We took the metro North to see the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur which is situated on the highest point in Paris, Montmartre. The surrounding district, also referred to as Montmartre, was home to many of the world's famous artists: Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Salvadore Dali just to name a few.
From the top, you can see practically every landmark in Paris except the Eiffel Tower which was obstructed by the mature trees. Oh well! You can't have it all!
Montmartre is a prime location for films shot in Paris with it's quintessential Parisian charm. It's also quite popular with the locals on weekends. According to my guide books, this area is crawling with scam artists looking to prey on tourists which really is a shame because it detracts from the experience. Luckily, we knew what antics to avoid.
We wandered the side streets, enjoyed an impromptu culinary tour of Asia via a lunch at a tiny little restaurant that our stomachs simply would not allow us to pass by, and then we set out to find a world famous theatre...Le Moulin Rouge!
After spending the morning so far from "home," we made our way back to St. Germain and the Latin Quarter for our final afternoon. We were very fortunate weatherwise for most of the week. While it was often overcast, we rarely had actual rain showers to contend with and more often than not the sun was shining when we really needed/wanted it. That was definitely the case when we set out to explore Paris' most popular park, Jardin du Luxembourg. The park is the garden for Luxembourg Palace which houses the French Senate.
With it's lovely landscaped lawns and flower beds, it's easy to see why this park is loved by both locals and tourists. While smaller in size, it's Paris' version of Central Park in New York City. It's a beautiful oasis of greenery surrounded by the hustle & bustle of one of the world's liveliest cities.
With the sun setting, we started to investigate the options for our last Parisian dinner. We wanted it to be truly memorable so we took our time to research restaurants in the area, and then we visited the top five before making our selection. Le Petit Pontoise was everything we had hoped for!
Small, quaint, and charming with menu of mouth-watering items to choose from...what else could we ask for?!
We settled in at our table and chatted about the amazing week we had just experienced, and as is typical for us, started debating all the options for our next group getaway. Let's just say, it's a good thing Mike & Anh immediately returned to work once we returned home. There were some grand ideas being thrown around!
All dinner conversation came to a screeching halt once the dishes started to arrive...Coq au vin
Chateaubriand with Pepper Sauce
Prawn & Scallop Risotto
We were too busy savoring each and every bite to waste energy chatting with one another. We thoroughly enjoyed each and every entree (appetizer) and plat (main dish). Our tummies were definitely full, but skipping dessert just wasn't an option! Who could pass up:
Chocolate Mousse
Poached Pear
Souffle
and Creme Brulee?!
It sounds cliche, but dinner was the perfect ending to a perfect vacation. As Anh said upon our return, "I had such grand expectations of Paris, I was certain I'd be disappointed, but it was everything I hoped for and more." I couldn't have said it any better!
Poached PearSouffleand Creme Brulee?!
As a Catholic, it was an emotional experience to walk the aisles and corridors of this sacred building. Although, I suspect individuals are probably moved regardless of their faith. To say the space is inspirational would be a drastic understatement.
People from around the world gather here to pray and ask for guidance. Anh & I had a few special intentions of our own. Thousands of candles flickering in the dark represented the sorrow, joy, hope, and faith of the millions of people that have prayed on this site.
The stained glass windows were beyond beautiful and shined brilliantly in the dimly lit cathedral. The detail and craftsmanship were mind boggling actually!
We marveled at the stone arches and curved stone ceilings. These architectural elements would be impressive if constructed in modern time. It's hard to comprehend that construction on the cathedral actually began in the year 1163 and was completed in 1345. Amazing!
After exiting, we walked around to the back side of the cathedral to see the famous flying buttress structural supports. These arched supports were not included in the cathedral's original design, they were a necessary addition as the thin stone walls began to show stress fractures due to their extreme height.
As we made our way up the street and across the bridge to Ile Saint-Louis, we had one thing on our minds...Berthillon ice cream! Sure it can be found for sale throughout Paris, but it's EVERYWHERE on Ile Saint-Louis, and we were on a mission to try what is hailed as the "best" ice cream. Indeed, it was tasty! Yet, it wasn't the liquid gold it's made out to be. Oh well, the search continues.
After passing through security equivalent to that found at Charles de Gaulle airport, we made our way into the chapel. I was shocked at how different it is from Notre Dame. Both Gothic in style, but this chapel was bright and colorful as opposed to dark and mystical. Both are as beautiful as they are different.
After admiring the lovely stained glass windows and browsing the extensive souvenir gift shop, we were about to exit when we noticed a small narrow staircase in the corner. We watched as others made their way up the stairs and followed their lead. I was shocked to discover this chapel at the top of the stairs!!!
Clearly, I did no research on Saint Chappelle prior to our visit. As beautiful as I considered the lower chapel that was merely for the palace staff. The towering second level was for the royals. Seeing the beautiful and intricate stained glass in person is mesmorizing. So, it was gut-wrenching to learn that the chapel was heavily damaged during the French Revolution. Most of the interior decoration seen today is a re-creation of the original. However, 2/3 of the stained glass is original.
Every single square inch of the palace serves as testimony to the fact that no expense was spared during construction. From the chapel...
to the King's and Queen's bed chambers...
and my favorite ,The Hall of Mirrors, every room open to the public is a feast for the eyes. By the end of the tour, it's almost overwhelming!
Thank goodness the gardens while even more beautiful (in my opinion) are easier on the eyes! Unfortunately, we were unable to visit on a weekend when the many elaborate fountains are operating. I can only imagine the grandeur!
We were happy just to soak up the periodic sunshine and stroll the perfectly manicured grounds. Anh and I pondered whether we could reproduce the elaborate designs (on a smaller scale, of course!) in our own backyard one day. Can you imagine the look on our landscapers face when we show him these pictures as an example of what we'd like? He/she will probably do a backflip thinking they've hit the jackpot, and then, we will likely choose a much simpler plan once seeing the project estimate!
