Besides the heat (between 35-40,5 degrees Celsius almost every day), our trip to Paris - with the best guide in the world - Aurore - was fantastic!!
This not least for me (Gunnar) as it was the first visit to France (and Paris) ever. Aurore has lived and studied in Paris for six years, sho she knows the town.
It didn't start so well however...
When we came to the Swedish airport - Skavsta - I couldn't use my swedish identity-card as a passport, as I had been told. It wasn't valid for travels as it only had an S on it! This S only implies that the ID is issued in Sweden - NOT that I am a Swedish citizen, as I had been told!
I had to visit the police authorities at the airport and there I got a temporary passport, valid until August. Well, I didn't "get it" for free, I had to pay 100 euro! Our travelling funds diminished immadiately.
This was day one (11/7).
Day two (or actually one seen from the sightseeing point of view) began with breakfast and then we took le métro from Église de Pantin (where we lived) to Stalingrad from where we walked beside Canal Saint-Martin towards Bastille.
I don't want to go in to every detail but this is the approximate route: Rue de Lappe, Rue de Charonne with Hôtel Baudelaire.
Further we walked Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine where the first franchising-company in the world started.
We went in to a small alley with only second-hand stores with old furniture.
When asked if we would like to buy something we told them that we lived in Sweden and only visited Paris as tourists. This information didn't discourage the vendors. They could easily dispatch the furniture to Sweden if we would like to buy something! In spite of this kindness, we didn't buy anything!
Before arriving at La Bastille, we visited a FNAC-store, the one close to Opera Bastille, with its walls gradually falling or almost falling down(!), as you can see from the photos below. Watch your head!
We continued Rue Saint-Antoine towards Place des Vosges where Victor Hugo ones lived, in the Quartier de Marais
Me: Why are you stopping?
Aurore: Ssshh....
Me: What is it?!
Aurore: Ssshh, I said!
Me: What are you looking at??!!
Aurore: Look! It's Jack Lang, the former Minister of Culture!
Me: And....?
Aurore: And...? He was very good as minister for the culture!
Me: Ok, can we continue now?
A visit to le salon de thé called Mariage Frères. The personnel working there, are all dressed in linen clothings, as during the colonial days!
Close to Centre Georges Pompidou, one also find the church, L'Église Saint-Merri and between them the fountain containing art by Niki de saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely. The first head of Centre Pompidou was the Swedish art collector and museum director Pontus Hultén. He stayed in office between 1974 and 1981.
Further through Carrousel du Louvre and Le Louvre without entering the museum this day, only the parts under the Pyramide.
No, the young woman to the left is NOT looking at me.
Jardin des Tuileries, bien sûr.
Walking towards Place du Marché Saint-Honoré.
A short visit at Colette where we saw Milkymee's disc and then we bought food at Champs-Elysées.
Dinner at home together with Béatrice and then to bed after more than twelve hours of sightseeing!
(Photo copyright Skavsta Airport:
http://www.flygtorget.se/illustrationer/default.aspx?ID=6065&Bild=bild_20140113091111.jpg&Height=198&Width=370)
(Photo copyright Beauvais Airport:
https://en.parisinfo.com/var/otcp/sites/images/node_43/node_51/node_77884/node_77889/a%C3%A9roport-de-paris-beauvais-till%C3%A9-terminal-1-%7C-630x405-%7C-%C2%A9-otcp-dr/13235770-1-fre-FR/A%C3%A9roport-de-Paris-Beauvais-Till%C3%A9-Terminal-1-%7C-630x405-%7C-%C2%A9-OTCP-DR.jpg)
It didn't start so well however...
When we came to the Swedish airport - Skavsta - I couldn't use my swedish identity-card as a passport, as I had been told. It wasn't valid for travels as it only had an S on it! This S only implies that the ID is issued in Sweden - NOT that I am a Swedish citizen, as I had been told!
I had to visit the police authorities at the airport and there I got a temporary passport, valid until August. Well, I didn't "get it" for free, I had to pay 100 euro! Our travelling funds diminished immadiately.
When we arrived at Beauvais airport we got a telephone call from Béatrice, Aurore's cousin in whose apartment we were going to stay during our Paris visit. She told us that the elevator did not function. We were forced to walk the five stairs with our bags.
"Good exercise", I said. Aurore did not agree!
"Good exercise", I said. Aurore did not agree!
This was day one (11/7).
Day two (or actually one seen from the sightseeing point of view) began with breakfast and then we took le métro from Église de Pantin (where we lived) to Stalingrad from where we walked beside Canal Saint-Martin towards Bastille.
Canal Saint-Martin
I don't want to go in to every detail but this is the approximate route: Rue de Lappe, Rue de Charonne with Hôtel Baudelaire.
Further we walked Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine where the first franchising-company in the world started.
When asked if we would like to buy something we told them that we lived in Sweden and only visited Paris as tourists. This information didn't discourage the vendors. They could easily dispatch the furniture to Sweden if we would like to buy something! In spite of this kindness, we didn't buy anything!
Before arriving at La Bastille, we visited a FNAC-store, the one close to Opera Bastille, with its walls gradually falling or almost falling down(!), as you can see from the photos below. Watch your head!
La Place de la Bastille with La Colonne de Juillet
Place des Vosges
(photos taken in the Autumn the same year)
Victor Hugo's house
Here we saw Jack Lang. Aurore was excited!? She stopped and I wondered what she was looking at, whereby the following dialogue arose:
Me: Why are you stopping?
Aurore: Ssshh....
Me: What is it?!
Aurore: Ssshh, I said!
Me: What are you looking at??!!
Aurore: Look! It's Jack Lang, the former Minister of Culture!
Me: And....?
Aurore: And...? He was very good as minister for the culture!
Me: Ok, can we continue now?
A visit to le salon de thé called Mariage Frères. The personnel working there, are all dressed in linen clothings, as during the colonial days!
Close to Centre Georges Pompidou, one also find the church, L'Église Saint-Merri and between them the fountain containing art by Niki de saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely. The first head of Centre Pompidou was the Swedish art collector and museum director Pontus Hultén. He stayed in office between 1974 and 1981.
Centre George Pompidou
L'Église Saint-Merri with the fountain.
Rue Saint-Denis, Hôtel de Ville, Place Vendôme, Palais-Royal with Les colonnes de Buren. We also saw the building housing La Comédie Française.
The Town Hall, L'Hôtel de Ville
Place Vendôme, Palais-Royal,
Les Colonnes de Buren, La Comédie Française
No, the young woman to the left is NOT looking at me.
Walking towards Place du Marché Saint-Honoré.
A short visit at Colette where we saw Milkymee's disc and then we bought food at Champs-Elysées.
Dinner at home together with Béatrice and then to bed after more than twelve hours of sightseeing!
(Photo copyright Skavsta Airport:
http://www.flygtorget.se/illustrationer/default.aspx?ID=6065&Bild=bild_20140113091111.jpg&Height=198&Width=370)
(Photo copyright Beauvais Airport:
https://en.parisinfo.com/var/otcp/sites/images/node_43/node_51/node_77884/node_77889/a%C3%A9roport-de-paris-beauvais-till%C3%A9-terminal-1-%7C-630x405-%7C-%C2%A9-otcp-dr/13235770-1-fre-FR/A%C3%A9roport-de-Paris-Beauvais-Till%C3%A9-Terminal-1-%7C-630x405-%7C-%C2%A9-OTCP-DR.jpg)
