I’m heading to Rome next week, since I’m am flying Air
France, there is a short layover at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Sadly
by the time I booked the flight, I couldn’t arrange for a longer stay. It did
however bring to mind the time I lived there, and then just like now, memories
came flooding back when I decided to set my first book in this magical city.
I hope you enjoy this brief visit.
I’m convinced that it’s time to go back to Paris, writing
this article has been a delight, but leaves me with a sense of longing to
revisit one of my very favorite places and discover new ones.
Last time I stayed at the Hotel Lutetia, (45 Boulevard
Raspail 75006 Paris).The hotel evokes the Art Deco period masterfully. It's
charming, intimate, the staff helpful and it is centrally located. Best of all
it is within walking distance of the Rodin Museum. My absolutely favorite museum
of all.
Volumes have been written about Paris, but I would love to share a few of the
treasured memories and impressions of a city that has enchanted me for many,
many years.
Travel within the city is easy, it's a walking city, have
comfortable shoes and Paris is yours. If
that is a problem, the Metro system is fast, quiet and efficient and trains run
frequently.
My most cherished memories are those of the time spent in
the Latin Quarter and the Rodin Museum.
I will start our journey there.
The Left Bank. The Latin Quarter. The collegiate pulse of Paris, and what a pulse it is.
The Latin Quarter so named
because during the Middle Ages students attending the Sorbonne spoke Latin.
As in the rest of this remarkable city, the Latin Quarter has a vast architectural history and a
history of political unrest, one worth mentioning was the 1968 student revolt,
where even toilets were torn from the bathroom walls and destroyed.
This verve center never sleeps, the cafes are always
brimming with students. Even today, you get the sense of the bohemian life
style.
To be sure you’ll hear discussions on the latest soccer
scores, but you will also see games of chess being played, you’ll hear
philosophical discussions, you’ll see students reading Voltaire, Zola, Rousseau
and probably James Patterson while sipping their brew of choice.
The Sorbonne stands at the center, its creation dates back
to 1253; see what I mean about history.
You’re in the intellectual center of Paris, but you’re also right smack in the
urban center, vital and pulsing with life.
The Cluny
Museum built on Roman
ruins, also known as the Middle
Age Museum
is filled with artifacts dating to the middle ages, among them exquisite
illuminated manuscripts. You have the Pantheon that dates back to 1750, the
Natural History Museum and also the Arab World Institute, a relative newcomer
built in the 1980’s.
The Latin Quarter anchored
(as it were) by Notre Dame, and the Seine at
one end and the Luxembourg
Gardens at the other and so much in between.
Go off the beaten path, stray from Boulevard St. Michel and
you may find yourself walking on uneven cobblestones, a maze of tiny streets
that lead into others. One among many is Rue de la Huchette, filled with
beguiling multi national restaurants, just begging you to sample their cuisine.
The Luxembourg
Gardens beckon you in, as
the gentle mist falls on the tree branches leaving a crystal reflection, a
heavenly clean earthy smell permeates your nostrils as you take a deep breath.
Walk along the gravel path and hear it crunch beneath your feet. Listen to the
birds chirp as they spread their wings and take flight only to land perched on
a shoulder of a statue.
Watch the grass as it seems to become greener right in front
of your eyes, the rain still falling and sinking deep into the earth.
Leave the peace of the gardens and walk out through the
wrought iron fence. Go across the street while the gentle rain is still falling,
sit down in the café, order a coffee and observe the wet wrought iron glisten in
the golden sun peeking through the clouds.
Go to the Rodin
Museum, (Musee Rodin 77
Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris) walk, take a cab, the Metro, anyway you see fit,
but get there.
Even before you enter the intimate museum, you can get a
glimpse of the treasures within through the glass wall. Yes, a glass wall
allows you to see the backs of the Burghers of Calais. Can you think of a
better enticement to a museum?
Enter through the old doors and you’re in Rodin’s gardens,
visiting his home. The Gates of Hell, the massive portals greet you coming in
and going out; it is a portal as no other.
Inspired by Dante’s Inferno, they are magnificent. An
endeavor that took almost four decades and bears an unforgettable semblance of
chaos. Rodin was thought to believe that
hell is not only a place for the dead but the living as well. The agony, will
to survive, beauty, horror, it’s all there for you to see.
Wonder through the gardens, sit on the bench in front of the
Thinker and strike a pose. He’s there in the elements, right in the midst of
the gardens. Stroll further and meet Balzac. Sit down in the outdoor café and
sip a delicious cup of coffee, look around you, the treasures abound.
