Paris In July

If you've been reading The Marmelade Gypsy (or my other blog, Chopsticks and String) for awhile, you know that I have trouble resisting anything about Paris. Ever since my first trip to this astounding city a wee bit over a year ago, I have been more than smitten with its beauty and architecture, the culture, the history, the food, and anything related to it!

So, when Ruth mentioned the "Paris in July" blog event hosted by Karen and Tamara this month, I not only had to start blog hopping (dangerous at best! Oh, the things you'll discover on these links!), but participate, too. (Below, l'Hotel de Ville, a painting during its construction. This city hall and "official" home of the Mayor - who actually lives elsewhere - is a gorgeous building that houses a museum, glorious rooms and has a wonderful location just across the Seine from Notre Dame.)

We interrupt this year's vacation for a look at last year's to talk all things French and particularly Parisian. Maybe some of the pix from the trip (just humor me, OK? Pretty soon I'll stop using them!), maybe a little art and maybe a memory or two.

Actually, this comes at a rather fine time, as friends of mine are planning their first trip to Paris this fall and we're meeting to talk! So, I'll be sending them onto the Paris In July links, too!

One of the museums I most enjoyed when there (and I have to confess, until several people said "you must go to Carnavalet, it wasn't on my itinerary) was Musee Carnavelet, which is located in a gorgeous hotel particulier that was formerly the home of Mme. Sevigne.

It is a combination of artifacts, paintings and drawings, and historic room recreations that tell the story of Paris -- it's famous and infamous, it's events, and its places, including Notre Dame, below.

(And, being as this is Tour de France time, which is taking an enormous toll on telly-watching time in my household -- I'm addicted, listening live at my desk at work, then watching in the evening!), I must share this entry from the art section!

Painted by Alexandre Ganesco in 1930, this is actually not the Tour, but it is a bike race!

These are others from those galleries that I've not posted on the Gypsy before -- some wonderful etchings from the days of big hoop skirts!

I love the humor, and the satire!

There was quite a selection of these witty cartoon/etchings.

I loved them all!

Please do stop by Karen and Tamara to see the links they've posted. And don't forget to check out Ruth's Paris Deconstructed (I found this indispensible when preparing for my trip, and delightful); Peter's Paris, with a wealth of photographs and history, and Vagabonde, who writes often of her native France for more things Francais!

(And I'll have another post or two as well on this before the end of the month. And, at Chopsticks, several books related to France can be found as you scroll through the older posts!)