Uncategorized
Palais du Louvre (château)
Le Louvre wasn’t always a museum
Originally a fortress
it became a royal palace in the fourteenth century under Charles V
Used from time to time by the kings of France as their main Paris residence.
Its present structure has evolved in stages since the 16th century.
In 1793 part of the Louvre became a public museum,
now the Musée du Louvre has expanded to occupy most of the buildings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre_Palace
The medieval Louvre
https://www.louvre.fr/en/histoirelouvres/history-louvre/periode-4#tabs
Walls of Paris
Various Walls were built around Paris, some for protection, some used for commerce to enforce the payment of a toll on goods entering Paris
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_walls_of_Paris
Defensive Walls
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_walls_of_Paris
Walls to enforce the payment of a toll on goods entering Paris
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_of_the_Ferme_g%C3%A9n%C3%A9rale
Critical elements of a wall is its Gates (or Portes) where you can pass through the wall
These Portes which remain are critical locations of the city, and are often marked by Metro Stations
Although evidence of the Wall of Paris is scarce, many Structures located at the Port remain
Louvre Links we Like
Louvre Ravioli a formidable collection of Louvre works
with French commentary
Philip II of France
1st French monarch to style himself “King of France” (from 1180 to 1223)
Built the medieval Louvre Castle (Château du Louvre) to reinforce the walls he had built around Paris
Known for:
Remnants of this Wall appear in Salle Saint-Louis
https://www.louvre.fr/en/routes/living-louvre
The Wall of Philip II Augustus built around Paris before he went to the Crusades
Also:
had the main thoroughfares paved,
built a central market, Les Halles,
continued the construction begun in 1163 of Notre-Dame de Paris,
constructed the Louvre as a fortress, and
gave a charter to the University of Paris in 1200
(the first city of teachers the medieval world knew)
(wikipedia)
Known for Battle of the Wines, a great wine tasting (70 samples) which he commissioned, as told by notable poem, never translated from French
Paris Métro Station
Philippe Auguste (11th Arrondisement)
Line 2: Between:
-Père Lachaise (toward Porte Dauphine)
-DAlexandre Dumas (toward Nation)
Interred in the Basilica of St Denis
Portrayed by:
Christopher Walken (Lion in Winter: 1966 Broadway Production)
Timothy Dalton (Lion in Winter: 1968 Academy Award Winning Film)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Lion in Winter: 2003 Film Remake)
Jonathan Zaccaï (Robin Hood: Ridley Scott’s 2010 Film)
Links:
https://www.pointdevue.fr/histoire/le-paris-des-rois-philippe-auguste_5282.html
http://www.alex-bernardini.fr/histoire/philippe-II-Auguste.php
https://europeforvisitors.com/paris/articles/medieval-louvre.htm
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-05-14-0605130002-story.html
The Louvre has been standing on the River Seine for more than 800 years, first as a medieval fortress built around 1190 by the crusading King Philippe Auguste (Philip II) and then as a rambling royal palace on which a long chain of French artists and architects put their marks. The kings of France were insatiable collectors, so when the palace opened as a museum in 1793 a treasure trove became the property of the French people.
Six Continents (D’Orsay)
For years, we stood in line at Musée d’Orsay, considering these six black-onyx figures on the esplanade.
All women, tribal, most naked to the waist, individual and unique, but who were they?
Our curiosity revealed these as representations of the six continents from the Paris Worlds Fair of 1878.
From left to right:
l’Europe (Alexandre Schoenewerk)
l’Asie (Alexandre Falguiere)
l’Afrique (Eugene Delaplanche)
l’Amerique du Nord (Ernest Eugene Hiolle)
l’Amerique du Sud (Aime Millet)
l’Oceania (Mathurin Moreau)
Like some of the best works in Paris, such as the Winged Victory of Samaranth à la Louvre,
these were reclaimed (after being discarded from a dump, in Nantes)
The Six Continents at Musee d’Orsay
Write on Thyme (Kirsten Steen)
Zacha’s Bay Window Gallery (William Zacha)
Église Saint-Roch
Everyone likes a Top 10 List
But Paris defies Top 10 Lists – there are many more than 10 of anything
Researching The Roquefort, we noted Diderot calling it the “King of Cheeses”
And researched Diderot and whether he is buried in Paris
In fact, he is interred at Église Saint-Roch – or at least WAS
His tomb was emptied during the French Revolution (“and we will never find his body again”)
The Church of Saint-Roch, another extraordinary Paris Church
A historic church in the 1st Arrondisement
https://soundlandscapes.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/rue-saint-roch-a-street-with-a-secret/
Charles V of France
Charles V (“the Wise”)
King of France from 1364 to his death the third from the House of Valois
Sceptre de Charles V (Louvre)
(topped by a small statuette of Charlemagne)
https://www.google.com/search?ei=dokQXcqoM4b8tAXmx6_gBg&q=charles+v+france&
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre_Castle
https://www.google.com/search?ei=p4oQXe3XN5K6tQWqy6GQCQ&q=charles+v+septer+louvre&
http://cartelfr.louvre.fr/cartelfr/visite?srv=car_not_frame&idNotice=4850
buffet de petit déjeuner
Breakfast Buffet
Le petit déjeuner est le repas le plus important de la journée
(breakfast is the most important meal of the day)
One year, our room included the Breakfast Buffet
(it is now something that we seek-out with every hotel, when possible)
If it is a huge franchise hotel, it will be extraordinary and predictable
If it is a smaller hotel, we will probably avoid it
This can be an extravagant all you can eat buffet
(it adds on about $30 to your bill)
For $30 you could explore all kinds of restaurants and cafes
And really discover Paris
(one of our favorites, “McDonalds” cost $10)
But these Breakfast Buffets are convenient . . .
They open early
There is no seating or tipping situation
They are clean, usually fresh and predictable
They are a set price, no surprises
-Juices and Waters
-Fruits and Yogurt
-Cheeses, Meats and Fish
-Toast and Breads
-A Variety of Eggs
-Coffee and Teas
(as well as things that we would hopefully avoid (bacon, sausage, pototos)
And its it an impressive group of well heeled people
(but-for the guy who looks like he came from the gym, in gym trunks, t-shirt and flip-flops)
I should have snapped a picture
Our favorite Breakfast Buffets:
Hôtel Le Louis, Versailles (Sofitel) *****
Hôtel Pullman Paris Centre (Bercy) *****
Hotel Sofitel Paris La Défense ***
Inventory of Objects (Louvre)
Here is an interesting Inventory of Objects at Le Louvre
Catalogued in some way which we can’t decipher
(Could be useful)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_du_Louvre:Inventory
Simone-de-Beauvoir footbridge
Paris for the Holidays 