An American in Paris

The name of my street

Kat — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:25:12 +0000

My dad did some research about where I lived- Rue du Faubourg Poissionnière. Apparently I lived on “Fishmonger Suburb Street” or Street of the Suburb of Fishmongers”

From Wikipedia:

“Faubourg” is an ancient French term approximating “suburb” (now generally termed banlieue). It is itself a derivative of Forsbourg, a descendant of Latin “foris” (out of) “burgum” (town or city, or more literally “the city walls“). Traditionally, this name was given to an agglomeration forming around a throughway leading outwards from a city gate, and usually took the name of the same thoroughfare within the city.

“Poissonnière” (From the French for fishmonger) is a station on Line 7 of the Paris Métro. The station was opened on 5 November 1910. It is near the junction between Rue La Fayette and the Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, after which it is named and along which the chasse-marées brought fish from Boulogne and other harbours on the Channel coast to the market at Les Halles. The route from the coast generally follows that of a Roman Road and entered nineteenth century Paris at the Porte des Poissonniers.

My Dad said that he hoped it smelled nice!!!

I am home now. Tired, but I thoroughly enjoyed my trip. Its good to be home and have free refills again

dead again

Kat — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:49:53 +0000

poor lola. she just couldnt stand the heat and got out of thekitchen…. with out a hard drive

thankfully im home soon!!!

I DID THE COOLEST THING!

Kat — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:10:25 +0000

Yesterday I met a friend at the café where they shot the well known french movie Amélie!! While I was walking there I actually came across the grocery store that they also used in the movie! All of this is in Montmartre-litterally minutes from where i live. Its just a short walk up from the Moulin Rouge too on Rue Lepic!

It was so cool. I had to take a million pictures. Once we got in it looked a lot like it did in the movie. There were obviously some differences, but it was soooooooo cool!!!! And one of the waitresses looked like Amélie too. hehe. There was even a picture given to them from the film that was signed and hanging up. Over the bar were the traveling gnome pictures from the movie. Seriously the coolest thing ever!

Happy Bastille Day!

Kat — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:43:14 +0000

July 14th is France’s independance day. Its actually a commeration of the first commeration of the storming of the bastille a year later. lol. Which the storming of the Bastille (which now there just stands a monument commerating the Three Glorious Days) was when the citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille-that held all the weapons, etc and marked the beging of the french revolution. Not the greatest explaination, I know, but thats why we have Wikipedia .

The fire works were cool. They have this big concert on the lawn infront of the tower called “Le Champs de Mars”. It was BEYOND crowded. I got there late-like 8 pm, but thankfully some friends got there at like 630 and got a spot. But even then it was packing up.

They had this concert that had mostly french singers-which I discovered 2 new ones I liked, Louisy Joseph and Christophe Maé, and even James Blunt was there! Then around 10:45 it finally got dark enough for them to do the fireworks. It was kinda bizarre because everyone stood up and then started yelling “assis! assis!” (which means Sit down-and it soudned like aussie) so half the crowd sat down.

They also played classical music during the show! Including songs from Carmen-which was the only one I recognized. Getting home was awful. We walked an hour to get to a decent metro that was only midly crowded. But i got home and now I could say Ive seen the fireworks at the Eiffel tower!!

Les Jardins du Luxemburg and Pantheon

Kat — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:10:26 +0000

Versailles and Bastille Day 002

Originally uploaded by Kat.Lynes

We walked around Saturday and went through the Luxembourg gardens and towards the Pantheon. The Gardens were BEAUTIFUL with some awesome statues dedicated to the Medici family. There were ponds with little sail boats you could rent to sail.

We then walked towards the Pantheon where Victor Hugo I think is buried, but it was closed for renovation But we did get some awesome gelato!

Pierre thinks he was a King…

Kat — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:02:49 +0000

we went to Versailles on Sunday. I have been 2 times before, but its always such a cool place to go. This time we did it with audio guides, which I really enjoyed. ive done it once alone-no guide, once with an actual human guide, and now once with the audio guide. I defintely enjoy knowing what I am looking at! lol

Pierre has this crazy theory about he was once a Penguin King of France and he lived in Versailles. And now he is reincarnted as a stuffed animal for his crimes in his past life. I think Pierre is just a drama queen diva. lol But he felt at home in Versailles with the hall of mirrors (his favorite of course!) the giant rooms, the paintings, the gold, the view from the windows, and of course the gardens!

