Paris Day 5

Day 5 Monday August 30^th

We do windows

After our 2^nd crepe of the trip, this one being a burre et sucre (even better than chocolate!), we visited our favorite Ste-Chapelle chapel whose claims to fame include being the home of the crown of thorns and of the most stunning historical stained glass windows we’ve ever seen. 

The good news is, Paris is seeing to it that the stunning historical stained glass windows of Ste-Chapelle are being restored.  

 

The bad news is, the stunning historical stained glass windows of Ste-Chapelle were being restored during our visit. 

So………. we did not have that same take-your-breath-away moment when we came out into the upper level chapel as we did the last time we visited.  This because the altar and apse were hidden behind large drapes while the workers did their thing.  But it was still a wonderful visit, and we are very grateful that the stunning historical stained glass windows are being restored.  There was a large string of billboards erected along the walk into the cathedral explaining the meticulous and exacting work involved with the restoration.  Very interesting to read. 

Here is a link to history and pictures of Ste-Chapelle for your reading and viewing enjoyment.  If you ever visit Paris, Ste-Chapelle should be on your ‘must see’ list.

http://architecture.relig.free.fr/chapelle_en.htm

Really old stuff

The good Lord must have followed us out of Ste-Chapelle, because we had one of our several wrong-turn-becomes-good-thing events happen after that.  We were headed, don’t recall where, but discovered we had made a wrong turn.  As we made an about face to retrace our steps, Jane noticed that we were right beside the little cathedral garden with the beautiful ceramic tiled wall that we discovered during our last trip.  The tile work is simply beautiful!  When we found it on our last trip, we couldn’t remember where it was, so finding it this time was serendipitous.  

Below are some pictures of the garden's beautiful tiled wall.

During our last visit we did not take the time to visit the cathedral associated with this little tiled garden, but we remedied it this time by strolling around inside what turned out to be St- Germain des Pres, one of the oldest existing cathedrals in Paris, with initial construction beginning in 555 a.d.  I mean geez, anything over 100 years is considered old in America, right?  And here we’re seeing something that’s been around since the 6^th century.  Chris never seems to get used to that. 

Below are pictures we took inside and outside St-Germain des Pres. 

The candle in the center back is one Jane lit in honor of her friend Mary's mom.

As I look at a building this old, I can't but wonder what the street scene was like across the centuries.  If I could see them, I think I'd find myself glad to be visiting during the 21st century.....

Moyen Aged – sounds so much better, n’est pas?

After our visit to St-Germain, we decided to visit Musee de Cluny, Paris’s Musee des Moyen Ages, or National Museum of the Middle Ages (From now on, Chris is just going to tell folks she’s moyen aged.  It has a certain je ne ce qui, non?).

Here are some pictures of the courtyard.  There is a very cool whatzit on top of the well behind Jane.  Not sure what it is, but it's very cool.  

Another angle of the whatzit.

Musee de Cluny is a very interesting place to visit.  Among the things that wowed Chris the most were the wooden items - crucifixes, Madonna and Child carvings, triptychs, etc that have endured – complete with their paint since the 12^th and 13^th centuries.  

This is a large (maybe 5 ft. tall at center) wooden tryptich with masterfully painted hinged doors on either side.

A detail from the tryptich above.

Wooden painted carving of Christ - remember  these things are many centuries old.

More wooden life sized carvings

I wish I could have captured these in better detail.  Note the singing angels above Christ.

This is a detail from another tryptich that shows Christ's circumcision - not a scene I've seen depicted before that I can remember.

I just thought she was beautiful.  Again, this is painted wood.

This whole scene was very large and ornate, guilded and amazingly well preserved.

Another highlight of the musee is the set of six tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn.  Stunning even for those who are not particularly into the textile arts. 

Among the items in the section devoted to warfare, hunting and tournaments are pieces of ancient armor as well as a book for knights on fighting techniques.  Since most people were illiterate back then, the book uses hand-drawn colored pictures of the moves, rather than words, to train the would-be knights.

The musee’s building was also once home to a Roman bath.  We didn’t get much chance to visit that part because it was under renovation.  But again – Roman!  Older ‘n the hills, in other words.  Amazing.

Chris, for one, puts Musee de Cluny on the ‘do-not-miss’ list for any Parisian visit.

En Fraincais:

http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/

En Anglais:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_de_Cluny

Can I have your autograph?

After so much history, we decided it was high time for wine and had a drink at Les Deux Magots which was made famous back in the day by being a favorite watering hole for such folks as Hemmingway and his ilk. 

On our way back home via the always hoppin’ St-Michele fountain, we were approached by two handsome and smiling young men who asked if we’d please use their green magic marker to sign our names on their bare skin.  Well hey, that being the best offer either of us had received all day, we of course replied with a resounding, ‘Porquis pas?’  Jane went first, signing her Jane Henry on their necks.  Chris, not to be outdone, got the bellies.  : - ) 

We can only imagine it was a fun contest to see who could entice the most ladies to sign up – or sign on.

I leave day 5 with a couple of pictures of the iconic art nouveau styled Paris Metro entrance gates.  I want one for my yard!