A visit to the
Marais, in Paris
Went by train,
the 9 o’clock one. From Fontainebleau to Paris. A 41-minute ride. A rainy morning
in the capital (common). Dropped off the subway at the Bastille, from Gare de
Lyon, to walk from there to Place des Vosges (after an intake of coffee at a café
along the way). I remember that in the past I knew where the department of the
Vosges was in France, in which part of the country the Vosges were. Now I
don’t. And it does not seem to be as important, to know! Went around, thinking
of Henry the IV, I don’t know why, except that I associate that king to this
place…there must be a historical reason that I forget! Either he was killed
here or not far, or he had the place built! Anyhow, it was for a long time a
good address, or at least a celebrated one with names like Victor Hugo (his
“maison” is open to the public to visit) and others who stayed there. (I read
later on that indeed the square was named after the department that first paid
its taxes to the Empire! And that it was built according to the wish of Henry
the IV!)
Then went by
rue des Francs-Bourgeois to the
Carnavalet museum, the museum of the history of Paris, lodged in 2 hotels
“particuliers”, one eponyme, built in the XVI century, the other, Hotel Le
Pelletier de Saint-Fargeau. The museum opened in 1880, enlarged to the second
hotel in 1989, about 100 years later on. (It’s full of museums around here:
“Musee de ‘la Curiosite et de la Magie”, Musee d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaisme”;
“Musee Picasso” and at least 3 others!) Permanent collections section closed –
for whatever reason (they would have” technical problems”)! So much for the
history of Paris today (we will have to come back some other time)!
Visited the open
(6 Euros each!) temporary exhibition: photographies and videos on the
liberation of Paris, commemorating as well an exhibition on the same topic that
the Carnavalet held shortly after the liberation – before the war was over: quite
extraordinary! There is a picture of the Swedish diplomat that Cynthia noticed,
who managed to convince the Nazi in charge of Paris not to destroy it (literally)
when the Germans had to evacuate, that in spite of an explicit order from the
Fuhrer himself! We owe him a lot! His name: Raoul
Nordling – see entry in Wikipedia under his name – I saw a film
recently about his intervention –he is played by French actor Dusselier.
Had lunch au “Petit
Fer à Cheval”, a tiny restaurant on rue de la Vieille du Temple mentioned in a
book on Paris that I had offered to Cynthia (the book: “Paris, an inspiring
tour of the city’s creative heart”, description arrondissement by
arrondissement, by Janelle McCulloch – we did the3rd and the 4th arrondissement
this time around!). We were joined by a long-time resident of Paris, friend of
Cynthia’s days at university in Ottawa I believe, Marylin Smith. Very small
(the restaurant, hidden behind the bar, has no more than 10 tables!) and very
ecolo as well! (Editorial supporting the cause on the menu + list of the various
suppliers!) Food was OK – for sure cooked at the venue!
By now, it is
raining heavily and we decided to ‘hit the road’ back so to speak!
Saturday, June
28, 2014
