Christmas in Paris, Part 2

Returning to Paris shortly afterwards we were again able to see the Eiffel Tower from our bedroom windows.

La Conciergerie, San Chapel, and Notre Dame were visited.  La Conciergerie was very interesting and seeing the artifacts and historical objects helped.  It was one of the prisons of the Revolution and was where any prisoners were held right before their execution.  San Chapel was lovely, the stained glass windows were breathtaking even on a cloudy day.  Notre Dame was Notre Dame, imposing and monolithic.  Walking through the churches here is very different from the churches in Rome.  In the few I have seen in Paris, there is often bare stonework, the light from the stained glass in the ornamentation.  The arches are left to their own grace, without the often over the top adornments of the Baroque style.

Versailles was next on our list.  It was enormous and gaudy and dazzling.  After being there, it is easier to understand why there was a revolution.  The decoration here was in contrast to the less gaudy churches here.  The gates glittered in the morning sunlight.  Eventually, seeing all the different lounges just made me want to sit in one, but, that would have not been permitted.  I have less interest in room furnishings then other things.

The only museum we visited was the Louvre, but that we visited thoroughly.  Arriving before 9am, we were there until 11:30 (we were meeting friends for lunch).  Returning around 1pm we were there until 4:30.  I had the audio guide and walked as much of the place as I could.  I spend a significant portion of the time in painting (yes, starting with the Mona Lisa).  Seeing it all in one place made it easier to see the characteristics that carried over from style to style. I enjoyed the Louvre quite a lot and would be glad to go back some day to visit again.

Christmas day we went to mass at Saint Sulpice, in French.  My favorite part about that church is a very interesting sculpture of the Virgin Mary.  It is Mary with the child, on a cloud.  But the marble of the cloud billows between and around the columns that surround Mary’s niche.  The way that is worked it quite interesting.

In the afternoon we visited Sacré-Cœur, this was my favorite of the churches we visited.  The church was delightful, but there was some sense of majesty and presence inside it that set this church apart.  I would recommend it to anyone that asked.

The following day we were packed up and ready to fly, leaving our rooms at 8 in the morning.

Sacré-Cœur

Saint Sulpice

Sacré-Cœur

View from Sacré-Cœur