paris – Notes from the Cape

Published November 2, 2024

Père Lachaise Cemetery

I don’t know what is about cemetery’s that fascinate me, I guess it’s a reminder of our mortality. The Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris (along with the Central Cemetery in Vienna is one of the most interesting cemeteries that I’ve explored. This was my second visit to PPère Lachaise.

Established in 1804, it is the largest cemetery in Paris and a notable resting place for many prominent figures.

Oscar Wilde (Irish playwright and poet)
Frédéric Chopin (Polish composer and pianist)
Édith Piaf (French singer)
Jim Morrison (lead singer of The Doors)
Marcel Proust (French novelist)
Honoré de Balzac (French writer)

Chopin is high on my list, since I am such a huge fan of his. His heart is interned in Warsaw, and here lies the rest of him, so now I am happy to have paid my respects to the whole of him.

Arman was an an artist that did unusual things with musical instruments, among other things.

Édith Piaf, and tragically her daughter Marcelle

An unusual grave, I would love to know the backstory

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Published October 12, 2024

Grumpy smurfs (and other street art)

I love seeing street art when I travel, and on this particular occasion it was purely by chance that I saw it. Lois and I got lost (ok, I did the “getting lost” bit), and we found this fun street on some pillars alongside the Seine. I love the expressions on their faces.

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Published October 5, 2024

Streetart in Paris

One thing I love to find when I travel is good street art, and Paris is no exception. There are some fantastic artworks by exceptional artists. I don’t know if these works have real names, so I just made them up.

Zebra man and Onyx (one of my dogs is also Onyx)

Water-colour lady

Man on wall

Pixelated Daffy-duck

Retro detective

Pen-art girl with pram

Little shop of horrors

Aimé Césaire (former président of Martinique)

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Published August 10, 2024

Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir

The Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir looks like a giant streamer was thrown across the Seine river in Paris. It’s a pedestrian-only bridge (cyclists are allowed). It has an interesting story in that it was constructed in Alsac and taken to Paris on barges. The actual assembly in Paris only took 2 hours! It was constructed by the Eiffel company, as in the famous tower, but over 100 years later in 2006.

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Published July 13, 2024

The Catacombs, Paris

The Catacombs in Paris are one of the most interesting places I have visited. There is a labyrinth of tunnels under Paris, and a portion of them are the final resting places for over 6 million people.

It’s macabre, yet beautiful in a strange way. Its also a reminder that our time on earth is limited.

There are tunnels in every direction, and I’m sure you could easily get lost down here.

Warning, you are entering the realm of the dead

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bones catacomb grave graveyard paris

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Published May 18, 2024

Eiffel Tower

You can’t really see too much of the Eiffel Tower, and at night its simply spectacular (and uncrowded).

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eiffel tower paris

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Published May 11, 2024

A visit to the Panthéon, Paris

The Panthéon is an iconic mausoleum in Paris, France. Originally built as a church, it now serves as a secular monument. It houses the remains of famous French citizens, including Voltaire, Rousseau, and Marie Curie. With its neoclassical architecture, the Panthéon is a symbol of France’s rich history and intellectual heritage. And of interest to me, Louis Braille is also interned there (watch this space for a future post).

The entrance

Tall pillars inside the building

Lovely floors and ceiling

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Pantheon paris

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Published May 4, 2024

Food tour of Belleville

When we were in Paris, we did a most fantastic food tour of Bellevue, one of the older suburbs of the city. Our host Isabelle took us all over the area, into little coffee shops, delis, and bakeries where we learned how the food is prepared, and got to try a large selection of local goodies. We finished off in the back of a wine shop, drinking some wonderful wines while eating baguettes and local cheeses. It was a lovely way to spend a few hours in Paris.

Here’s a link to the tour, highly recommended when you are in Paris: https://www.airbnb.co.za/experiences/126782

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Local cheese selection

At the wine shop (we didn’t drink it all, of course)

Some of the cured sausage at a deli

A rather large selection of pates

More pates

More cured meats

Making croissants at a bakery. The baker is folding the pastry.

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Bellevue food paris

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Published April 20, 2024

Sainte-Chapelle

The Sainte-Chapelle is tucked right next door to the Conciergerie on Île de la Cité. It has magnificent stained glass windows, through which the light pours. It was built in the 13th century, and is reputed to have once the Crown of Thorn. The crown (whether it is real or not) was presented to Louis IX in the 12’th century, is now housed just around the corner in Notre Damme (it was saved in the fire).

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Published April 13, 2024

Conciergerie, Paris

The Conciergerie in Paris was a medieval palace, a court and then a prison. Of particular interest it is where Marie-Antoinette was both tried and imprisoned during the French Revolution. She was executed, and her former cell is now a chapel.

The vaulted halls of the palace

Jailer’s stark cell

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