Saint Suplice Église

Easter Sunday from the choir loft, Saint Suplice Église...Paris, 2012

People Powered Carrousel

      The people powered carrousel near the Eiffel Tower...

The Game of Chess

            The language of chess in Luxembourg garden...

Paris Wi-Fi

Using the free Paris Hot Spot Wi-Fi Internet Service at the park near our apartment.

The Carrousel

A weather proof carrousel along the Promenade Plantée

Promenade Plantée

Strolling down the Promenade Plantée in the 11th arrondissement.

Beehives in Luxembourg Gardens

The beekeepers attending to their hives in Luxembourg Gardens.  They can be found in the southwest corner of the gardens.  Looks like they are getting a lesson!

Ile de la Cité

The park at the western tip of the Ile de la Cité

Smart Cars in Paris

Having a Smart car in Paris makes parking a breeze....you'll fit into those small pockets between cars when you back into the space!

Gargoyles at Notre Dame

After climbing the towers you see monsters, half-man and half-beast. These demon looking creatures carved out of stone are called gargoyles.  The word gargoyle comes from a Latin word, meaning gullet or drain. That's what the strange looking creatures are, they're drainpipes. Each grotesque figure has a passageway inside that carries rainwater from the roof and out through the gargoyle's mouth. From the top of the Notre Dame Cathedral's towers the gargoyles have a magnificent view of the city of Paris.  

Basilique du Sacré Cœur

A view of the Basilique du Sacre Coeur on the highest point in Paris taken from inside of the Musee d'Orsay in May of 2012. 
From Wikipedia.....
Sacré-Cœur is built of travertine stone quarried in Château-Landon (Seine-et-Marne), France. This stone constantly exudes calcite, which ensures that the basilica remains white even with weathering and pollution.
It was built in the 1870's from private donations. 

New Bells for Notre Dame's Birthday

 Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris will celebrate it's 850th anniversary in 2013 with many celebrations through the year....one of the biggest ceremonies will be the blessing and installation of the new bells which have just arrived in Paris.

In 2012 as part of a huge project the 4 old bells of the North tower were removed, melted down, and recast into a new set of 8 bells and are now ready to be rehung in the North tower. A 9th Bell called Marie is also being cast and will hang with Emmanuel in the South tower.  

Oradour-Sur-Glane...Remember

A moment in time preserved as a reminder to future generations of what can happen during war; 642 people, men women and children, were massacred and the village burned on June 10th, 1944. 

Chateau Royal D'Amboise

Turrets and chimney on the roof of the Chateau Royal D'Amboise in the Loire Valley of France

Sarlat-la-Caneda and foie gras

I found this delightful monument to geese in the center of the medieval town of Sarlat-la-Caneda.  Deep in the southwestern corner of France you'll find Sarlat in the Dordogne region where geese are force-fed to plump up their livers for the production of foie gras, a gormet item in many French restaurants around the world.  Except, that is, for California which has recently banned foie gras because of the force feeding.

The town has retained it's medieval charm and almost seems caught in the fourteenth century.  It's a wonderful place to spend a few days while touring the surrounding countryside.  Away from major highways, you'll find the effort to get there rewarded by some truly unique experiences.