Well, my friends, my blog is finally living up to its name: French Ethereal! I am sooo excited to share more from our trip abroad. I went absolutely nuts taking photographs… Everywhere you look (and I do mean everywhere) is like looking through a movie camera lens…
Lots of motorcyclists and bicyclists spin about the city, and did you know you could rent motorcycles while you are here? I saw them available on some websites and you can go for a tour around Paris on a 1:1 tour via vendors through AirBnB’s website. (not sponsored)
I fell in love with all of the different bistro chairs! Each café and restaurant had their own version. These were at the little café we ate at our very first evening in Paris. From here, we walked over to the Eiffel Tower for the tour that never happened. We got scammed and I let AirBnB know about it.
I thought I might pick up a bouquet of flowers to have in our hotel or bnb rooms, but Amy talked me out of it because…
How would we carry them on the train out to Grenoble and back?? Along with our suitcases and backpacks, etc??
She was right, of course. But it would have been lovely to have a bouquet to enjoy!
And there were lavender plants… sigh!
What place is this?
More of the park with a grand building in the background. Anyone know what this building is??
Oh, duh! Nm, I answered my own question just a few photos from now ~ Le Musée de L’Armée Invalides.
I went for a walk late on the morning of the second day we were in Paris on my own as my daughter was really, really tired and wanted to take a nap mid-morning. This was the day I posted that first look at Paris post and I typed until around noon. We’d had breakfast in our room (I brought hers up on a tray from the restaurant downstairs), and she waited too long for me to be ready. Totally my fault!
Anyway, this building is the military museum I walked by and it was free to enter on this particular day!
I started to go inside, but decided to save it for another day as I was on a mission to find a wedding present for my niece and soon-to-be new nephew…
It was Thursday, 21 Julliet 2022. I didn’t know how to use the Metro yet, so I walked a couple of miles down the quai (sounds like “Kay”), across a big bridge there along Rue de Grenelle.
Our driver, a few days later, when we came back from Grenoble, told us this was built sometime around the French Revolution. It may have been a hospital for the “invalides,” soldiers injured during the war… Not sure.
For someone who has shot over 50,000 photographs on black & white and color film since I was 8 years old, and now digitally… France is a feast for the eyes and the camera lens!
It is no wonder why Paris is featured as THE CITY in so many movies…
I took these photos just with my iPhone 12… I did shoot some with my big Canon but didn’t want to haul it all over the city every time I went out, so chose to just use my phone. Sooo glad these came out well!
Cross of War (Croix de Guerre) for what he did on the battlefield.
After crossing over the bridge, I walked around the Luxor Obelisk heading toward the Galleries Lafayette, a shopping mall someone told me about which might have a culinary store. As it was, I headed left towards the mall after this park, and after going around the sidewalk of an enormous roundabout…
I was getting pretty tired from walking at this point, as I hadn’t eaten lunch, so I shot these photos but didn’t really know where I was or I would have walked down the Champs Élysées (left of here) ~ the “Elysian Fields” ~ a place for dead heroes (in Greek mythology).
Also where many people were guillotined during the French Revolution… Ick!
I walked right by the Tuleries Garden and did go inside. I ate lunch at a cute café there but I want to share that later, so no photos here!
Eventually, I did find a culinary store called Boulanger, which I understand is a small chain store. For my niece and her fiancé, I bought a pasta maker. I wanted to get them something they might not buy for themselves but would be fun and useful! Ikea was across the street so I went there afterwards, and used their restroom (always important!) and to pick up a gift card, too. <3
After that, I forced myself to go figure out how to ride the Metro home…
My feet were tired… Riding back to our hotel aboard the Metro to our hotel ~ Les Jardins de Eiffel ~ was bliss! A French woman was very sweet and pulled down the fold-up seat for me so I could sit. She must have seen the harried look on my face, lol!
I got off at Quai d’Orsay Metro station, and headed back over the rue (street) and up a few blocks to our hotel. I felt a little more “Parisienne” that day and “less tourist!” I was learning how to get around. ;)’
Round deux!
I was totally excited when I got back (and now rested from sitting) and Amy was well rested after a two-hour+ nap. I told her about my adventures and that I had four €2.00 coins ~ enough for two trips out to L’Opéra Metro stop in the 1st Arrondissement and back ~ we could go back!?!
Amy caught the bug of excitement, so off we went to hop the Metro!!! She was excited about going shopping at a Parisienne mall, and maybe to dinner downtown (we actually ate when we got back to our little area in the 7th, which turned out to be perfect).
Le Grand Hôtel ~ one of the first beautiful buildings we saw in this part of Paris (1st Arrondissement) ~ with its outside café. Love the wrought iron and deep green patio covers and umbrellas!!!
After walking just a block or so from the Metro station, we came to Paris’ National Opera ~ the Palais Garnier. I asked my daughter if she’d like to go look inside but we decided to save L’Opéra for another time.
Wouldn’t it be fun to see a theatrical production here?!!
We continued on our walk and headed towards our final destination and a little shopping…
Les Galeries Lafayette
We found a whole shopping area with stores like Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and more. We followed the crown right into the glass doors of Les Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann. Opened in 1893, the Galeries has a magnificent cupola ceiling created by “master glassworkerJacques Grüber and finished around 1912 (The Good Life France).
The building underwent a major renovation in 1932 which “introduced some ‘modern’ angular and faceted Art Deco elements into its structure and decoration.”
The Good Life France
We browsed some lovely clothes and looked at lots of fun jewelry. After about an hour we decided it was time to head back to dinner… (Funny how “tired” sneaks up on you!)
We had a great time shopping and just browsing a few stores. Surprisingly, we only bought a few t-shirts but didn’t buy anything really fashionable.
On our way back towards the Metro station, we came across this light post. It was so ornate.
Now I see what looks like some kind of Viking warship… Perhaps this was erected when Napoleon was in power?
I wonder what its significance is? Anyway, thoughts for another day. 🙂
I hope you have enjoyed this day in Paris! A city of much military history and more.
Jusqu’à a la prochaine fois,
Barb 🙂
First, I’m sorry you were scammed and hope the powers-that-be ban them from renting their place out. Second, you are so right! Every photo is like looking through a camera lens. Or a fantastic old movie! I can tell from your comments you had the best time. So many places and sights! Thank you for taking us along.
Your photos are terrific and you certainly have maxed out your time. The Metro is pretty easy once you do it a couple of times and it’s a lifesaver for your feet! So are the buses but sometimes a little harder to figure out. That photo of Galerie Lafayette is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Please share more about the scam so that it doesn’t happen to us. I hope they provide a full refund.
I heard back but when I received an odd email, I didn’t respond right away because I didn’t know what to look for. It’s water under the bridge, but if I take an Eiffel Tower tour in the future, now I know to just walk up and pay at the Carousel entrance. Life lessons… 😉