Day 13: Norte Dame and The City of Paris
Visit a French perfume house and then take the opportunity to visit some of the most celebrated icons of Europe. The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Nôtre Dame, Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées all await your arrival! Tonight, why not complete your Parisian experience with a French meal and a famous cabaret?
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What a city! Paris oozes history and energy like no other place. Beautiful buildings and streets are in every view and people of every nationality bustly about.
” Every time I look down on this timeless town
whether blue or gray be her skies.
Whether loud be her cheers or soft be her tears,
more and more do I realize:
I love Paris in the springtime.
I love Paris in the fall.
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles,
I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles.
I love Paris every moment, every moment of the year.
I love Paris, why, oh why do I love Paris?
Because my love is near. “
- I Love Paris, Cole Porter
I wish I were a more eloquent writer so that I could justly describe Paris. Alas…
What a city! Paris oozes history and energy like no other place. Beautiful buildings and streets are in every view and people of every nationality busty about.
Another late morning, didn’t have to get up till 7:15! At 8:45 the bus left for the Paris Opera House and the optional perfumery demo. By this point both we had all worn thin the idea of demonstrations, and Dave didn’t press the issue.
Initially I thought of dropping of from the perfumery demo. Then I was little interested and thought spending 20 odd minitues in the morning is not a big problem . It was quite early in the morning we did had a full day .
I must say that the demonstration was very informative , we learn a lot about the Perfume making process .
Perfume was first used by the Egyptians as part of their religious rituals.
Then during the New Kingdom (1580-1085 BC) they were used during festivals and Egyptian women also used perfumed creams and oils as toiletries ar cosmetics and as preludes to love-making. The use of perfume then spread to Greece, Rome, and the Islamic world. And it was the Islamic community that kept the use of perfumes since the spread of Christianity led to a decline in the use of perfume.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, perfume’s influence dwindled. It was not until the twelfth century and the development of international trade that this decline was reversed. As with industry and the arts, perfume was to undergo profound change in the nineteenth century. Changing tastes and the development of modern chemistry laid the foundations of perfumery as we know it today.
Due to its jasmine, rose and orange-growing trades, the town of Grasse in Provence established itself as the largest production center for raw materials. Paris became the commercial counterpart to Grasse and the world center of perfume.
When a mixture of flowers and water is boiled in a still it produces perfumed water through condensation … The process takes place at a very high temperature .The steam traps the essential oils of the product being distilled; these then pass through a worm immersed in cold water, which condenses them into essence.
To extract 1 kg of essence of lavender, you need to distil 200 kg of lavender.
for 1 kg of essence of neroli, 1000 kg of orange blossom are used.
for 1 kg of Cabbage rose essence, over 3000 kg of roses are required.
Many different types of raw materials of diverse origins are employed in perfume making today, with synthetic raw materials used as well as natural ones.
During the perfumery demo we have also been introduced to the little known but essential profession, the “Nose”, or perfumer,the person who invents perfumes.
His craft has little to do with science. He works surrounded by raw materials using a set of precision scales, and by experimental dosages, trial and error he gradually succeeds in creating a good perfume. He is both artist and technician and his nose is of more use than any modern instrument. A “Nose” can remember and recognize up to 3000 different smells. Seated at his perfume organ (a miniature laboratory), the perfumer mixes his formulae and smells them on small dipsticks of paper soaked in perfume.
Grasse is the main school and every “Nose” in existence is either a native of Grasse or has worked in Grasse perfume making.
After the perfumery demonstration we ended up in the perfume shop as expected . I bought some sample perfumes for Priya’s mom and dad . After the perfume demo we were about to start our day . And Dave was quite happy to give us again a brief orientation of Paris and he dropped us at Norte Dame cathedral and there where our journey for the day begins .
“Each face, each stone of this venerable monument is not only a page of the history of the country, but also of the history of knowledge and art…. Time is the architect, the people are the builder.” — Victor Hugo
Even if you do not know who the hell Victor Hugo is, you would have heard the tale about the Hunchback in Notre Dame? Well, that tale is not just fluff written by Disney, it was a well-intentioned yarn written by Hugo during the 19th century to raise awareness and romanticist about the Cathedral which had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Notre Dame is on Ile de la Cite, the place where Paris was founded, and is a massive Catholic Cathedral. It can hold up to 6,000 people, and is built in the imposing Gothic style, which means lots of huge vaulted ceilings and tons of ornate gargoyles and statues. A perfect time to view it, with the sun shinning all the stained-glass windows were lit up beautifully!
