Friday, July 6, 2012

By way of the gallery Véro-Dodat with Erin and Jaymi

Erin and Jaymi - The Fountain of the Four Parts of the World
8:55 AM - With Erin from Miami (USA) and Jaymi from San Francisco (USA), we left the "Porte d'Orléans" at the south end of Paris to run toward the center of the city, cross the Louvre, then return by a parallel route.

Do you know the garden of the Great Explorers, the small long and narrow park, situated very close by the garden of the Luxembourg?

In its entrance, south side, we met the Fountain of the Four Parts of the World, as we can see it on the photo above, behind the pond. This bronze fountain, realized by several artists from 1867 till 1874, symbolizes the four Continents, Africa, America, Asia and Europe (Oceania not being represented).
We also name this fountain the Fountain Carpeaux, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux having sculptured the women who represent the continents.
We are in the axis of the meridian of Paris. In the background of the photo, we recognize the Paris Observatory, created in 1667.

By running northward, in the Latin Quarter, we crossed the Hotel of Abbots de Cluny, where resides, nowadays, the Museum of the Middle Ages:

Erin and Jaymi - Hotel of Cluny

It is at the Museum of the Middle Ages that we can admire the magnificent Tapestries of the Lady and the Unicorn .

Of return southward, we entered the beautiful gallery Véro-Dodat, a passage created in 1826. For the amateurs of fashion, it is at the end of the gallery that one of the most famous mode shoemakers created his first shop. Shoes with very high heel, incompatible with the running...

Jaymi and Erin - Galerie Véro-Dodat

We went to finish our running by way of the beautiful Montsouris Park, of which the construction was decided by the baron Haussmann in 1860 to match in the South the Park of the Buttes Chaumont, the other big garden in the North of Paris.

Erin and Jaymi - Montsouris Park

Merci Erin ! Merci Jaymi !

The route of the tour:

Thursday, July 5, 2012

From the Bastille up to "La Concorde" with Jessica

Jessica - Pont de la Concorde
7:03 AM - Taking advantage of a sunny morning, with Jessica of Los Angeles (USA), we crossed Paris from the "place de la Bastille" up to the "place de la Concorde".
Did you know the anecdote which connects both places? Stones of the Bastille fortress destroyed by the revolutionaries served to build the Bridge of "La Concorde". The Parisian could so walk on one of the strong Monarchy symbols!

Having passed the "place de la Bastille" where we discovered on the ground the tracks of the destroyed fort (at the end of the street Saint Antoine), we joined the City hall of Paris:

Jessica - L'Hôtel de Ville

It is the 1882 "version" of the "Hôtel de Ville" that we can contemplate, the previous one having been burned during the events of the "Commune" in 1871. 
On the photo, we can notice American and French flags, having been gathered here doubtless to honor the US National Day, the 4th of July.

A little farther, near "Les Halles", we interrupted our running one moment to be able to appreciate the glass roof and the frescoes of the "Bourse du Commerce" ceiling. Former Corn Exchange where cereal were stored and sold, it is now occupied by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, dedicated mainly to the creation of business companies:

La Bourse du Commerce - Paris

Our route then led us "place de la Concorde". The preparations of the French National Day, on July 14th, are nearly finished. We can see on the photo the stand where will sit the President of the Republic and the government members, situated in front of the Champs Elysées where from the military parade will come down. Notice the roof in the colors of the French flag...

Jessica - Place de la Concorde

We ended our running in "Le Marais" district where we were able to admire the magnificent "Hôtel de Sens":

Hôtel de Sens

Jessica is a regular runner, fond of healthy food but also a music composer and a singer : Raelux!

Merci Jessica !

The route of the tour :


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