Friday was my day to visit La Marais (the Marsh), Arrondissement 3.  Taking the Metro, I popped up and decided to have first a poulet et mozzarella panini avec tomate.  Warm and crispy, so simple and delicious, twelve inches of heaven wrapped in a paper sheet. Merci!  Then, fed and recharged, I made my way into the Marais to wind around the narrow streets.  I found a pop-up store selling craft jewelry, leather wallets, clothes, and wooly hats, of which I bought one.  Back on the cobbled streets, I passed hotel after hotel (18th century mansions) noted with official plaques en francais which told their stories.  Jewish residents and gay community flourish in the 3rd district and I was happy to be wrapped in the culture.  Passing by the Pompidou, I continued back to Notre Dame to find the Deportation Memorial but, alas, it was closed. I rushed further to the end of the ile to try to see Sainte Chapelle but was too late to get in.  Being on Saint Michel Boulevard, I decided to may my way back to the house early.  At least I was’t too late for the Monoprix (grocery story) and bought bouillon, veggies, and green lentils to cook a pot of lentil soup.

Yesterday I picked up the the #86 bus to enjoy the west-bound tour on my way to visit Saint Sulpice.  What luck, I was able to catch (and record) the last 15 minutes of the afternoon choir concert.  Saint Sulpice is home to one of Europe’s oldest and finest organs, extraordinary, rich-sounding.  The Sulpicean order of religious was the order which Jean-Baptiste de la Salle professed.  I took a photo of the stained-glass window and chapel in his honneur — the patron of all Christian Brothers schools which Vinny and Philip attended (Saint Mary’s College High School, Berkeley).  I said a prayer of thanks.

Next, I decided on a lunch break (at 2:30 p.m.) and rather than sit down for a plat du jour I found another panini stand.  This time, I bought a Coke and then headed towards the Jardin du Luxembourg, Marie de Medici’s re-creation of her Florence home after the death of Henry IV.  I sat, ate, and enjoyed watching people reading, playing chess, resting with little ones, and watching tennis matches.  It was lovely to see the colorful flower gardens and fountains and to see and smell green grass.  I finished up and headed west out of the park then came upon a gathering at the bandstand singing (with songbooks) to a 3-piece band, which I videoed.  Then, off I went to the Cluny Museum which houses a collection of medieval art including gorgeous tapestries.  The Lady and the Unicorn series of tapestries reside in the Cluny which was once a public bath, both cool and hot waters.  Deciding to call it a day, I made my way back to Sainte-Mande.

Corner on La Marais

Saint Sulpice – St. Jean-Baptiste De la Salle Chappelle

Panini & The Real Thing

Cluny Museum courtyard