Paris: Early Morning Stroll

School interfered with my ability to update yesterday and earlier today but, finally, I’m back—accompanied by a bit of Edith Piaf in an effort to drown out the thumpa-thumpa coming from upstairs (a different flatmate this time).

At any rate, travel back with me now to the morning of 19 February 2012:

I knew I had a lot of ground I wanted to cover on Sunday, so I started early. My first stop: the famous Arc de Triomphe, which stands proudly just to the side of the Charles de Gaulle-Étoile metro stop, and straddles the Place Charles de Gaulle.

Now, a word of warning before you look at the pictures below: I really did try to do something with my hair that day. In fact, when I left Giovanni’s Room (my hostel), it looked quite nice. But le vent had other ideas—meaning that every single picture of me taken on the 19th is a hot mess. Hot. Mess. That being said, here are the photos:

 Getting back to the world-famous piece of architecture, its purpose is to memorialize those French citizens who lost their lives during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, and buried beneath the arch is France’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

(On an unrelated note—and I don’t know if this is actually true or not—according to the Wikipedia store, the ‘eternal flame’ atop the Unknown Soldier’s resting place was the inspiration for the flame that now burns near President John F. Kennedy’s grave. Also, just to demonstrate how big it actually is, in 1919 a biplane actually flew through the memorial arch. You can find the video here.)

From the Arc de Triomphe, I made my way south-east along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. According to the owner of Giovanni’s Room, this stretch of street—which runs between the Arc de Triomphe and the Obelisk of Luxor—is famous for its expensive shops and celebrity clientele. I have to say, I don’t know if that’s true or not (not that I really have any reason to doubt him) simply because everything was still closed as I was walking by. Oh, other than La McDonald’s.

However, I didn’t make it all the way down Champs-Élysées because, at its crossing with an avenue named after Winston Churchill (at that point), I was distracted by a trio of beautifully designed buildings: Le Grande Palais, Petit Palais, and L'Hôtel national des Invalides. I never made it into either of the first two, simply because opening hours and time did not allow. As for L'Hôtel national des Invalides, I’ll discuss that in a subsequent posting.

You can see the edges of Le Grande and Petit Palais on the left and right respectively, with L'Hotel national des Invalides in the distance.

Petit Palais--unfortunately, I accidentally deleted my photo of Le Grande Palais.

The dome atop L'Hotel national des Invalides.

For now, let’s just focus on the bridge that spans the Seine between these three gorgeous buildings: Pont Alexandre III. As the pictures below demonstrate, it’s quite stunning. It is also from this vantage point that I first glimpsed the Eiffel Tower during daylight hours.

My first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower during daylight hours.

The Eiffel Tower, as seen from Pont Alexandre III.

 

From the Pont Alexandre III, I continued heading east along the northern bank of the Seine. It wasn’t long until I came upon the Placede la Concorde (where stands the earlier-mentioned obelisk devoted to Pharaoh Ramses II), and then—a bit further down—the Jardin des Tuileries.

From a historical perspective, perhaps the most interesting thing about the Place de la Concorde is its bloodied link with the French Revolution. It was within the area of this square that 'Madame Guillotine' separated the likes of King Louis XVI, MarieAntoinette, and Maximilien Robespierre from their respective heads. In fact, it has been estimated that over 1,300 people were executed here over the course of a single month during the ‘Reign of Terror.’ Quite a change from the somewhat whimsical air that the Ferris Wheel gives to the square today.

Place de la Concorde

As for the Jardin des Tuileries, its origins date back to the mid-16^th Century, at which point it served as the (private) garden for Tuileries Palace and the Dowager Queen. In later years, it switched back-and-forth between the monarchy and the public courtesy of various revolutions. Today, the palace after which the gardens take their name is gone (as is the monarchy), and its grounds are open to the public.

As one approaches the Louvre, which stands elevated along the eastern end of the space, (s)he comes to a round pool surrounded by beautiful sculptures. To the west the observer can just make out the Place de la Concorde, and to the southwest is the Musee D’Orsay (which, quite sadly, I did not make it to because the line to get in was even longer than the one at the Louvre!).

Facing east, toward the Louvre.

And so, that brings us to the close of this entry. There was still plenty more to see that Sunday, but what remains really does deserve separate entries…

 

Until next time!