Jardins des Tuileries

The Tuileries Palace was originally built by a French queen, Catherine de'Medici. It was located near the Louvre, which was the king's palace. The palace itself was burnt down and destroyed, but today its gardens still exist. The name 'Tuileries' is French for 'tiles', because of the tile production that took place on that site previously.

the eastern edge of the gardens, with the Louvre close by in the background

The Tuileries Gardens are a great place to hang out and just enjoy the Paris atmosphere. Like the Luxembourg Gardens, there are many areas with chairs to sit and relax. What I like most about this space, though, are the many fountains everywhere.

As it is a garden, nature is all around you. There are so many beautiful flower displays. Even on a rainy day, the multitude of colors add an extra brightness to the area.

The Tuileries Gardens have a lot of activities, attracting tourists and locals alike. Besides the lounging areas, there are also many little cafes scattered throughout the park. I've also noticed that the gardens are a popular place for jogging. I've seen more joggers in this park than anywhere else in the city.

a small pond with seating around it, and a cafe in the background

a few of the many joggers seen along the autumn paths

A bientot!

Puppies in Paris

Animals are surprisingly very present in the city of Paris. I guess I'm used to DC, where pets are scarce since the city is more of a work environment than a residential one. But here they are everywhere.

Dogs are so well-behaved here. A lot of the time, owners don't have them on leashes. But as terrifying as that would be to my little sister, they really aren't necessary. The dogs are well trained and don't pay any attention to those that pass them by. They stay by their owners' sides without any issue. It's really kind of amazing.

You also see dogs in public places, like on the metro or even in restaurants. Again, this is a strange phenomenon for someone from America, where animals are strictly forbidden in places such as these. Most of the time you never even notice them, though.

I'd have to say, the only downside for so many dogs on the streets of Paris is the mess they leave behind. There isn't grass along the sidewalks for dogs to use. And Parisian dog owners aren't the best at cleaning up after their pets. When walking down the street, make sure you watch where you step...

A bientot!

Musee Rodin

Like most museums in Paris, the building of Musee Rodin was originally built to function as a small mansion and was eventually converted into what we use it for today. It is now a museum dedicated to the work of famous sculptor, Auguste Rodin. Rodin is most well-known for his works "The Gates of Hell" and "The Thinker."

The hotel particulier (small mansion) turned museum

His most famous work of art, "The Gates of Hell," is an amazing collage of mayhem. It conveys disorder and complexity in a very fascinating way. It is also an important piece because of its influence on Rodin's subsequent works. Many of the components in the Gates have gone on to become sculptures on their own.

"The Gates of Hell"

 

Rodin used casting and enlarging techniques to make different sized replicas of his own works.

Look closely at the three figures on top.

Look familiar? "Trois ombres" was later enlarged into this monumental piece.

His other most famous piece "The Thinker" was also created in this way. It's surprising how much more of an impact the sculpture makes due to its change in size.

The gardens of the estate were my favorite part. Filled with beautiful flowers and amazing sculptures, what's not to love? Although the museum itself inside was interesting as well. Not only did it contain many different models of Rodin's works in various stages of completion, but it also displayed some of the paintings and sculptures of Rodin's good friends - artists such as Van Gogh and Monet.

view of the garden

 

For those interested in Rodin, check out the museum's website. It has information on a lot of the works on display there, as well as a more in-depth background of the artist. http://www.musee-rodin.fr/en

A bientot!

Le Marais

One of my favorite places to check out in Paris is the Marais. The Marais is a neighborhood in the 4th arrondissement. It got its name back when Paris was first being developed. The area was originally a marshland, which was then drained and used as a new area to build houses. In French, 'marais' translates to 'marshland.' So there you go.

Nowadays, it's a cute little neighborhood to wander and maybe even just get lost in. It's full of narrow, winding cobblestone roads that seem to crisscross in every direction. And because of its history, you can find some of the oldest houses in Paris here:

Also, as I've mentioned before, a bonus is the fact that the Marais has become a primarily Jewish community. Saturday is their day of rest, so Sunday becomes a busy day for businesses instead. My favorite Sunday activity is heading over to the Marais and grabbing falafel for lunch.

The streets are filled with a lot of expensive and chic fashion boutiques -wonderful for window shopping. But if you're looking for a deal, there are also many thrift shops scattered around if you know where to look. Once, I even came across a random yard sale-type thing going on in a public square. It looked like people from all over the neighborhood came to sell old clothes and books and things. I've only seen it once though, so that's not a common occurrence.

Finally, the cutest little spot to hang out and relax is the Place des Vosges. It is the oldest planned square in Paris. It's the perfect place to sit and people watch, or just enjoy the picturesque fountains and trees. It is surrounded on all sides by identical red brick buildings, which give it extra charm:

A bientot!

Aux Champs-Elysees

L'Avenue des Champs-Elysees is one of the most well-known streets in Paris. It's famous for its high priced, high class stores that line both sides. And of course, for the Arc de Triomphe at the end.

My friend Jessica and I spent a day wandering the avenue, window shopping (for the most part) and just admiring the chicness of everything.

Most of the stores along the avenue are pretty famous for being highly expensive (Louis Vuitton, Sephora, Toyota, Zara, etc). The funny thing is, considering their prices and the money they make each day, none of them really make much of a profit at the end of the day. Real estate is so high along the avenue that they pretty much break even once you factor in rent. It's crazy. Basically, having a store along the Champs-Elysees is just for the publicity and prestige of it. Not the money.

I'll highlight a few of my favorite stores we visited during our explorations.

Most important: the Disney Store! It was such a beautiful sight. Such a fairytale. And bonus, there was a Spiderman display in the window! How more perfect could it get?

We had to stop into H&M. What a wonderful store. Technically, I could go to H&M anytime back in the states, but I like the ones in Paris much better. The fashion is just a bit different. Anyway, the branch along Avenue des Champs-Elysees is gigantic! Multiple stories, stretching farther than you would think. I could actually get lost in there. I did make a purchase - the prices are not bad at all, another reason I like H&M.

For lunch we ventured into McDonalds. Yes, it had to happen sometime. This McDonalds is a bit more fancy than most. Actually, the famous golden arches outside the entrance are not gold, but white. Apparently the designers of the avenue decided the usual color was too tacky for the chic motif they had going on, so it was changed to white.
But design aesthetic aside, the food was pretty much the same. There were a few additions to the menu: new wraps and salads, and instead of regular fries you also had the option of potato wedges. Strange - different.

oh, fast food

Finally, we worked our way down the avenue to the Arc de Triomphe at the end. It was originally built by Napoleon in order to demonstrate all his victories in battle. The area is also known as "Etoile," which is French for 'star,' since the Champs-Elysees is one of 12 avenues circling the arc, making a star around it.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, symbolizing all unidentified soldiers who have died in war. The eternal flame is always burning (so they say, but on a windy day...)

Looking back down the avenue from the arc, you gotta appreciate the symmetry of it all:

And yes, the entire day the song "Aux Champs-Elysees" was continuously playing in my head. If you don't know it, I suggest you look it up - it's a pretty great song.

A bientot!