In Le Marais, most of the stores were closed on Sunday. We saw an interesting display in this window. They look like shoes, but they’re actually chocolate.
The other window the store seemed to display leather goods such as cases and boxes. They were also chocolate. (Who buys these?)
The convenience store was open on Sunday. The windows are packed with merchandise, the shelves were full of wine.
It was a still a bit early for the bistro to be open for Sunday lunch.
A major landmark west of the Bastille is the Places des Vosges. Are the gates to keep animals and children out or in?
This urban park illustrates how Paris was a planned city.
On the north side of the square, art galleries have taken over some of the spaces on the ground floor.
Continuing west, there were fewer apartments and more commercial storefronts.
The Hotel Carnavalet dates back to the 1500s, and is now a museum.
The high walls hide a large courtyard with a statue. We decided not to join the tour — aside from the guide speaking in French.
I was amused that a fire station could be hidden behind similar high walls.
At the end of the Rue de Sevigne, walking south was the Eglise St. Paul St. Louis.
On Rue St. Antoine, the church is an imposing building that shows its age.
Since this was Sunday, we shouldn’t have been surprised to find a service in progress.
Leaving the church, we headed west on Rue St. Antoine, a major and busy street.
The streets are wide enough for a carousel to be set up on the sidewalk.
It’s hard to believe that cars could squeeze onto small side streets such as Rue de Prevot.
Walking back north from Rue St. Antoine back into Le Marais, we continued west into the Jewish quarter. We found yet another boulangerie.
A delicatessen offering pastrami is next to the falafel cafe.
The patisserie painted in bright yellow stands out on the street.
Inside the patisserie, we spoke to some customers who highly recommended their products. I’m not really a dessert person, though.
Continuing further west, a community space in Blanc Manteau was having an organics market.
More than a few stalls were selling wine. In France, it seems that they don’t have an issue with buying wine in boxes.
I didn’t really want to eat a hot dog, but like watching the server impale long buns on a warming spike. This produced a hole into which a sausage could be stuffed.
Down the street, the Blanc Manteau nursery shows the area is residential.
Inside the building with the nursery is a hidden garden.
Continuing west up the narrow Rue Simon Le Franc, we approached the Pompidou Centre.
The east side of the Pompidou Centre shows the brightly coloured tubes.
Walking around the south end of the complex, the west side is all stairs and escalators.
The entry into the building is at the north west corner.
We went inside to buy tickets, and then rode the elevators up to the galleries on the top floor.
From the top floor of the Pompidou Centre, the Eiffel Tower was visible in the distant southwest.
To the northwest, Sacre Coeur is uphill.
We made a tactical error by going to see the special exhibits, which I didn’t like. Coming down one floor, I wish we had more time to spend in the permanent collection, which included some design exhibits. I liked the Brueuer chair and the Kandinsky Gelb Rot Blau.
As jet lag started to set in, we took the metro back to the hotel. It surfaces above ground at Chatelet station.
The station spans the Seine. We made it back to the hotel as the rain started.
After a relaxed Sunday in Paris, we retreated to our beds to be fresh for the next day’s work.
