This being the 14th, we thought we’d head to the posh 8th and 17th arr. to see how the other half lives.
Sandy had unceremoniously rejected and replaced my lunch choice and, luckily for her, c’etait un bon choix, full of jovial French folk enjoying their steak tartare and other culinary delights. The woman next to us had her Jack Russell terrier with her. Her name was Winnie, the terrier, I mean. The woman was wearing a Winnie-the-Pooh pendant. Chacun son gôut…
Anyway, we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch here, a place where the Parisian carpenters guild had its quarters (and may still, I couldn’t tell, although our waiter gave us a history of the premises–in English, no less). It’s called Aux Charpentiers, 10 rue Mabillon, auxcharpentiers@wanadoo.fr, and well worth a visit if in the area, especially on a Saturday afternoon.
After a quick stop at the lovely Gérard Mulot, 76, rue de Seine, for a sweet, we clearly needed the walk.
Parc Monceau is a very elegant area, developed by Haussmann as part of the enclave for the newly and old rich of the 19th century, full of beautiful homes and townhouses. Having just returned home, I have arrayed the photos so, if interested, you can do a self-guided tour without burning any calories.
Personally, I have to rest before we head out again, likely to a film.
The film we wanted to see isn’t on until Tuesday, we just went out for a pizza at Pizzeria Positano, 15, rue des Canettes, near Blvd. St. Germain, where, unlike most of the city, it was thronging with people, mostly young French students, from what we could tell. Having each had a bit of nap, we went back to Café Laurent to hear some more jazz, the trio having expanded into a quartet (with guitar).
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- Aux Charpentiers
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- Gerard Mulot
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- Monceau Metro station, with Rotunda behind.
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- The Park
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- Maupassant monument. He died at 43 of excessive food and drink, for what I can tell…
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- This stone portico, with faux Parisian underneath, is the last fragment of the original Paris city hall.
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- Cernuschi Museum, full of Chinese art and other treasures.
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- Back of wonderful Nissim de Camondo museum (we were there years ago). The Camondo family were wealthy Jewish bankers, one of whom donated this home to the state in honour of a son, killed in WWI. His daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren died in Auschwitz.
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- One of the gates outside the Park.
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- C.T. Loo, a dealer in Chinese antiquities, had his early 20th century shop in this pagoda.
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- Another view.
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- Gorgeous building, just outside another part of the Park.
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- Back in the Park, this plane tree is about 140 years old.
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- On another avenue just outside, this is Menier Mansion. Menier was a chemist trying to find a sweet coating for his pills, blending cocoa and sugar. Instead, the coating itself became popular, he began to sell it and that is what we now know as chocolate bars.
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- A closer view, this is one spectacularly beautiful home.
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- Russian Orthodox church, in rue Daru.
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- Produce market in rue Poncelet. I don’t know that grumpy looking woman in front.
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- Pizzeria Positano. Packed before and after we were there. I certainly didn’t want these people in the photo but they didn’t appear to be moving any time soon.