He thought it was very cool to see where Marie Antoinette and many of the other queens gave birth to royal hiers, and where Louis the 14th himself died. If youre a history geek like me and Diva-was once a king of France-Pierre, then Versailles is not a place you want to miss!

Its actually quite easy to get to from Paris. You can take any C train from any RER station-there is one at Montparnasse, the Eiffel Tower, les Invalides, and St. Michel metro stations. (You might have to get out of the metro station and walk around to find the RER station). You then take it towards either Viroflay (to change towards the chateau) or to the train that goes straigh to Versailles-Le Chateau. (All of this can be found on the Versailles web site). Once you get to there its a 5 minute walk to the Chateau. There are great restaurants and tourist shops along the way.

I recomend buying your tickets in advance because the line to get tickets takes HOURS. There is a kiosk on the road by the train station that you can get a ticket for the chateau, gardens, and audio guide for just 26 Euros. Thats what we did after waiting in line for an hour.

100 things to do in Paris

Kat — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:39:06 +0000

Here is an article I found online. Im also crossing out what I have done. Some of these things are silly, but I think Ive hit the main ones. Maybe it will give me something to do my last week here. Oh I also went to Versaiiles yesterday! Blog and photos coming soon!

Ok, so some of the things I haven’t done, Im not really interested in (like going to a cooking supply store). So, I have put these in italics.

La Republique

Chateau, a traditional Parisian loft that offers unique, enjoyable, layed back wine tastings in English.

Near the Louvre

Cross Rue du Rivoli and find beautiful Metro entrance of hand blown Italian glass created for the Millennium.
Enter Palais Royal. Notice fountains of silver balls. Walk through garden, exit back to rue de Petit Champs.
Enter Galerie Vivienne, a enchanting covered shopping gallery from the 1800’s and walk through.

Notre Dame Cathedral, Ile St Louis and the Latin Quarter

Notre Dame – visit interior, see Rose Window, Statue of Joan of Arc, Organ in back; view from back to see the Flying Buttresses
Climb the tower of Notre Dame for a close-up look at the Gargoyles and a fantastic view of the River Seine.
Walk down the main street on Ile St Louis, the island behind Notre Dame, to look at shops and doors; eat Bertillon ice cream.
Cross Pont and walk along sidewalk to see the Bouquinistes (Booksellers) where books are sold from covered containers.
Cross into the Latin Quarter, walk up the fascinating narrow streets. Shakespeare and Company, the famous bookstore is worth a stop; collectible books are found in the annex to the left.
Enter the church of St Julien de Pauvre and contrast the simplicity there to Notre Dame’s grandness.
Visit nearby St Severin Church and go to the nave to see the “palm tree ceiling”.
Look at St Michel fountain.
Tours are available here in quite a few languages

Montmartre

Visit Montmartre. Take the Metro 12 to Larmarck or Abbesses Metro stop.
Don’t miss the smaller and older St Pierre of Montmartre Church.
Take a look at the interior of Sacre Coeur for its mosaics. Climb the tower on a clear day for the hight over-look of Paris.
Buy a small painting to take home from one of the artists in Place de Tertre.
Behind the Abesses Metro stop, go into the garden and find the Wall of Love.
Walk down Rue Lepic, another great shopping street. You can visit the Brasserie where the heroine in the movie Amelie worked.
Walk down to Pigalle and see the Moulin Rouge – or even see the show there.
The Montmartre Cemetery is lovely to stroll through. Degas is buried here.

The Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees

Reach Place de la Concorde, circle the place to your left and walk down Rue du Rivoli.
Stop at Angelina’s for their famous hot chocolate.

The Grand Department Stores

Next door to Galeries LaFayette is Printemps, another huge department store. They also have a dome of stained glass that you can eat lunch under in a nice restaurant. There is also a good view of Hotel de Ville from an upstairs cafe.
Le Bon Marché at Sèvres Babylon on Left Bank is the high end department store- very Parisian.

