WomanOnHerBike: February 2023

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

From the garden of the Musee de la Quai Branley

Searching for a respite from the cold. This lovely garden has glass walls that cut the wind and a nice cafe

Saturday afternoon destination

I took the metro from Basilica St Denis to Invalides to find a late lunch and get warm.

Louis VI and Marie Antoinette reimagined at Basilica St Denis

C19th revisionism. 2 levels below is the Bourbon crypt and final test under plain black slabs

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Zodiacal symbols mixed with Christian tropes

The belief systems expressed in this gothic (1136) cathedral aren't my area of expertise. However it's very impressive.

Saturday February 25

The toes of naked King Francois 1 and wife Claude in their tomb. On top of the roof they're fully dressed in regal finery, kneeling devotedly. Definitely sending a message about death.

Basilica St Denis

Cold as heck and a pretty rough neighborhood (St Denis)

St Augustin church

Plenty of color and sparkle to please the eyes.

Place Augustin

The sun showed itself and made the streets of Haussmann buildings glow.

Napoleon made a point with this bronze spiral made from melted down cannons from the Battle of Austerlitz (1805). It's a big comic strip narrating a tale of heroic derring do. I think there's one in Rome built by some emperor that gave N the idea. It's a beautiful symmetrical square surrounded by nice looking apartments. The Uber driver parked in front of the monument is a nice touch.

Can’t manage more than 10 minutes at the famous pond

I've been here in summer when it's favored by everyone.

Friday February 24

In the Jardin des Tuileries. Cold, with pruned rows of Le Notre trees locked in winter leaflessness. One of today's flaneuring discoveries.

Friday, February 24, 2023

Place de la Concorde

Lots of pointy stuff

More outdoors wear

Not like REI at all. I doubt these people make s'mores.

With saddles comes horses

Alrighty then. And I thought Hermes was just leather bags.

Hermes flagship store on rue du Faubourg st Honore

The windows are stuffed with straw and custom riding gear.

Boulangerie on rue du surene

Part 1 of my attempt to find Monoprix. I ate a croissant and a chausson with hot chocolate for 5,50. Confirmation that finding food isn't going to be difficult. I want to buy breakfast supplies for tomorrow going forward.

Hotel Particuliare in the courtyard of my Airbnb apartment

Thursday, February 23, 2023

Every home should have on

A plaster ceiling medallion from the mid nineteenth century in my rue Pasquier airBnb.

Lunch at a packed Italian restaurant

Truffle cream sauce and a litre of water to chase off plane dehydration in Visconti.

Blvd Malesherbes

Haussmann's legacy

Once through the street door a hotel particular in the courtyard of my Airbnb

No sign of 12 little girls in 2 straight lines

Navigo weekly pass 5 zones

Card starts on Mondays not prorated so sometimes a single cardboard ticket makes sense but of course you need to know to ask this of the guy at the counter. 35 euros for a card I'll use for 4 days but I expect I'll go to Fontainebleau on Saturday so that will get it sorted. A one way RER ticket from CDG to downtown is 11,75, so this tourist focused product has value.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Getting closer

On y va!

Monday, February 20, 2023

Hopefully not a canard

Plan is CDG, RER, metro, Fontainebleau, Vedette du pont neuf, Eiffel, Orsay, Ste Chapelle, Orangerie, Tuileries, Picasso, Beaubourg, Marmottan, Versailles, Opera Bastille, Josephine Baker, Montmartre, Ile de la cite, velib, Jacquemart-André, marais, marche des puces, shopping and cooking with Catherine, boulangeries , patisseries, fromageries, epiceries, cafes, bistros, plat fu hour, musiciens, … I hope I'm up to it.