Paris

So farewell to London for the meantime, and off to Paris - in the front seats on upper deck of a Metro bus for good views. Bus trip was interesting. Delayed 50 min until police arrived to escort drunk passenger off bus (at 8.30am!) Consequently missed our channel tunnel booking & had to wait over an hour. Have attached some photos -the bus; trains of enclosed carriages on each side of the platform we drove along; a gap the length of only one carriage which the driver had to shoehorn the bus into; the inside of the carriages which gave only about 10cm clearance on each side of the wing mirrors as he drove along through them. Crossing at 140Km per hour only took 35 mins.

Had great views of the French countryside as we drove along. Rolling hills covered with lush pastures and thousands of hectares of crops. Drove over some impressive viaducts. 

On the main motorway going in to Paris traffic was crawling and we came across an horrific accident involving three huge articulated trucks. The northbound traffic on the other side was totally stopped -probably for several hours. It extended for at least 10 Kms. They had put a detour in place further back. We heard later that miraculously nobody was seriously injured. The trucks certainly were. One had spilled an entire load of sand on the road, and another had a trailer full of broken concrete pipes. So quite a lot to move and sort before the road could be re-opened. We were 2 hrs late, arriving in Paris at 9pm.

We stayed at a hotel at Montmartre, and were pleased to be allocated a room with a great view -photo here. We used the efficient Metro to get around. Incredible subway rail system on several levels extending right across the city, and reasonably priced, especially when compared with the inflated charges of the London Underground which its users are currently strongly protesting about. We were so fortunate to have great weather while there, and walked many kilometres around the centre of the city and its many historical places of interest.

Paris, the city of lights, is certainly a city of contrasts. At times an assault on the senses. We both had sensory overload at times - the sheer pace of life in a large city- traffic, people, crowds on the Metro, not being able to read signs or understand the speech, the beggars, playing Russian roulette every time we crossed a street, the constant sirens, etc. The Parisian drivers treated people on pedestrian crossings as targets, and the white lines as just road decorations. Tooting was incessant. Have no idea what they expected to achieve with it, as even the emergency vehicles were challenged progressing through the traffic! To our surprise, cycle and motorbike helmets weren't compulsory. The way some of them rode, cutting in front of cars and buses, and weaving through the traffic, full protective suits of armour may have been appropriate! The other thing which was disappointing was the many smokers. 

But these things were outweighed by all the positive ones - the absolute joie de vivre of most of the people we met. Very helpful hotel reception staff, many of whom thankfully spoke reasonable English. Delightful staff at restaurants and cafes where my minimal French and their limited English threw up a few surprises, but usually gave us what we hoped it would! Escargots didn't quite make it on to our plates! Paul found a corner bar where he would sit at a table outside watching in wonder traffic at the five street intersection. Many near misses, but amazingly we saw no accidents. We loved watching the French meeting and greeting each other with the classic two cheek kisses, then engaging in lively dialogue with much gesticulating. Saw some great street markets selling fresh food -cheeses, meats, fish, bread, croissants, pastries; also shoes, clothes paintings etc.

At random places we would come across ornate carousels with children happily having rides on their favourite animal. Montmartre is a favourite suburb for artists and in the lanes near Sacre Coeur we enjoyed watching some drawing excellent portraits of visitors. We were interested to see lots of hybrid cars doing their bit for the environment. 

Approached the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero, on the other side of the River Seine. Hundreds of people there including several school groups. We walked up 700 steps to the 2nd level to be treated to panoramic views, a sample of which you can see in these photos. Paul was awed by its construction. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, an engineer, as an entrance arch for the World Fair in 1889, it was started in January 1887. 10,000 tonnes of iron were needed, and it looks like a huge meccano set. It is 324m high, and 50 tonnes of paint are applied every 7 years to protect it from rust.

Twice we walked to the  stunning Sacre Coeur Cathedral which confirmed our belief that the Catholics have all the best real estate -it is in Montmartre with panoramic views over the city. It was built between 1875 and 1914 on the "hill of martyrs" which is where Saint Dennis, the first bishop of Paris, was decapitated for his faith.

 We were there for Mass, which was very moving. A nun with a heavenly voice led the singing. On the Sunday there was a High Mass with 6 priests concelebrating, and an eloquent homily (even though we could only understand the odd word or phrase!)  Shall attach a photo of a model of it. Also one of the mosaic which is the largest in the world, situated above the main altar. It is beautiful. The great bell, the Savoyarde, made in Annecy in 1895, has its own claim to fame, being one of the world's heaviest bells at 19 tons. Which really does make me wonder, before cranes were invented, how the dickens did they get it up into the bell tower???

