Ahh, back from the city of lights to the city of smells…
To anyone who has ever been, Beth and I don’t need to tell you that Paris is an amazing city. To anyone who has not, we recommend making the trip. From the beautiful gardens, to the museums, to the rich cultural history, to the pâtisseries, to Euro-Disneyland — it’s fun for the whole family.
Day un. After dropping our bags at the Familia Hotel, we spent our first day in Paris just walking around and enjoying the city itself. Beautiful and thoughtfully designed, the low buildings allow light to flood the streets, and the gardens and plazas soften the harsh city feel that is so pervasive here in New York. Punctuated with gothic cathedrals and grand palaces, Paris strikes the perfect balance between charm and cosmopolitan. Wandering over to Ile de la Cité and the gothic masterwork, Notre-Dame Cathédrale, we actually found it to be a decrepit, dank and uninviting church. We wound our way through the dense crowds inside, past the famed rose windows and promptly back out to the plaza. That was enough for us.
Day deux. Our day started with a rainy walk to the Musée d'Orsay by way of the lovely Jardin du Luxembourg. A former Parisian train station, the d'Orsay dramatically opens with its grand hall, now a statuary, below you. Filled with masterworks by such pre-impressionists and impressionists as Manet and Seurat, the d'Orsay's collection is neither overwhelming nor incomplete. Of all the museums we would visit in Paris, this was the favorite for both of us. The rest of our day was again spent wandering the streets of Paris and, outside of our least-appetizing and rudest dining experience, culminated with our spectacular evening ascent of the Tour Eiffel. And although it made for a long day, many people insisted — and we completely agree — that night-time is the only way to see the landmark of Paris and it's aerial views of the city below.
Day troi. The following morning began with a mad dash to the to the premier Parisian art museum — the Musée du Louvre. With our Paris museum passes (worth every Euro), we were able to walk right in, literally making Beth and I the 11th and 12th people into the museum that day and, wanting to avoid the crowds, we made a bee-line for da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Walking into this painting's massive gallery, you are greeted by the only blank wall you will see in the museum. Cut down the middle by vertical stripe, your eyes are immediately drawn to the otherwise miniscule portrait of the Lady La Gioconda. Considered the prototype of Renaissance portraiture, the Mona Lisa is a beautiful painting but, I found myself drawn more to its mythos than its artistry. In a museum like the Louvre (itself a storied work of art), there are many equal if not greater works by the likes of Michelangelo, Géricault and Vermeer. The Louvre can be an exhausting experience and, after our five-hour visit, we were left with the impression that its large volume of work served only to dilute the overall quality of the collection.
From the Louvre, we strolled west through the Jardin des Tuileries, past the cheesy shops on the Champs Elysees to Napoleon's stunning Arc de Triumphe. Built as a gift to his soldiers, construction began in Bonaparte's lifetime but he would never see its completion. Towering over the surrounding neighborhood, the top of the Arc offers those willing to climb its narrow stairwells the best views of Paris.
Day quatre. The next day began with a Metro ride to Montmartre and the Sacré-Coeur. Along the base of Paris' tallest hill, we made our way past sex shops and strip clubs (rrrrr... ) before turning uphill at the infamous Moulin Rouge for Montmartre's classier streets. As we climbed upward to the cathedral, we passed the homes and haunts for such giants as Picasso and Van Gogh and learned of Montmartre's former status as an artistic mecca. At the pinnacle, the Sacré-Coeur is amazing sight — if Notre-Dame was dark and oppressive, the Sacré-Coeur was bright and beautiful. Dazzling white and painted in the colors of stained glass, it is one of the more beautiful landmarks to see in Paris.
Departing Montmartre for lower elevations, we headed to the Centre Pompidou only to find... our friends Andrew and Amanda from New York! They had landed only hours before and were visiting the Centre Pompidou on their one day in Paris before heading off to Burgundy. We knew that they would be in France sometime in the fall but, we weren't sure when or where they would be so, the odds of us bumping into them were fairly astronomical. But what was truly amazing was to find out that Amanda was four months pregnant with their first child — congratulations, guys!
Looking a little jet-lagged and with Amanda's extended family in tow, we let Andrew and Amanda go about their own merry way. Saying our good-bye's, we went upstairs to see the Musée de l'Art Moderne only to be... kicked out! It seems that the employees of the Centre Pompidou had suddenly decided to go on strike. Friends had warned us that we might encounter this very thing but, what the hell?... can't you strike on someone else's vacation? Oh, well. To close out this interesting day, we enjoyed what would be our best meal in Paris — situated on a hidden square just off the Pont Neuf, La Rose de France is an amazing little French restaurant that we would recommend as a must-try for anyone visiting Paris.
Day cinq. The following day our plans were, by necessity, a bit more modest. After sleeping in, Beth and I took the Metro over to the Musée Rodin. Auguste Rodin's work, an exploration in human agony, marks the beginning of abstraction in sculpture. In particular, his Gates of Hell (my personal favorite) is the incomplete culmination of his life's work as it incorporates such other masterworks as The Thinker and The Three Shades.
Nextdoor to the petite Musée Rodin sprawls the imposing Hôtel des Invalides — home to the Dôme Church and the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte. Originally meant to serve exclusively as a military church, the canopy and alter were later pushed forward to make room for Napoleon's tomb. Centered directly beneath the cupola, Napoleon's sarcophagus is large enough to inter a VW bus and, very much like the living man, demands your complete attention.
For the remainder of the afternoon, Beth and I briefly parted ways — she, to take an afternoon nap and I, to explore the Musée du Moyen Age. Attached to a 3rd century Roman bath house, the Musée du Moyen Age has a fascinating collection of medieval art, including the stunning Lady with the Unicorn tapestries. I personally love this stuff but, I have a feeling that Beth would have fallen asleep no matter what that afternoon.
Our day ended with a much-anticipated evening cocktail cruise along the River Seine. We were careful to pick the right cruise and the right time because we had romantic visions of touring along Paris' famous water front, sipping drinks in the open air and snuggling against the chill (aawww... ). Too bad Mother Nature had other plans as we ended up crowding under the boat's domed canopy, squinting through a driving rain to catch even a glimpse of what our guide was talking about. Oh, well.
Day six. Our last full day in Paris and we decided to mourn the passing of our vacation by exploring the city's Catacombs. A grim necessity in the late 18th century, the great common cemeteries of Paris were emptied of their contents and the remains of over 3 million people were relocated to the subterranean quarries in the city's south. Knowing this, you think you can prepare for such an experience, but when you walk into a dry, musty room filled with millions of skeletons, you can't help but feel stunned. Although the crypt is respectfully treated, one still can't help but feel morbid and voyeuristic. Back in the light of day, we decided to have a second go at the livelier Centre Pompidou and its Musée de l'Art Moderne. This time ‘round, we finally made it in and, do you know what I suddenly remembered?... I hate modern art. Beth has a more open mind on the subject than I do and was much more supportive of the art we saw. General, I consider a ring of pink lights or painted mailing tube as devoid of talent. I think that people are too eager to place contemporary art in museums, but I believe the test of time will divide the truly artistic from the genuinely crappy. What the hell do I know anyway?
We spent the remainder of the day focused on our favorite thing to do in Paris — walking the city's charming streets and enjoying our favorite Jardin du Luxembourg. A beautiful day in a beautiful city.
I know that all this has been a lot to absorb, especially without any visual reference. If you have read through this entire entry, I thank you for your attention. If you only glanced at it and you're a lazy bastard, you can go here to see our pictures. Enjoy.