When we entered the Cathedral I was amazed at how austere it was. The simplicity of the internals of the structure do not in any way take away from the magnificence of the building or its history, however it struck me as very different from what I had expected.
After moving around the inside of the Cathedral I decided to explore the rest of the external architecture. I proceeded along the south side of the structure ( side near the river Seine ) towards the eastern end of the building.
Along the southern side is also the Cathedral’s Treasury. The treasury houses many of the Cathedral’s religious treasures, including manuscripts and items originally housed in Sainte-Chapelle. I did not unfortunately get an opportunity to visit the Treasury, however I do believe that it is open for exhibition during certain hours.
It isn’t till you get round to the eastern side of the structure that you really being to appreciate what a remarkable architectural design the Cathedral is. It is amazing to consider that distinctive architectural designs such as the flying buttresses were designed and constructed without the aid of modern technology. I think that the best views of Notre-Dame can be found from the Square du Jean XXIII on the eastern side of the Cathedral.
All in all I would have to also include Notre-Dame as one of my “must do’s” here in Paris, however I would also suggest that you visit the location at night – this is even better than during the day as I was to find out later that evening !
After Norte Dame we started to head south east into the Jardin des Plates Quarter of Paris. My travels so far had convinced me that not only was Paris an extremely easy city to visit using the Metro but also very easy to walk around. I think that you don’t get a real feel of a place until you actually walk the streets. My suggestion is to work out where you want to go and then put the map away and try and get there without consulting it directly. It is is my experience that you find may sights that you never expected this way. Sure, you may end up somewhere totally different than you had planned to go but that’s half the fun !
Also my sincere thanks to our tour manager Dave . In the coach itself he distributes the map and give a very good orientation .We studied the map many times and marked it before we arrived . So it was kind of easy though we were new to the place .
Walking along the Seine , we came across dozens of street vendors, all selling artwork, postcards (some of them being what I can only describe as old fashioned pornography—lots and lots of naked women), and random souvenirs.
We were enjoying the walk along Seine River and our next destination was Louvre . It was really unfortunate that we were there on a Tuesday and Louvre was closed . Also it’s kind of a blessing in disguise as we got more time to visit other sights on a single day .
The Louvre could be a vacation in itself, as it houses more artwork than any other museum in the world, and only 5% of it is on display. The Louvre was Louis XIV’s home, and spans an incredible 1.2 miles in length. We weren’t going to walk the full palace, but we would do the best we could.
Though Louvre was closed we wanted to take a picture with the Glass pyramid . Although it is said that Parisians hate the glass pyramids at the Louvre, I think they are pretty cool, and offer a different perspective of the Louvre’s courtyard .
We justed rested at the Louvre’s courtyard for a while , taken some cool shots and then we headed straight towards Arc de Triomphe . It was a long walk and we did took some toilet breaks and snack break in the Jardin de Tuileries.
The Jardin de Tuileries connects the Champs-Elysees, via the Place de Condorde to the Louvre. Surrounding the park are majestic buildings. The park is a great place to kick up your feet and take in the sights, sounds and smells of Paris. A great place to people watch. Pariseans, Europeans and Americans can all be seen enjoying the park and fountain.
The best things in life are free, and I love walking through this garden each time I’m in Paris!
The gardens are really a contradiction — today a place for children to play, lovers to meet, and yesterday the site of great slaughter, the extension of a royal palace and a royal prison.
To appreciate the gardens you must sit quietly and see the invisible.
There’s no shortage of places to take a walk in Paris, but the Jardin des Tuileries is one of the more attractive spots you could choose. Right in the middle of the city next to the Louvre and the river, it’s also a good place to sit and relax in warm weather. If you’re on your way to or from the Louvre, it’s definitely worth dropping in. In particular, if you’re heading to or from the Musee D’Orsay, it’s a much nicer walk though the park than the two roads either side, and the footbridge on the route is directly accessible from the park.
At the end of Jardin des Tuileries we found Place de la Concorde . Covering more than 20 acres in the middle of Paris, Place de la Concorde is one of Europe’s most magificent and historic squares.