Another day we went first to the Notre Dame Cathedral which has a unique site on an island in the middle of the Seine. It is a sombre symmetrical building started in 1163, almost completed by 1250, and finally opened in1345. Which must surely take the record for the longest building project in history! An earlier church on the same site was built in 528. And prior to it, a Roman temple to Jupiter was there. How's that for history! 

Notre Dame is an important example of French Gothic architecture, sculpture, and stained glass, and has 3 ornate arched dorways, 28 statues of saints in a row above, and 2 distinctive towers on top. The beautiful West Rose Window was installed in about 1220. The north and south rose windows are also lovely.

We then walked along beside the Seine to The Louvre. Can only imagine what controversy occurred when the glass pyramid was first proposed as the new  entrance to the museum. 

From there ambled through the Tuileries Gardens which were created by Catherine de Medici in 1564 as the garden of the Tuileries Palace. It was opened to the public in 1667, and became a public park after the French Revolution. Since then it has become a favourite place where Parisians meet, celebrate, walk and relax. We were there on a sunny Sunday afternoon and there were many people there, a number of whom were sitting around the large round pond in the middle. The gardens were lovely.

Then we were at Place de la Concorde, which at 8.64hectares (21.3acres) is the largest public square in Paris. It has a grizzly history -a guillotine was erected there after the French Revolution. King Louis XVI was executed there in Jan 1793. Queen Marie Antoinette followed, as did many other important people. The guillotine was removed in 1795. The giant Egyptian obelisk in the middle of Place de la Concorde was gifted to France by Egypt, and arrived in Paris on 21 Dec 1833. It is 3,300years old, is decorated with hieroglyphics,  and is 23 m high. It is flanked on both sides by elaborate fountains constructed at the time of its erection.

Adjacent to this area is the Pont Alexandre III, 40m wide and listed as an historical monument which is Paris' most elegant bridge, ornamented with fine sculpture work. It is a single low arch spanning the Seine, and was opened at the 1900 Universal Exhibition. The four 17m high corner pillars are topped by gilded bronze equestrian groups, as seen in these photos.

From there we were walking along the renowned Champs Elysees "Heavenly Fields", which was first created in 1670. Since then it has undergone numerous changes, as in the late 1700s when it was widened and new buildings constructed. It is 2Km long, and 70m wide. Its 8 lane avenue runs along the middle, and in 1938 it became the world's 1st asphalted road. Large well tended chestnut trees line both sides of it.

On the left part way along are two handsome buildings, which were also opened in time for the 1900 Universal Exhibition - the Grand Palais which houses exhibition halls and museums; and the smaller Petit Palais which contains the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts. These photos show the entrance and some features on the outside. Stunning artwork.

About halfway along the Champs Elysees becomes a retail area with luxury specialty shops, and also cinemas and cafes. The window displays were amazing in classy stores such as Tissot, Gucci, Armani, Cartier, Tag Heuer, Hugo Bass, Burberry, Swarovski, and the car showrooms -Citroën,  Mercedes and Toyota. And one guess as to what was there in the middle of them all? The ubiquitous McDonalds!!. Champs Elysees is one of the world's most famous streets and most expensive strips of real estate.

Many cafes and restaurants, with tables spilling out on to the footpaths. At these, everyone is seated facing outwards to watch the passing parade. And Parisian women of all ages are certainly drop dead gorgeous! Elegantly dressed with exquisite makeup and high heeled shoes, they know it, and walk along as if they are on a catwalk, to be seen and admired.

The Champs Elysses western end is the Place Charles de Gaulle. De Gaulle is highly revered, and we saw monuments and cafes and streets named after him in several places. At the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle is the imposing Arc de Triomphe. Its construction was ordered in 1806 by Napoleon to honour the Grande Armee, the name of the French army at that time. They had conquered most of Europe and at that time were considerd invincible. Napoleon promised his soldiers that they would return home through arches of triumph. Construction stopped between 1814 when Napoleon abdicated, and 1826. It was finally completed in 1836. It is 162ft high and ornamented with Gothic sculptures. The names of major battles and of the 558 French generals who died in them are inscribed on the walls. The arch in the middle was large enough for Charles Godefroy, an Englishman, to fly his biplane through in August 1919, just after the end of the 1st World War. That would have been something to see. Found a photo on Google.

Our intention after Paris had been to go on to Germany. Looked at doing a 4-6 day cruise on the River Rhine, but none available within our time frame. We had been expecting to spend the weekend 20 - 23 June with friends  at Lake Konstance but that didn't work out, so we decided to skip Germany. Instead we went to Boulogne sur Mer, a lovely coastal city just south of Calais, and had a relaxing 6 days by the sea before we headed home. It will be the next story.......