The Burghers of Calais await your visit, an incredible
sculpture depicting men willing to sacrifice their lives to save their village.
The heartbreaking sorrow reflected in their faces is simply astounding.
For me, the urge to touch and savor a piece of sculpture is
always there, whether it’s smooth and flowing or harsh and gnarly, doesn’t
matter, I just feel the need to touch. But it wasn’t till I was introduced to
Rodin’s work that I saw passion portrayed with such force, agony with such
poignancy, hope and survival with such strength; each sinew, rope, muscle so
well defined.
I had a radio interview with Jena O’Connor of KORN 1490 AM
Let’s Talk and she asked a really good question. She had read my book, liked it
and wanted to know what makes the Rodin
Museum unique? What makes
it standout and different from the rest?
And for once I was quick on my feet…it’s still a work in
progress…the thinking on my feet part.
For me it is matchless in its intimacy. The gardens are
magnificent and the sculptures peek at you from unexpected places. It is
relaxing, not chaotic, your eye wonders but there is none of the panic of what
shall I see first or next. As a visitor you tend to relax, take your time.
Savor. Enjoy. You’re among friends. You’re not overwhelmed. Look at the Thinker,
thought and muscle? Or is it? What would you see?
Once you’ve wondered through the gardens, you’re now ready
to enter his home. Some pieces have been left as a work in progress, ready for
the master to return and finish. That is entirely my impression, probably
because his presence can still be felt, at least by me.
The Kiss, hard cold marble generating a tremendous amount of
heat. Passionate. The lovers wrapped in an ardent embrace, totally oblivious of
others. If you’re lucky enough to be there, stand in front and decide if you
agree with the critics and pundits, was it just a woman submitting to the man?
Or is there more, much more.
The Hand of God, flowing, smooth, compelling. Can you feel
the magic of the hand rising out of the un-worked marble? The hard, cold stone
holds such magnificent power.
Walk through the house and listen to the creaking floor
boards and imagine the beginning of life in the creative process.
Then of course there is the Louvre, world renowned and
rightfully so, and on every tourists’ map. It is huge and you can’t possibly
see everything in one visit. Select a few pieces and start there, otherwise
you’ll be overwhelmed.
My absolutely favorite sculpture is incredible in stature
and appeal. Also known as the Winged Victory of Samothrace or Nike of Samothrace-the goddess Nike (meaning Victory in Greek) is
an astounding massive piece standing at 328 cm. That’s almost 11 ft from the
top of her shoulders to her feet and she’s standing on a ship.
Placed at the center of the landing in the grand Daru
staircase in the Louvre, the statue takes your breath away. It is overwhelming
in its sheer power, beauty and size.
The Victory made of Parian marble from Paros, Greece,
circa 220-190 BC, can we say old, is so beautifully sculpted. The head is
missing, as are the arms, but the sense of the power, the gigantic windblown
wings held back, the seemingly wet garments flowing about the legs fighting the sea wind, displaying a
stance of power, ferocity and victory, overrides everything else.
A graceful, ebullient and wind swept Nike coming down to
earth standing on the prow of a ship declaring victory. The sculpture was
discovered in 1863 on the small island Samothrace
in the Aegean, by Charles Champoiseau, French
Vice-Consul to a city in Turkey.
Just in case you were wondering about the French connection.
The first time I came face to face with the statue, I know
it’s an odd thing to say ‘face to face’ with a headless statue, but the idiom
fits. I wasn’t very graceful, so awestruck I wasn’t paying attention, missed a
couple of steps and paid appropriate homage, on my knees, face down or up since
I was staring at the magnificent site at the time. A clumsy introduction like
that is memorable to say the least.
I think everyone has heard of the Louvre and the many
treasures it houses, but I wonder how many of us actually thought about the
historic building that so many masterpieces call home. As you might have
guessed, I happen to like buildings too.
A fortress. A palace. A world renowned museum. The building
has a grand and passionate history. Began in the 12th or 13th
century, depending where you do your research. Suffice it to say, it is old. It
has been build upon to keep invaders out, kings in extreme luxury and
masterpieces comfortable and lovingly cared for.
The size is astounding, 60,000 square feet, give or take a
foot or two, and hosts over 35,000 pieces of art. When I said it was huge, I
was not exaggerating. Take a deep breath and forge ahead, just remember you
can't see everything on one day. If your time is limited, decide before going
in what you absolutely must see, and start there. The place is overwhelming.