Between the Champs Elysées and the Tuileries Gardens, there lies the Place de la Concorde. With traffic roaring and careening about seemingly in all directions, it is easy to feel lost on its 84,000 square meters. History It was designed by Gabriel begun in 1748 and completed in 1763.
It was first called Place Louis XV, and planned as a worthy setting for the royal statue. Place de la Concorde is often associated with the bloody events that took place on its pavement. In 1770, for example, 133 spectators were trampled to death at a huge fireworks display on the occasion of Marie-Antoinette’s wedding to the Dauphin.
A few decades later, the revolutionaries, who were intent on eliminating all royalist monuments trom the face of the earth, removed Louis XlV’s statue, dubbed the plaza Place de la Révolution, and set up their guillotine on it. Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette and 1119 other people lost their lives here, among them Charlotte Corday (the murderess of Marat), Danton, Philippe Égalité and Robespierre.
In order to help these bloody events on their way to oblivion, the Directory renamed the square Place de la Concorde in 1795. And, officially, the 1830 Revolution renamed it Place de la Concorde. And in the 19th century the 3,200 year old obelisk from Luxor was placed in it. Two fountains and eight statues also adorn the square, making it one of the most celebrated public areas in France, if not all of Europe.
From Place de la Concorde we headed towards Arc de Triomphe through Champs Elysées .
The Avenue de Champs Elysées is one of the greatest avenues in the world. It’s always full of life, with plenty of shops, restaurants and other entertainment possibilities. I think that it’s the most famous street of Paris. It joins Arch de Triumph and Place de la Concorde .
Well, since the Arc de Triumph was at the begining or the end ( it depends how you look at it) of Champs Elysees Avenue, we decide to take a walk along this famous street. It would be a real joy if it wasn’t for that blister that was killing me.
After you’ve done your last bit of shopping and reached the end of the Champs Elysees, the grand l’Arc de Triomphe (The Arch of Triumph) will greet you in a truimphant glow of yellow light. The first sight of this giant monument will be startling. Understandably so , since it is the largest arch in the world, anyway! Of course, don’t be daft and try to brave the mad traffic surrounding the arch. If you need to know, it is surrounded by 12 great avenues converging in a star shape so that there’ll be a crazy carousel of French driving there.
If you are on foot, the safest way to enter is via the underground walkway along the Champs Elysees. We actually walked a long way . Starting from Louver , we walked through Jardin des Tuileries , then Champs Elysees . And greeted by Arc de Triomphe after a long long … walk .
If it’s your first time in Paris, you gotta go to the top of Arc de Triomphe to enjoy the nice view of the streets spreading out in the shape of a star! Even though you might have been up high elsewhere in Paris, this is something different. It’s quite fun just to look down and follow the crazy traffic around the arc. By the way, you have to walk under the streets to get to the arc.
I have written a separate review about Arch of Triumph , please read it to get the details . In brief it is the 2nd most popular monument after Eiffel tower . The best reason is for the amazing panoramic view of the city from the top , frankly, a better vantage point than the Eiffel Tower.
After a long walk from Louvre’s courtyard to Arc de Triomphe , we were almost exhaused and not able to work anymore .So we decided to take the metro to visit the church of Sacred Heart (Sacre Coeur) at Montmartre.
Sacre Coeur for me is the most beautiful church in Paris. The church itself came into being after the Prussina War in 1870. Two Catholic businessmen (who must have been loaded) made a pledge to build a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Christ (Sacre Coeur means Sacred Heart), should France be saved from the Prussian onslaught.
The Butte Montmartre, crowned by the Sacre Coeur, is the highest Paris’ “summit”.
We were not aware of the Funiculaire up the hill however, which can be taken from abbesses metro station. And we were so mzed by the beuty of the White cathedral we started taking the steps .
If you take the steps it will be a really good walk that will give your calf muscles a good work out . It is a long climb to the top (something like 500 stairs) and the whole way you have to dodge those same creepy peddlers from the Eiffel Tower (except here they will try to make you a friendship bracelet). Along your way up, there are plenty of chances for a rest with the same great view ahead of you.
