Center of Paris, right bank with Liz and Curt
Curt and Liz – The “Bourse de Paris” 9:12 AM – Curt and Liz are regular runners who live near Boston (USA). We left the Opera to make a big visit, more than 10 miles (16 km) to discover Paris center, on the Right bank side (a good training for the half marathon Curt prepares). Not far from the Opera, we found the “Bourse de Paris”. Ordered by Napoleon the 1st and created by Alexandre Théodore Brongniart, the building called Palais Brongniart (Brongniart Palace), served for a long time as stock exchange, the Paris Stock Exchange, before the transactions were dematerialized since the 1980s. Remember: Now everything is computerized! The “Bourse de Paris” serves now as a conference, receptions, fashion shows, showroom or exhibitions center. Later, we crossed “Le Marais” quarter (Marais=swamp), very quiet on this Sunday morning. No cars! The street belongs to the runners! Curt and Liz – The Marais Sunday morning, ideal moment to run in Paris! How many discoveries by running, the old Paris, the modern Paris, the fashion shops, the museums, the passages… The Marais, the “Passage des Panoramas”, The “Pont des Arts”, The Pyramide of the Louvre The first shop of a very fashionable shoes manufacturer, The Louvre, The river Seine On our way, a couple of tourists asked Liz to photograph them. It fell well, Liz is, among others, a professional photographer! Liz – Louvre and the Arc of the Carousel Merci Liz ! Merci Curt ! The route of the tour :
Two running tours to discover Paris with Jennifer
Jennifer – Louis-Philippe’s bridge 7:02 AM – Jennifer, of San Francisco, runs very regularly. We were able to discover the center of Paris by making two running tours early in the morning: the right bank, the left bank, the shores of the Seine and of course, the Parisian islands, the Island of “La Cité” and the Saint Louis Island. On the photo above, we can see on the left, in the foreground, the Saint Louis Island then, at the bottom, the Island of “La Cité”. Did you know that Paris counted ten islands at the end of the XVIth century? The river Seine – 1550 During our two races, we were able to… Find the Palace of the Legion of Honor: Jennifer – “Palais de la Légion d’Honneur” Paris | “California Palace of the Legion of Honor” San Francisco The museum “California Palace of the Legion of Honor” in San Francisco is a replica of the “Palais de la Légion d’Honneur” of Paris. The facade of the Palace in San Francisco is very visible and highlighted by the very beautiful “Lincoln Park”. We can admire the original Palace in Paris since a more narrow street, the “rue de Lille”. greet Geneviève, noble Parisian Lady who made Attila and his Huns run away in the 5th century and since became the protector of Paris: Jennifer – Geneviève “Eglise Saint Etienne du Mont”, “Jardin du Luxembourg”, “Pont de la Tournelle” Geneviève is always represented with long plaits. Recent artistic style? No, it seems that effectively, during the Medieval period which begins in 5th century, the fashion was with long hair, frequently braided. If you want to discover Geneviève’s life, go on the “Mountain” of the same name in Paris and visit the “Panthéon”, all her life is painted on walls there. visit the Paris of the Middle Ages by going through the “Marais”: Jennifer – “Rue François Miron” – “Rue des Barres” Merci Jennifer ! The routes of the tours :
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: