La Tour Eiffel!

There probably isn't much I can say about the Eiffel Tower that hasn't been said before. Built for the Universal Exhibition of 1889, the tower was scheduled to be only for the event.

Gustave Eiffel designed the tower and it met with a good deal of bad press. "There's no way to avoid seeing it," author Guy de Maupassant said.

At the time, it was the world's tallest building, and remained so until the Empire State Building was constructed.

So, why does it still stand? It all has to do with the radio towers on the top of the building! All of a sudden it was practical!

I've never been up inside the tower -- partly because of height issues and partly because of timing (and, in 2009, lines). But there are lifts that can take you up three levels, the top being 905 feet! There are other stops as well, including the Jules Verne Restaurant on the second level.

My guide book tells me that the complex patter of pig-iron girders comes from a need to stabilize the tower in strong winds.

It wouldn't matter to me -- I find it beautiful!

The first time we saw it was on the road, leaving for Brittany. Then, on our car-ride through Paris, Jerry dropped us off at Trocadero, which has an amazing view, so we could get some photos.

When we returned several days later, it was raining, as usual. We were on the way to dinner at Tribeca in Rue Cler. We wandered through the Champ de Mars, which is on the south side of the tower, and because not many others were out in the rain, were able to get some good close-ups and put down the umbrella for a photo op!

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When we returned at sunset, we were clearly in for a treat.

The later it got, the more beautiful it became!

And then the lights came on! I'm told that generally on the hour, they twinkle for 10 minutes. It didn't do that while we were there, but that was fine with me!

 

And, as we left, we couldn't resist one last photo!

Tower Tips

1) There is an admission charge to go up in the tower. They say some of the best views of Paris are here. If you're not for heights or admission, enjoy a picnic on the Champ de Mars and walk around the base of the tower, which is fascinating in itself.

2) Try to get there in the evening so you can enjoy the fabulous sunsets and lighting that we did.

3) Jerry was right -- the best "photo op" view is from Trocadero, because you can get the entire tower in the photo background.

4) While you're in the neighborhood, head east a few blocks to the enchanting Rue Cler, a two-block area that includes lots of street vendors and some excellent restaurants. If the weather is nice, you can easily find your picnic treats there!

This post is part of Bookbath and Thyme for Tea's "Paris in July" party! It's also part of my "vacation post" drawing, which will conclude whenever I get through it all! Please link HERE to a marvelous of over 25 "Paris in July" participants!

Musee d'Orsay

By the time we got to the Musee d'Orsay, "home" of the Impressionist work in Paris and one of my favorites,we were close to "museumed out."

Nonetheless, it remained a beautiful spot, somewhat less crowded than the Louvre.

Later, we learned that no photos were allowed in this museum. These are some I took before that lesson! (Unfortunately, that occurred before I hit the Impressionists!)

The sculpture is beautiful -- this is a favorite.

And this is the same display -- you can see how large it is, with Rick for comparison.

 

I was also partial to these scale models of the Paris Opera Garnier. (Keep scrolling down my posts for a visit to that beautiful spot!)

 

They captured the detail of the Hall of Mirrors.

 

And again, to get a sense of scale -- it was quite large indeed!

 

I was fond of this painting -- I wish I could remember the artist. It depicts an art auction.

 

This glass piece was in a room with Toulouse Lautrec paintings. It is not by him.

There is quite a famous clock when you enter this former train station that is now the home of works by the great artists of Impressionism. This is a different one, looking outside at a marvelous view. 

It attracted quite the crowd, and no wonder.

 

It overlooked the marvelous view of Montmartre, far in the distance.

 

Rick was ecstatic to see a photo of his hero, Victor Hugo, taken by the writer's son, Charles. 

Any museum can be exhausting. The ones near the end of a trip, all the more so.

This is the photo that got me busted -- we just happened to be sitting under a security camera! (And I really didn't note that there were NO photos -- I thought there was "no flash" like the Louvre.) Rick wasn't alone being tired! (No one was worrying about photos here!)

 

As we left, we enjoyed some "street theatre" outside the museum.

It was rather fun to watch the musician and his "comic relief" who followed passers by! They attracted quite the audience!

We were off to the Tuileries en route to dinner! More on that later!

Tips for Museum Going

1) Photo signs are done with pictures. Look at them carefully. This was the only museum we visited where photos weren't allowed. Several years ago they were and you can find pix of my favorites here. (check Musee d'Orsay on my sidebar labels to see paintings.)

2) If you want to live dangerously, at least look up before shooting! If you see a video camera, beware!

3) Don't forget to explore the Museum Pass for the best prices. It may or may not work with your schedule, but it is definitely worth a look.

4) If you are planning on a museum for something in particular, it helps to start there. While it was intriguing for me to follow the progression from the more realistic art to the Impressionists, we really didn't have much time when we finally reached them to fully enjoy.

This post is part of the Paris in July posts, hosted by Bookbath and Thyme for Tea.. Please visit the link on my sidebar to see more posts set in or related to Paris.

Love Locks

Paris is for lovers, so the saying goes. I think that's selling it short -- Paris is for anyone who loves history, beauty, architecture, vibrant cities and good foods.

But, if you happen to see Paris with someone you love, one is all the more lucky.

On the day we were headed to Musee d'Orsay (subject of a future post), our host Jerry went out early and came in with an unusual gift. It was a padlock.

He explained that there was a tradition in Paris called "love locks." Couples inscribed their names or initials on padlocks and attached them to one of the city's bridges, then tossed the key in the Seine.

