Last Monday I went over to the Bourse (Wall Street) area of the city to visit the wonderful passages, the glass-roofed passageways line with shops. Well, like my ill-fated trip to L'Orangerie, it was Monday so many were closed. But I did have a couple of interesting sightings. I did go to the Passage Colbert but most of its stores have been taken over as classrooms for the Sorbonne. The beautiful glass dome is still there but I couldn't get a good photo of it. Too bright. The Passage Vivienne however, was shuttered.
The other sighting was this, just as I came up from the Metro. And in a Catholic country, no less. Does the Pope know about this?
Since I was right there, I wandered into the Palais Royale for a look around. I don't think I've ever been there when it hasn't had scaffolding up on some part of it.
It was build by Cardinal Richelieu for himself and his 200 nearest and dearest friends. The hundreds of apartments are now very upscale shops, government office, part of the biblioteque nationale, the Comédie Française,a few private residences, and one of Paris' most famous restaurants, Vefour, where I did NOT stop for lunch. I had the 150e for the Prix Fixe lunch, but I wasn't dressed for the occasion!
Instead, I hopped back on the Metro and went over to Opéra Garnier where it was all I could do to restrain myself from buying a ticket to L'Italiana in Algeri for Friday night. But I passed that up, strolled through Galleries Lafayette ~ a Nordstroms-Macy's-Saks kind of store except better than all three. In the upstairs food court I came across this aromatic display of herbs and spices.
When I snapped this photo a very officious security guard rushed over and wagged his finger in my face and barked, "No photos!" "Why not?" I asked. He just scowled at me and walked away. So this is the only view you get. I still haven't figure that one out. I remember when the food hall at the GL was just a few aisles of goods. Now it's a whole floor of one exotic thing after another, a very upscale butcher shop, about a billion bottles of wine, and everything that comes between the appetizer and the cognac. But no photos allowed. Sorry.
I went back to the Opera Metro, got on the train and came home. It was on the way back that the ankle issue made itself known. But as of today, Wednesday, it's not quite so painful. And I've got a whole afternoon of shuffling through the Monet show ahead of me. So now it's time to have a bite of lunch and head off for the Palais Royal. Full disclosure when I get home.
3 comments:
I'm so glad about the ankle/foot feeling better today. Shuffle away...
Did you say 150e, as in 150 euros, for lunch? Wow. I'm enjoying touring Paris with you. How are the almond croissants?
Yes, I meant one hundred and fifth euros for the o-la-la lunch that is 5 courses and includes wine. Who could go back to work after that? And it's the titled who dine here. Hence, me in jeans was a no-go. As for almond croissants, (a) I'm not an almond fan and (b) the croissants from the boulangerie across the street are not all that great. But tomorrow I move over to the 6th and from now on will get my croissants from Carton's - the best in Paris.
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