Day 08 - Paris

The one hour time change to Paris meant we all slept in til nearly 9am, and on reflection it seemed like Parisians also take it slow on a Sunday, as it was very quiet out - compared to our first impressions yesterday.  With access to a washing machine, our first priority was a load of washing, before hitting the streets of Paris.  

We were blessed with beautiful Autumn weather today - not a cloud in the sky in the morning.  The Lonely Planet describes this as the best time of the year to visit - nicest weather and post European summer holidays, with mid to high 20’s temperatures most days.  Perfect for all the walking we have planned for the next few days.  Today we started out from our local square - Place Edmond Michelet, surrounded by the Pompidou, cafes and restaurants on each side, and post Kristie’s coffee stop, we just started walking.  With no destination in mind and (what I now realise) a non-functioning internal compass, we walked some very quiet streets ending up at a mini Arc de Triumph called Porte Saint Martin. This monument sits on the site that once occupied by a gate in the wall that surrounded Paris until the early 20th century.

Walking around the quiet streets of Paris we did notice lots of families out on bikes, rollerskates/blades, scooters or just walking.  Even parents with young children, happy to ride and play of streets that are not closed to traffic.  Probably because Paris is apparently the most densely populated city in Europe, and as they practically live on top of each other in small apartments, the streets, parks and cafes are the equivalent of communal backyards.  This is evident walking around today.  

Once we realised we were walking in the opposite direction to all the Paris landmarks (thanks to Apple Maps), we turned around and headed back toward the Seine.  Continuing to be fascinated by French architecture, street art and the empty streets, we eventually arrive at Jardin Nelson Mandela.  We did not find any evidence as to why it was the Nelson Mandela gardens, but there was really pretty church beside the gardens.  The area was formerly know as Les Halles, which was Paris’s central markets until a few decades ago.  Now it hosts the Forum des Halles which is one of Paris’s large shopping centres.  The gardens provided us with a nice place to do as many other Parisians do - sit in a park and enjoy the sun.

After dragging the girls away from the gardens we headed to the Place des Victories and the Palais Royale, and as the day got on, so did the crowds in the streets. Place des Victories is beautiful circular plaza designed specifically as the perfect backdrop for a statue of King Louie XIV.  

The Palais Royale was a spectacular building constructed around a large courtyard, flanked by rows of columns.  It was a former royal palace, but today it houses and Constitutional Council, the Ministry of Culture, and the National Library.  The courtyard contains fountains and trees planted into formal arches - shading long walkways.  Lots of locals were taking advantage of seats around fountains and are quite happy to plant themselves there with snacks and books, and while away the day in the sun. 

It was then over the road to the museum of museums - Le Louvre.  Without even stepping inside you feel the significance of this museum.  It is recognised as one fo the worlds largest and most diverse museums, with over 35,000 works of art - including the famous Mona Lisa.  We felt the kids were a little young to appreciate Le Louvre, so instead, we snapped a solitary photo in through the window, admired the building and forecourt from the outside, and passed through the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel (the littler sibling of the Arc de Triomphe de I'Etoile at the top of the Champs-Elysees), to the Jardin des Tuileries.  Much to our surprise, this is where we were saw police patrolling on rollerblades.

I feel like I know these gardens well after viewing them from a helicopter every year when watching the final stage of Le Tour.  They are every bit as pretty in real life and the sculptures, gardens beds and fountains are immaculate.

From the Tuileries, we reached the Place de la Concorde - also a permanent fixture in the last stage of Le Tour each year.  Place de la Concorde is the largest square in Paris and is culturally significant. It was the site for many famous executions during the French Revolution.  Even though I have always been drawn to the monument in the centre of the square, there are infact multiple monuments and gates around the square also.

After the Place de la Concorde, we thought we would head to the Latin Quarter on the south side of the river for lunch, but we were surprised to find the area even more deserted than central Paris in the morning.  We could not find anywhere open to eat, so to save our legs from an even longer walk, we jumped in an Uber to the Jardin du Luxembourg.  I remember visiting these gardens on my first ever visit to Paris and thinking sound stupid it was to have such beautiful gardens with lawn that you were not allow to sit on.  

On arrival, we found where all the Parisians were spending their Sunday.  The place was jammed packed with people - hardly a free bench to sit on, and certainly on the patch of grass that you were allowed to sit on, it was hard to find the space to do so.  It was baguettes, Panini’s and a french style hot dog for Sierra, in the park for an insanely late lunch, and because the kids had been so good for all the walking today, their reward was some spectacular gelato.  Besides, the day wasn't over and it was a bit of a walk back to the apartment.  

Getting late, it was time to head back and down the Boulevard St-Michel, through a really lively retail, cafe and restaurant scene, back to the Seine.  We crossed the river to the Ile de la Cite - the home to the Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris.  Given it was already about 6:00pm and there was a queue to enter the church we snapped a couple of pics and kept going for a rest in the apartment before heading out to dinner.

Dinner was at a Thai restaurant, because that's what we do when the we are desperate for vegetables.  Good food, but this eating out every night is getting very expensive.  After dinner it was back to the apartment for yet another late night.