While there is more than one Parisian bridge associated with "love locks" (including the Pont des Arts), he recommended Passage Soferino, a bridge connecting the Tuileries on the right bank with the Musee d'Orsay on the left.


The bridge itself is interesting. Rather than connecting to the street, it is clearly a footbridge. One climbs wooden steps to the bridge (and I have to say, going over the steps with the water under me was a bit unnerving!)

The "sides" of the bridge are made of metal wire mesh and it is here the locks are hung.

Rick put our initials on our padlock and I used some of the pretty ribbons and gold cord Jerry gave me to make it a bit more obvious, so we cold find it again!

A bit of post-Paris research revealed that the love locks are periodically removed at night by city officials, due to their weight. And, according to Parisian officials, "they raise problems for the preservation of our architectural heritage."

They locks started appearing in European cities in the early 2000s and range from bike locks to heavy metal. They can be found on several bridges.

We connected our lock to the fence and then tossed the key in the Seine, symbolizing a love to last forever.

Our "key" rests in the Seine, facing the Eiffel Tower. 
 
It is one of many, just as there are many loves in the world. But it is ours.

Later in our trip, on our final evening walk in Paris, we revisited the bridge -- our lock was still there.

So are we.


TIPS on LOVE LOCKS


You can buy your lock at a hardware store, but enterprising vendors are waiting on the bridge to offer you the opportunity to purchase one there.
In addition to Soferino, I am told there are locks on the Pont de l'Archevêché, a bridge which crosses from Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Left Bank of the Seine.


REMEMBER! This and other posts from this European vacation, which date back to early May, are entered into my "800th Post" drawing. We'll also include upcoming posts on the Netherlands and London. Each comment is your "entry."

AND WELCOME!

Welcome to visitors from the blog party, "Paris In July" hosted by Bookbath and Thyme for Tea. You can find links to all the Paris in July posters by clicking HERE or on the Paris in July image on the right sidebar. 

A Night at the Opera

I suppose this post should really be called "A Day at the Opera," but I couldn't resist the play on the title of the Marx Brothers movie!

 
Actually, our drive through Paris earlier in the week and our later Sunday walk had taken us to the outside of the Paris Opera.

In fact, that earlier Sunday, as we walked around the opera house, we were entranced by the beautiful sculpture celebrating the great musicians.

It was beautiful, but more important, it was such a fine tribute -- a palace made for celebrating the best of music.

It was particularly relevant and touching for Rick, as he places classical music
high on his list of passions.
 
So, I was anxious for him to see the inside, which I had seen several years before.
 
The Paris Opera (also known as Opera National de Paris Garnier) was was named after its designer, Charles Garnier.

These days most operas are performed in the Opera Nationale de Paris Bastille, but the Garnier building remains the permanent home of the Paris Ballet.

When one walks into the grand lobby, they are confronted with grand staircases made of marble. 
If you have seen "Phantom of the Opera" you may recall the "Masquerade" number, which was "set" in this grand space.

A look at the clip above gives you an idea of the Paris Opera -- I don't believe the movie was filed on location here, though.

(The "Phantom" story by Paul Leroux was inspired by the Paris opera and, as in the play, there is a small lake under the building. I just adored looking up!)

On each side, small balconies allow a beautiful overhead view.

To put this opulence into perspective from an American history point of view, the building was started in 1862, right during the middle of America's Civil War.

While the North and South were battling one another in the U.S., often destroying the countryside and landmarks in the process, Paris was in a period of growth, with Baron Hausmann designing the streets and Napoleon III living in grand opulence.

It took 13 years to complete the building.It is a masterpiece of marble, bronze and stone.

One of the things that struck us were the monuments, in the form of busts, mostly, to people we'd not heard of. Were they among the composers of the day who have since faded in recognition to all but the serious classical music lover? Or perhaps a patron of the arts.

A wonderful "hall of mirrors," laden with gold, allowed patrons to wander during intermissions and revel in the splendor of the age.
 
In the chambers surrounding the lobby, you will find beautiful mosaics and paintings.

I was particularly fond of this one...

...and this one, as well.
 
When I was here in 2009, I couldn't get access to the theater itself, as the ballet was in rehearsal.

It looked as though it might be that way on this trip, too -- until we followed a group of school children and their parents into one of the boxes. This was what we saw!


The theater itself is a feast of red velvet and gold. The graceful balconies sweep over the orchestra in elegant lines.
 
The real treat is to look up. Above, a false ceiling designed by Marc Chagall.

The ceiling was designed and installed in 1964.

As a Chagall fan, I couldn't resist this, and indeed, had wanted to see it quite desperately. So, I was glad we could slip in!
 
 In some ways, it doesn't fit. And in others, it is so lovely, it doesn't have to!

I can't resist a beautiful theatre. If you can't, this is well worth the visit!
 
(Later in this series of posts we will visit the Paris Opera House's museum, a gem of a spot for fans of opera and ballet. And don't forget, comments on this and any of the "European Vacation" posts will be included in my upcoming drawing!)

Tips on Visiting the Opera Area

For some great views of the exterior of the opera house, cross to the Opera metro station, right across the street.

Or, go the room of Gallerie Lafayette, the department store nearby, where you'll catch great views of the exterior. (We'll have a post about that store later!)

If you are in a walking mood, leave the front of the opera and head straight -- you'll end up at the Tuileries. (That's the Louvre in the background!)

The traffic circle outside the Louvre around the Metro is a little crazy. Be careful!