This day will go down as the stair climbing day. By days end we had ascended (and in most cases, descended) hundreds of vertical metres of stairs, but more on that to come. Oh and the day that mum messaged me to tell me it was a car-free day in Paris. Yeah right!
We woke to another perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky, but before we headed out into the glorious day we thought we would check to see if we could book Eiffel Tower tickets online to avoid queuing on arrival. Not that it should be a surprise to us by now, but what we did learn was that if we wanted to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower - “the sommett”, while we were in Paris, we only had two options left. 11:30am or 2:30pm on Wednesday. Since the lift to the top is the only way you can get there, we booked the 2:30pm time slot. So much for going up later in the afternoon to watch sunset.
Our objective for the day was northern Paris and the arrondissement (neighbourhood) of Montmartre. Central and southern arrondissements yesterday, and west (the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, etc) tomorrow. But before that, we wanted to go back and see the first of (what will most likely be) many grand churches - the Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris. Its hard to fathom, but Notre Dame was largely built between 1140 and 1250, and dedicated in 1345. 3 to 4 times older than our country.
On arrival the queue was longer than it was the previous evening, but it was moving fairly quickly and we were inside the cathedral within 15 minutes. Free to enter - BONUS. Spectacular - as both Kristie and I both remember, but the kids (shall we say) “were not so fussed”. The stained glass windows were amazing - albeit hard to do justice in photographs, and the sculptures inside some of the chapels off the main church we just amazing. The way in which emotion is captured in the sculptures and delivered to the admirer is hard to describe. The french gothic architecture is also something to behold. From the gargoyle covered cascades to the high sweeping arched ceilings.
Inside the cathedral, we also learnt that there was a seperate queue outside to get up to the belfry (bell towers) and the Galerie des Chimeres (Chimera Gallery). Once we found the queue, we discovered you had to book a time in the queue - quite a clever way to manage the masses. So we booked to return in the late afternoon, and it was off on the Metro for a train ride to Montmartre.
Getting quite comfortable using the underground now, it was a single train change to Abbesses - the stop where the Lonely Planet guided walk started from. We should have joined the queue like the other knowing Parisians for the lift from the station platform, as Abbesses just happens to be one of the deepest underground stations in Paris - we later learnt from the Lonely Planet after many flights of stairs.
The walk started in a Le Mur des je t’aime - the garden of Love. It is famous for the “Wall of Love” - a tiled wall with “I Love You” written in hundreds of different languages. Kristie and I - as many other couples did, shared a kiss and the kids took the opportunity to play in a playground. The walk then meandered through the streets of Montmartre, first past a building where Pablo Picasso painted Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, past many an art gallery, past the only two remaining windmills in Montmartre, past a few public art displays, a vineyard, and then eventually to Place du Tertre where we had lunch before visiting Sacre Coeur.
Place du Tertre - in the shadows of Sacre Coeur, was a square surrounded by restaurants and cafes, but also a place for the locals to display and sell their art. Oil painting seemed to be the choice of the local artists and there was some really beautiful pieces of work on display - which the painters did not take kindly to being photographed.
The Basilique du Sacre Coeur, built in 1875-1914, was another beautiful cathedral, but the peacefulness/tranquility that normally accompanies a visit to such as place was just not possible, with hundreds of tourists filling the cathedral. Again, another walk around amongst the crowds - impressed by the mural on the ceiling and the stained glass windows within, but then again it was outside for the 400 step climb to the top of the church. After parting with 40 euros, off to the top we went, with Sierra counting the steps all the way. I think she counted 398 - not quite the 400 we were told about.
The views from the top were breath-taking. Not only is Paris laid out before you, but with not a cloud in the sky we could not have asked for a better day. The kids were finally fascinated with the view and surprised to see how big Paris actually was. The kids could make out the area that our apartment was in by finding the brightly painted Pompidou - which sticks out from the mainly white Paris landscape. After quite a few snaps and a snack at the top we descended back to the masses below and through the tourist laden streets in search of a Metro station.
With the day fast disappearing yet again, it was back to Notre Dame for the climb to the top for different views over Paris. With the sun lower in the sky and the beautiful colours of the Seine and gardens in view, it was certainly worth the look. This climb up was another 300 odd steps, and well worth it. We climbed the stone spiral staircase to the base of the northern tower and the Chimera Gallery - which sits atop the series of columns visible on the western facade below the two towers. Not only does the Chimera Gallery act as bridge between the north and south tower, it is also the best place to view the mythical and often eerie stone creatures that the french refer to as the Les Chimera. Hence the gallery name.
At this level we could also go into the south tower and the belfry. The 15th century bell in the south tower weighs in at 13 tonne, and seeing the structures that hold the weight of these massive iron bells was amazing. How they accomplished these feats in the day without cranes is beyond imagination. And to think we were touching these, huge pieces of timber that have stood here for hundreds of years - was just amazing. Mind already blown, we then got to ascend higher to the top the south tower, to get a 360 degree view of Paris. This was a quick stop - thanks to staff wanted to close up for the day, but spectacular it was. Well worth it even though it meant more stairs.
All very tired and having had some really long days, we decided to head back to the apartment, passing the Hotel de Ville - in a plaza of the same name. It is a very impressive building, and with a little research have found out that it is the city's administration. Not a hotel as such.
On the way home we past our local supermarche - Monop, to get the ingredients to make some spag-bol in the apartment for dinner, instead of parting with another 100 odd euros for dinner at the restaurant. Eating out in Paris has become a very expensive gig.
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