In Paris, under the pink morning light with Amy
Amy – Pont du Carrousel (Bridge of the Carrousel) 7:03 AM – Amy, from Florida, chose to make an early morning Paris Running Tour in this beautiful day of March 9th. The light was magnificent, giving a beautiful pink aspect to the landscape. At this hour, on Sunday morning, nobody in streets, very few cars, Paris for us alone and some other morning runners. Look at the first picture above, from the “Pont du Carousel”, look at the pink gradation which goes with the sunrise and shines on the river Seine and the buildings of the Louvre. Admire the sight from the “Pont de la Concorde”, on the east side: Amy – Pont de la Concorde – In the background, from left to right : the Tuileries, the Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame, the Institute of France and the “Musée d’Orsay” then, on the west side : Amy – Pont de la Concorde – In the background, a big iron tower ;), the new banks and the “Pont Alexandre III” On Sunday morning, we can even stop in the middle of the road in front of the Champs-Elysées to take a photo without being afraid of cars: Amy – “Place de la Concorde” – The Champs-Elysées, in the background, the “Arc de Triomphe” and far, the “Grande Arche” of “la Défense” While going back to the east, we stop at the entrance of the garden of the Tuileries, to make a small salute to the “Statue of the Fame” which sounds the triumph of the sun in Paris! Amy – Garden of the Tuileries with in the background, from left to right, the copy of the Statue of the Fame, the “Grand Palais”, the Obelisk of Louxor in the center of the “place de la Concorde” A perfect weather, a beautiful light, ideal to run in Paris! Merci Amy ! The route of the tour:
Running in October in Paris
Right bank – Far off the Pont Royal (Royal Bridge), Notre-Dame and the dome of the Institute of France Garden of the Tuileries – Far off, the Louvre The bridge of “la Concorde” then the place of “la Concorde” and its obelisk, with, far off, on the left, the “Hôtel de Crillon”, the “Hôtel de la Marine” on the right and in the center, “La Madeleine” The “esplanade des Invalides” – The “Hôtel des Invalides” No matter what month we are, it is always a pleasure to run in Paris! Come and do a tour, a nice visit while running with Paris Running Tour!
From the Bastille up to “La Concorde” with Jessica
Jessica – Pont de la Concorde 7:03 AM – Taking advantage of a sunny morning, with Jessica of Los Angeles (USA), we crossed Paris from the “place de la Bastille” up to the “place de la Concorde”. Did you know the anecdote which connects both places? Stones of the Bastille fortress destroyed by the revolutionaries served to build the Bridge of “La Concorde”. The Parisian could so walk on one of the strong Monarchy symbols! Having passed the “place de la Bastille” where we discovered on the ground the tracks of the destroyed fort (at the end of the street Saint Antoine), we joined the City hall of Paris: Jessica – L’Hôtel de Ville It is the 1882 “version” of the “Hôtel de Ville” that we can contemplate, the previous one having been burned during the events of the “Commune” in 1871. On the photo, we can notice American and French flags, having been gathered here doubtless to honor the US National Day, the 4th of July. A little farther, near “Les Halles”, we interrupted our running one moment to be able to appreciate the glass roof and the frescoes of the “Bourse du Commerce” ceiling. Former Corn Exchange where cereal were stored and sold, it is now occupied by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, dedicated mainly to the creation of business companies: La Bourse du Commerce – Paris Our route then led us “place de la Concorde”. The preparations of the French National Day, on July 14th, are nearly finished. We can see on the photo the stand where will sit the President of the Republic and the government members, situated in front of the Champs Elysées where from the military parade will come down. Notice the roof in the colors of the French flag… Jessica – Place de la Concorde We ended our running in “Le Marais” district where we were able to admire the magnificent “Hôtel de Sens”: Hôtel de Sens Jessica is a regular runner, fond of healthy food but also a music composer and a singer : Raelux! Merci Jessica ! The route of the tour :
Reminiscences of the French Revolution with Cara
Cara – Bridge of “la Concorde” 10h01 – Cara comes from California (USA) where she has already run half marathons. Having seen recently the marathon of Rome, city where she lives, Cara now wishes to make a full marathon. The marathon of Rome? The marathon of Paris? Both? While running, we evoked the French Revolution. We crossed by important places of the Revolution such as Place de la Concorde, which saw the guillotine work very numerous times, and the bridge of the same name: “So that the patriots may walk every day on the fragments of the execrable fortress!”, the bridge of La Concorde was built by using stones of the Bastille. The prison of the Bastille, destroyed on July 14th, 1789, was effectively one of the symbols of the Monarchy. Cara – Quai Voltaire The ideas of the “Enlightenment” fed the Revolution. The philosopher Voltaire contributed to it widely. We crossed the building where he lived and died. He is situated Quai Voltaire, name given to the quay in 1791 in homage to the great man. A little later, by pursuing our running, we stopped a small moment in front of the Café Procope, the oldest literary Café of the world, created in 1686. Cara – Café Procope In the 18th century, the Café participated in the birth of the “Enlightenment” ideas. Voltaire, Diderot, d’Alembert and Benjamin Franklin, in particular, frequented regularly the Café Procope. Benjamin Franklin would have partially prepared there the constitution of the United States. During the Revolution, Danton, Marat and Robespierre often met there. The young Napoleon Bonaparte even left one of his famous hats. The Supper of the Philosophers – Voltaire, d’Alembert, Condorcet, Diderot, La Harpe, le père Adam and the abbot Maury Café Procope XVIIIth century Nowadays, we can still see the Voltaire’s table as well as one cocked hat of lieutenant Bonaparte. Merci Cara ! The route of the tour:
Ancient Paris, modern Paris with Beth, Paige and Pamela
Pamela, Beth, Paige – Bridge of “la Concorde” and “Assemblée Nationale” 8:15 AM – With Beth, Paige and Pamela from North Carolina (USA), we discovered by running the variety of the Parisian landscapes, from the most ancient parts of the city to the most modern Paris: 19th century. We left the “Place de la République” and followed the “boulevard du Temple”, formerly named the “boulevard of the Crime”. This ancient nickname is due to the theaters which populated the boulevard in 19th century, numerous “crimes” were committed but only in the melodramas which occurred there! A place very livened up in the time, remember the beginning of the movie “The children of the paradise” which redraws so well that had to be the Boulevard: 12th century. We then joined “Le Marais” and crossed the most visible part of the surrounding wall of the king Philippe Auguste then admired Notre-Dame. The surrounding wall and the Cathedral which made us return to the end of the 12th century: Wall of Philippe Auguste – Creation 1190 | Cathedral Notre-Dame of Paris – Creation 1163 20th century. After the Middle Ages, it is the end of the 20th century which appeared, at first with the Louvre Pyramid, created by the architect Ieoh Ming Pei in 1989, then with the “Kiosque des Noctambules”, metro entrance (Palais-Royal station) and work of art created in 2000 by the artist Jean-Michel Othoniel: Louvre pyramid – Inauguration 1989 | “Le kiosque des Noctambules” – Installation 2000 Paris always evolves; what will the 21st century give us? Merci Beth, merci Paige, merci Pamela! The route of the tour: