a special expression of that feeling.

And across the road from Notre Dame (and almost impossible to locate tough once found you wonder how you missed seeing it so many times) is the famed Shakespeare and Company bookshop, possibly the most famous bookshop in Paris. This is mainly because of Alice B Toklas, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and other literati who made it their home whilst living and writing in Paris.

Not rain, nor sleet nor fear of the Fashion Police will stop families exploring this city...

Part of the crown waiting to see Notre Dame. It snakes around the forecourt to more that double what you can see in the photo. Patience is a virtue, as is a good umbrella and bladder.

Along sections of the Seine they establish little beach fronts for all of August. Unfortunately this week they remain deserted. However, when the sun shines they are extremely popular day and night. With a long twilight and the sun setting around 10pm the city remains lively and vibrant.

The handsome Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) was located very close to our hotel and close to the Metro we used most of the time.

Time to catch the Metro to

the Arch de Triumph. Again, huge crowds there and a long wait if you wanted to go to the top for a viewing. We skipped the idea.

Looking towards La Defence...

 and looking down the Champs Elysee

Time for the Eiffel Tower

More crowds waiting to take a viewing..

so we'll take a boat road and enjoy the sights from the river...

Musee D'Orsay...

One of scores of Japanese weddings, mostly with a famous site in the background of their wedding photos.  As they are sitting here back to back, my imagination has visions of a bedraggled bride being rescued form the river after an over-enthusiastic groom pushed back too far....

The end of the Louvre and the bridge the Tour de France crosses multiple times on its final assault on Paris.

My favourite bridge entry point..

It must be time for afternoon tea at "Doormouse in the Hole" in the Marais... Lemon Merangue pie and Apricot tart.

As this will probably be my last blog unless something happens on the way home to warrant it, we'd like to say thank you for sharing our journey and for your comments. We loved photographing and writing it, and we trust that it has added enjoyment to your day and to your travel plans.

Merci - and au revoir until next time.

Let's finish with a couple of signs that tickled my funny bone...

Whose home made the wine????

Yes, Kath, yes Kim, there really is such an establishment...