Paris with the Godfreys

My cousin Shauna and her husband Todd arrived last Saturday morning at our Paris apartment and we hit the ground running.  No time for naps.  We had places to go and if you keep moving, you don't fall asleep and theoretically get over the jet lag quicker.  Kelly was still on his Saturday run so we first walked over without him to Île de la Cité and Sainte-Chapelle.

We loved the gargoyles on the side of the chapel.  Sainte-Chapelle is one of my favorite churches because it is small and light and airy with all the windows.

Sainte-Chapelle was built by Saint Louis (Louis IX) in the 13th century to house the Holy Crown, a fragment of the True Cross, and other relics he bought from Baldwin II of Constantinople.  Don't ask me how Baldwin II came up with all these supposed relics of Christ and Mary to sell to Saint Louis.


Saint Louis in the Lower Chapel

We entered in the lower chapel, where the servants worshiped.  Upstairs, Saint Louis could enter the stunning chapel surrounded with stained glass windows directly from his palace.

Sainte-Chapelle
Large Reliquary above the Altar

Shauna and Todd in front of Rose Window
Below the Window is the King's Entrance

The stained glass windows are amazing and fill the chapel with light, especially on a sunny day.  Later during Shauna and Todd's visit we saw some original stained glass fragments from Sainte-Chapelle at the Musée Cluny. Notice the wavy lines to show that Christ is standing in water to be baptized.  It was cool to be able to see these fragments up close at the Cluny.

The Blinding of Samson

Baptism of Christ

Resurrection of the Dead

This time I noticed a crown of thorns in the stone work in the arch above the altar.  So cool.  The large reliquary is above it.

Angels Holding the Crown of Thorns
in the Arch Stonework

After Sainte-Chapelle we walked across the island to Nôtre Dame.  There is security to get inside everything now-churches, department stores, museums, under the Eiffel Tower, etc.  It is so annoying because of the long lines it causes, besides the hassle of being checked.  But we lucked out and there was no line at Nôtre Dame.

Nôtre Dame

I've been in here many times and love the choir carvings of the story of Christ. This time I noticed a chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph, the father of Jesus.  There was a sweet statue of Joseph, the carpenter, and Christ.  He has an awl hanging from his robe and Christ is standing on a block of wood.

Joseph and Jesus

Sunday we walked to church, in the rain as usual, past Hôtel de Ville to the Paris Ward on rue Saint Merri.

Todd and Shauna at Hôtel de Ville

The Gang at the Paris Ward

Crêpes

After church we walked over to the crêpe stand by the Pompidou Museum for a little snack.  We were not disappointed.  Now that we had some sustenance, we headed for the Orangerie in the Jardin de Tuileries overlooking Place de la Concorde.

Overlooking Place de la Concorde

Jardin de Tuileries

The Orangerie was built to keep the citrus trees that lined the garden for the former Tuileries Palace alive during the winter.  Monet painted huge panels of water lilies specifically to be displayed in the Orangerie.  They were originally installed in the 1920s.  They are amazing.

Kelly at the Orangerie

Downstairs is a collection of impressionist and post impressionist art of Paul Guillaume, a Paris art dealer who collected from 1914-1934.  He was the primary art dealer used by Albert Barnes, who had the wonderful art collection in his mansion in Philadelphia.  This still life by Cezanne was one of my favorites.  I love the background in the painting.

Cezanne Still Life

We walked back along the quai by the Louvre to find the art seller Kelly has talked to on his Saturday runs.  His name is Nicolas Dahlas and he and Kelly are now buddies.  His prices are half what he charges during tourist season-another advantage of being in Paris in the winter.  We loved his paintings and bought three for us and one for Kate.  Shauna and Todd found paintings for them, too.  It was hard to choose.




Nicolas Dahlas
Tour St. Jacques, Nôtre Dame
and Hôtel de Ville

Kate's Pont Alexandre III and Tour Eiffel



We walked home along the Seine and couldn't believe the water was still rising.  No hope for a boat ride on the Seine for Shauna and Todd this trip.


Shauna and Todd with
Musée d'Orsay across
the Seine

Firefighter Boat

We love all the walking in Paris.  We live close to the Seine, Nôtre Dame, the Latin Quarter and Île Saint-Louis and more.  So much is within walking distance of our apartment.  We come home tired and happy in the evening.