Marché aux Place d'Aligre

Spent an early morning adventure at one of the best neighborhood markets in Paris at Place d'Aligre The variety of fruits and vegetables was amazing but more impressive even was the quality. There was a whole section of BIO [organic] items.

PARIS Birthday Trip

I will be spending a week in Paris to celebrate my 79th birthday during the first week of September and will be staying in the Marais for the first time...

a visit to le Marais on a previous trip...

Have reservations at Les Jardins du Marais hotel for the week. Will use that as my base for exploring that part of the city...

restaurant at the hotel...

Paris, Summer 2013

THE ATTACK OF THE EURO

THE CALM AFTER THE ATTACK

So I went to Paris [again] and had a wonderful time. Lots of differences though. Never had been here in the summer time, took my grand daughter and daughter-in-law and did more walking than usual. I took the same 'artsy-fartsy' [as my friends say] pictures. They took the regular tourist views as I have done in the past. So here go a few of my favorites.

a quick snack at Pomme de Pain on rue Rivoli 

lovers' locks on the Pont des Arts

and more locks

my favorite bar/café

shopping at Galeries Lafayette

view from our table at Galeries Lafayette

shopping!!!

window of Poilâne...hard to find bakery but the best

Arche de Triomphe

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

visiting team of Tour de France

view from our bedroom window
at Hotel BW Left Bank

electric cars to rent

shade behind Nôtre Dame

au revoir, Paris

room with a view...paris...2011

just across the blvd montparnasse
was my new favorite basque restaurant
oyez paxox

Paris in May

Went off to Paris for a week and have a few thoughts, pictures, details and stories to share:

The Air France flight over was uneventful for me but not Dominique Strauss-Kahn. I didn't see him taken off the plane but row 35 doesn't have quite the view of first class. The flight back was even nicer with Sean Penn on board but didn't see him either until baggage claim in JFK. Even row 11 doesn't have a good view of first class. The only solution to that problem is money! 'It doesn't cost any more to travel first class you just can't go as often.'

Had a wonderful week with excellent weather. Walked around the city, took the metro many times and the bus once [a first for me]. The Hotel Villa Luxembourg is on rue du Montparnasse, a section of Paris that I had never visited. It was a great place with numerous restaurants and cafés. My restaurant blog is filled with places to eat in that area.

Aside from restaurants, two highlights of the area are the Montparnasse Cemetery and the weekly market. The cemetery, though no way near as large as Père-Lachaise, is filled with the graves of important people in French history and pop culture.

Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir

The weekly market is held at the Place Fernand Mourlot in the 14eme. This is at the Edgar Quinet Metro stop. There were stalls with fruit, vegetables, clothing, cheese, soap, handicraft, hats, etc.

This was a great experience. Being able to see what everyday people have within their grasp. Fresh produce and the best of merchandise for one's daily life in Paris.







Another market we ran into was the biannual antique and used furniture in the area of Montmartre.

And then there is just walking around...my favorite pastime in Paris. So here is a mix of pictures, some labeled and some not. Enjoy! Go and see this wonderful city on your own.

...and how do I get out of this parking spot...

DaVinci Code stuff.....

Rose Line in Ste. Chapelle

North Point at Palais Royal

The short version of the Louvre Museum tour. 

Staircase in the Pyramid

Inner Courtyard

Mona Lisa

Winged Victory of Samothrace

Venus de Milo