Walking Paris in Three Days: Day 1 & the Ile de la Cité

Walking along the Seine in Paris

When Nina suggested that we go to Paris in the spring to research her historical fantasy, The Last Summoner, I thought oh la joie! There really IS heaven on earth!

Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with over 30 million foreign visitors per year. It has been a beacon of culture and art for centuries, long considered a world capital of art, fashion, food, literature and ideas. Paris symbolizes all the fine things human civilization can offer. Nina needed to walk the city to provide authenticity to her book. It was going to be hard work, she warned me: we’d have to walk quaint cobble streets amid the beautiful neo-classical architecture of Paris, breath in her complex fragrances and sample the exquisite cuisine and wine of her street cafés. I was up for the task.  :-3

On Day 1, we settled in our little apartment on Rue Princesse, just off Boulevard Saint Germain in the 6ieme arrondissement. Once the hangout for bohemians and intellectuals, it underwent gentrification and is now newly chic,

Toulouse savors a Croque Madame

 with upscale boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. The best part for us was the boulangerie-patisserie just around the corner from our place where we enjoyed a classic rustic breakfast of croque madame (a croque monsieur—a hot ham and gruyère cheese sandwich—with a fried egg on top).

With bellies happily filled, we strolled along the Seine towards Ile de la Cité. This splendid island in the middle of the Seine is a trove of historical treasures, including the Conciergie, Palais de Justice with associated Saint Chapelle, and, of course, the Notre Dame Cathedral. The Conciergerie was the gloomy prison that incarcerated over 2,000 victims of the guillotine, including Marie Antoinette.

The Cité “Metropolitan” Métro Stop Station is a funky place, darkly lit with metal retro-futuristic walls, complete with rivets, and iron spiral staircases. The elegantly curved ironwork canopy of the entrance is one of the last surviving pieces of the 1900 “Art Nouveau” Paris métro design.

Many people veer directly for the Notre Dame cathedral; but one of the true gems (literally) of Paris is the Sainte Chappelle. Nina and I joined a line-up to enter the secured grounds of the Palais de Justice, where the chapel resides. It’s worth the wait. This 13^th century cathedral is a perfect example of the

Upper chapel of Sainte Chapelle in Paris

Rayannant Style of Gothic architecture. It was erected by Louis IX, king of France, to house the Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the True Cross, precious relics of the Passion. The upper chapel glitters like a giant jewel, with vaulted ceilings that seem to float over a glittering sea of stained glass.

The Rue de la Cité took us past the Prefecture de Police (where Inspector Clouseau of the Pink Panther used to work) and as we rounded the corner of the Hôtel Dieu Hospital, there—magnificent behind the horse-chessnut trees in full bloom—stood the masterpiece of Notre Dame. This massive structure was built in stages over two hundred years from 1163 to its completion in 1345.

We crossed le Pont l’Archevêche to the Quai de la Tournelle in the Latin Quarter, which for centuries has been the centre of bohemian Parisian creativity and intelligentsia. Hmmm…sounds like someone you know??? ;-3 We descended the stone stairway to the cobbled riverbank walkway that bustled

Toulouse relaxes in front of Notre Dame

 with the green metal stalls of bouquinists—used book stalls—and artists with their paintings and sketches lined against the walls beneath sweeping plantain trees. Across the Seine, we had a panoramic view of the cathedral with its flying buttresses and the wisteria-covered embankment of the Ile de la Cité.

Across the street was Paris’s oldest surviving medieval parts of town, untouched by Hausmann’s renovations.  In one of the shops of the Latin Quarter, Nina acquired her obligatory scarf (90% of Parisians wear them, along with gorgeous shoes—being stylish dressers). We reached Boulevard Saint-Michel and came face to face with Saint Michael slaying the Devil in Place Saint Michel. Nina cheerfully set up her outside office at a café with a great view of Notre Dame Cathedral and I asked her how she

Nina's outdoor office at Place Saint-Michel

liked Paris so far over a pastis (anise-based liqueur) and cafe creme.

“I love Paris,” she declared. “I love everything about it, the food, the people, the architecture, the streets…The street performers who sing with feeling…the couples kissing on every street corner…that quiet reserve that just melts once they recognize that you are lost… their reverence for art and literature… Parisians know how to live. They have no problem waiting at length in line for fresh croissants at their favorite patisserie or will linger over lunch at a cafe to discuss the finer points of life over an espresso or cheese and wine. They are so civilized.”

I was taken aback by Nina’s eloquence. But then again, she IS a writer of some repute. She’s right: the French live a balanced life, where the sensual pleasures and relationships with others play equal to, in fact supersede, ambitions for wealth and power. Paris supports a culture that values art and philosophy over money and power. There are, for instance, more chefs in Paris than there are lawyers; not surprising, actually. Yet, the Parisians are impeccably dressed and can afford a cup of coffee for 2.5 Euros. The difference is that the coffee is exquisite, like everything in Paris.

We were both reading le Monde when a gaggle of tourists from Rhode Island swept into the café. As one bumped up

The Metro Station at Place Saint-Michel

 against Nina’s chair, the lady excused herself in broken French. I had a revelation: they thought we were locals!

Boulevard Saint-Michel (called Boul’Mich by the locals) is one of two major streets of the Latin Quarter and connects the Sorbonne (founded in 1257 and one of the first significant colleges of the medieval University of Paris) with the Luxembourg gardens. As the central axis of the Latin Quarter, it was (and still is) a hotbed of student life and activism. Old bookstores abound amidst cafés, cinema and clothing shops.

I slipped inside Shakespeare & Company, located on Rue Bucherie, just off the Petit Pont. It exudes character, packed with tall shelves of books from a variety of genres and topics–all in English. Shakespeare and Company is open every day from

Poet's Corner in Shakespeare and Co.

10:00 to 23:00 (my kind of hours!). If you’re touring Paris go check out this gem. The selection of English books is impeccable, with many by local writers. Cats (and dogs) are loved by the French, so when they saw me, they were instantly curious and friendly. So, thanks to me, Nina’s book Darwin’s Paradox is now being carried by them!

I’m Toulouse LeTrek, the famous Travel Cat…. :-3

Photos by Nina Munteanu

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