But I must say that no matter how tired or sick you feel , you MUST, MUST, MUST go up to the top to go into this church! It is amazing! There is a painted mural of Christ on the ceiling that is jaw-dropping. There is no photography in the church, but it isn’t something that you will be forgetting quickly.
After visiting the cathedral we decided to break for lunch in a nearby cafe and our legs got the well deserved rest after what seemed like a long long time .
After lunch we were kind of rejuvenated and started walking towards Blanche , in search of “Moulin Rouge”.
Moulin Rouge is the most famous and enduring of the old Parisian cabarets. Established in 1889, it was a favorite subject of the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose depictions of showgirls at the Moulin Rouge are legendary.
An easy walk down from Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. The Moulin Rouge club is in one of the seedier parts of Paris. By day it feels fairly innocuous, but at night it definitely feels more sinister. The area around is full of strip clubs, and if the bouncers in these clubs feel you might be pointing your camera a little too close to their club, they will come after you, and they aren’t the sort of people to mess with!
The Moulin Rouge has recently been immortalised in a Hollywood film, and it has been made famous for the racey and rather saucy routines that went on inside .Thanks to Aussie director Baz Luhrman and our famous export Nicole Kidman, the Moulin Rouge has become a part of popular culture. Since the film it has reached the status of Paris ‘must see’ on many more people’s list (including mine I have to admit, no use denying it).
If you are on a limited budget like me then you may have to be content to admire the icon from outside and not fork out something like 150 Euro per person for a dinner and a show. Big ouch for me. I caught the metro there and arrived at 6:30 pm and the place was sooooooo busy…. buses, people……a hive of activity. The place looked amazing lit up at night though and staring at the famous windmill the words ‘Truth, Freedom, Beauty and Love’ really do swim around in your head. I’m a but emotive I’m afraid and although I spent a grand total of maybe 15 minutes there it was definitely worth the trip.
After Moulin Rouge we wondered around Blanche and Pigalle and accidentally discovered the famous Erotic Meusium .
The Paris Museum of Eroticism is just down the road from Bar Nooky in the once louche district of Pigalle. Put together by antique-dealer Alain Plumey and French teacher Jo Khalifa, whose personal erotic art collections grew so large they decided to open them to the public, the museum opened in 1998.
The seven-storey museum has white marble floors, gold banisters and silky spot lighting.
“Start from the bottom and work your way up,” said the woman at the ticket desk, without a hint of innuendo.
On the bottom two floors there are plenty of bottoms, amongst the 2,000 erotic objects, ranging from sacred Indonesian phalluses to Indian Karma Sutra watercolours and pottery from Peru made by Mochica Indians who apparently ‘had an inexhaustible erotic imagination’.
The rare exhibition at the erotic museum has prints and videos, photographs and African wood sculpture, Mochica pottery exploiting overtly and expertly sex 2000 years ago, Aztec pottery, Japanese ivory figurines, Attica vases with erotic iconography, erotic snuff bottles, Japanese sex education books for young couples called Pillow Books, Chinese sex manuals for young couples, Yoni sculptures from Nepal, Marcel Vertes lithographs made for the illustration of McOrlan’s Jeux des Demijours(excellent book), chastity belts, photographs of luxury and popular brotherls when brotherls were legal, luxurious or popular, like One Two Two, on 122, rue de Provence in 1903, Wolinki’s erotic cartoons, and most unusual, Julian Snelling’s Anal Jewelery.
The light, tasteful display makes this a worthwhile visit to overcome one’s apprehensions and learn something of sex, love and life.
URL: www.musee-erotisme.com/
This was kind of end of an very eventful day , we didn’t have any energy left to explore anymore . We decided to take the metro back to our hotel Saint Denis.
Though we enjoyed a very wonderful day we missed the evening in Paris . Certainly, it has been daylight for very many hours of our days here. The sun rises by shortly after 4:00 am, it seems, and it is daylight until after 10:30 pm. Thus, we did not experience the lights of the city . Paris! The City of Light. Why it has been called this I still do not really know.
It was extremely hot and humid , which making our pedestrian exploration of the city almost torturous at times. We likely spent more Euros on cold drinks than we did on food!
Nevertheless, we managed to see many of those famous landmarks that one reads and hears about; the L’ Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysee, the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame, the Jardin de Tuilliers, the Louvre, the Seine River…they really are all there and as wonderful as you imagine.