The building, altered over the years gives you a glimpse of
its complete history, if you take the time to look around you. Even Catherine
De Medici had a hand in the re-design by combining the Louvre and the Palais
des Tuileries. There were additions, rebuilding and destruction, but what
remains to this day is simply inspiring.
Louis XIV, lived at the Palais Louvre but later moved to
better accommodations-Versailles-and left the Louvre Palace
to predominantly display the royal art collection.
The museum opened its doors to the public in 1793. Changes
made by Louis XIV, Napoleon and many
others over the centuries have added an incredible imprint on the size of the
building as well as the collection the museum houses today.
Surrounded by the Tuileries gardens, the mammoth Romanesque
structure is awe inspiring at first sight. It cannot be missed. The serene
quiet elegance outside, belies the richness of the galleries and collection on
exhibit inside. The immense history of the Louvre from the first laid stone
matches its gargantuan size. Take a leisurely stroll in the gorgeous gardens,
admire the building from afar and imagine someone calling it home.
A visit to Paris
must include a stroll on the grandest avenue of them all, the Champs
Elysees. Trees border the wide avenue. My imagination always takes
root, and I see a fanciful lush border that outlines the street, a gigantic
sweep of branches that almost caress the ground, as the cars speed in manic
hurry. Exhilarating. The site is a
delight to the senses. Wide, open, elegant and vital. Brimming with life and
expensive boutiques.
You have arrived at the shoppers Mecca in Paris. No, it is not the haute couture
center, although fine shopping is indeed plentiful, it is simply an exciting
mixture of stores, cafes, cinemas and tourists. Many tourists, no matter time
of year.
The avenue’s beginning is simple, an Elysian field-hence the
name-became a strolling pathway in 1616, under Marie De Medici’s guidance.
Today it stretches from the Place de la Concorde, the
renowned obelisk marks the starting point all the way up to the Arc de Triomphe
and the Place de l’Etoile (place of stars), over a mile long, it is easily the
most recognized avenue in the world.
Once you reach the Arc de Triomphe and go upstairs, Paris will be at your
feet, look down, you’ll see why it is called the place of stars. It has since
been renamed Place Charles du Gaulle, but for me it will always be the place of
stars.
I have often heard it said that if you sit in a café on the Champs Elysees long enough, you will eventually meet
someone you know. I never had, but am willing to test the hypothesis.
Yes, Paris
is expensive, but simple and inexpensive pleasures can be found. Anywhere you
may find yourself, take a few moments and make them uniquely your own.
You have to be willing to by-pass the tourist frenzy, the
bus waiting to take you somewhere else, the time crunch because said bus will
leave without you. Take timeout, by yourself and get to know Paris. You won’t be disappointed. The intimate side streets, the age old
buildings; the charm of the city awaits you.
It is early morning and the city is asleep, yet on the brink
of wakefulness. You’re back in the Latin Quarter strolling along the Seine, alongside the closed bookstalls. Peaceful. Quiet.
Serene. You glance at Notre Dame before the tourists storm the place.
Yes, sort of like storming the Bastille, but without
significant damage and destruction. In the early morning mist, see the flying
buttresses of Notre Dame glisten as the sun rises and casts a spell on the
stained glass windows; see the colors sparkle and glow in the early morning
sun.
That little walk will cost you nothing, and you’ll never regret
it. Listen to the bells peel, as Notre Dame makes her presence felt. The steps
quicken. The stalls open, one by one. The tempo picks up and life resumes. The
pulse of this vital city is alive and well.
You will be seduced by Paris
just by walking down a street. Stop in a
café order coffee, it is pure nirvana, if your taste run to the brew as mine does.
Relax and listen to the beat of the city coming to life. I love the early
mornings, as the city wakes.
Take the time to get to know Paris, away from the bustle of the tourists.
I have done exactly that many times and have found that a gentle rain, overcast
sky can be as romantic as anything else, whether you’re alone strolling and day
dreaming or walking with someone special by your side. It’s what you make of
any given moment. Truly, in Paris every little thing
that you take for granted at home becomes incredibly special.
Every moment counts and is treasured. There is something
magical about the city, introspective, passionate and exquisite. Romance pure
and simple.
There is so much more to see, arm yourself with a good guide
book, and comfortable shoes. Paris is a walking city. Just remember, you can't
possibly see everything in a couple of days; for your visit pick what is
essential to you and save the rest for another day or another time.
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris
A Hotel in Bath
A Hotel in Venice
Article previously published
in Crime Spree Magazine.
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