Jax Trax: Paris Foot by Foot

Blog writing on the terrace

We have done many many walking ‘tours’ in the last couple of days and quite a bit of other meandering through the streets and lanes. Despite each of the last three days being up around 28-29oC we have resisted queueing for ice cream.

From the City Walks Architecture Paris cards and from Rick Steve’s Paris guide:

Bercy and Rive Gauche, Haussmannian Paris, Cinematic Montmartre, Jewish Paris, Medieval Paris 1 and 2, Latin Quarter and St Germain des Pres, and Marais.

We have walked through many of the arrondisements, including 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 18. We are based in 3. We have also occasionally caught the subway, buses, and the Batobus (boat bus).

Some of the highlights of the last couple of days:

· catching glimpses of the Eiffel Tower and other landmarks down lanes, through windows, between trees

· Printemps store and its spectacular domed restaurant, with rabbit and snail made of roses and also its rooftop lookout (with no stairs)

· Galeries LaFayette with its amazing spice display and another great dome

· Opera Garnier and the gorgeous art deco cafés around it

· the ‘pomp’ of the service at the Notre Dame

· listening to the nuns beautiful voices in Sacre Couer while looking at the amazing mosaics on the ceilings and walls

· becoming a ‘sideshow’ at the Montmartre market while having our caricature drawn

· returning to our stunning and cool B&B with its spacious room and even larger terrace garden

· also, just looking at the shop window displays (much more inventive than ours), the artwork (and graffiti) on the buildings, and the wrought iron terraces filled with flowers.

Paul was cunning – the day we walked through St Germain was a public holiday so many of the shops and antique stores were closed. We did enjoy the Jardin du Luxembourg with the kids playing with little sailing boats on the pond.