Pere LaChaise Cemetery

Make a trip out to the famous cemetery of Pere LaChaise. Buy a map at any florist nearby and find the tombs of Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Colette, Jim Morrison and more. (Hint: if you enter the cemetery at the Gambetta Metro stop, it is all downhill.)

The Left Bank

The Left Bank is full of fun winding streets. Start at the Odeon Metro Stop. Across the street is the Commerce St Andre, an old shopping street.
Rue du Buci is a lively street with many places to eat or drink.
St Sulpice Church holds the famous obelisk with the brass line marking the movement of the earth and sun. Don’t miss the Pigalle sculpture of Mary at the back of the church.
Walk down Rue du Cannards and find the sculpture of baby ducks high up on a wall over a blue door.
Visit the St Germain des Pres Church, oldest in Paris.
Across the way from the church is Les Deux Magots, a famous hangout for writers such as Hemingway.
Walk down Rue de Seine to the beautiful building housing the Institute de France.
Find the entrance of the Institute du France, go to the front, cross the street and you are on the Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge always full of people and activity.
Don’t miss the Cluny Museum, small and easy to vist and make sure to visit the top floor for the magnificant Maiden and the Unicorn Tapestries.

The Jardins de Luxembourg and Surrounding Area

Take a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens.
Find the Statue of Liberty and Visit the incredible Medici Fountain in the garden.
Watch children sailing boats in the pond.
Walk up Rue Soufflot to the Pantheon; visit the interior.
Head down nearby Rue Mouffetard for an interesting shopping street.

The Arts et Metiers Museum and Surrounding Area

Take Metro 11 to the Art et Metiers Metro stop for a look at an incredible copper station.
Visit the Art et Metiers Museum. See the chapel for the airplanes hanging from the ceiling & the model of the Statue of Liberty.
Nearby is a wonderful shopping/pedestrian street, Rue Montorgueil.
Walk to St Eustache Church and visit the interior.
Dehillerinon rue Coquillerie is an interesting shop for kitchen supplies.

The Marais

Take a walk in the Marais, one of Paris’ most beautiful areas.
Visit the Carnavalet Museum for a look at the history of Paris as well as a lovely structure with garden.
Antique shoppers will want to walk into the Village St Paul and see the shops on Rue St Paul.
The church of St Paul St Louis is especially lovely. Don’t miss the painting of Jesus Praying in the Garden by Delacroix.
The Picasso Museum is in a wonderful building and worth a tour.
Walk down historic Rue des Rosiers and have some great falafal there.
See the many shops on Rue Francs Bourgeois and enter Place des Vosges, one of the most beautiful squares in Paris. The Victor Hugo Museum is in one corner there. The Hotel de Sully in another where you enter through the back garden.

Invalides, the Rodin Museum and Pont Alexander III

For a look at Napoleon’s tomb, don’t miss Invalide.. Check out the weapons museum there as well.
Nearby is the Rodin Museum. Don’t miss the famous Thinker sculpture in the garden. This is a good place for a light lunch as well. There is a nice area to sit in the shade in the back.
Stroll across the lovely Pont Alexander III, gilded and baroque shining in the sun with a great view of the Eiffel Tower on one side.

Bastille and the Surrounding Area

Place de Bastille is a lively area with a column in the middle commerating the “Three Glorius Days”. The Richard Lenoir Market, the largest in Paris, is here on Thursdays and Sundays.
An interesting market to visit is at Place d’Aligre, open every morning except Mondays. It has a permanant covered market that is interesting to see and is especially lively and fun to visit.

A lot of churches. Ill doubt Ill go there.

I would like to go explore the latin qaurter and St-Germain-des -Près more, as well as visit the Artist area of Montmartre and where Amélie worked in the movie…. And of course SHOPPING

I like my lists

Kat — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:40:58 +0000

They make me happy.

1. Edith Piaf Museum

2. Montparnasse Cemetary where Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone du Beauvoir ARE BURRIED!!!!! WHOA COOL!!!

3. Go to the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower for Bastille Day-July 14

4. Find a BETTER Steak Bearnaise.

5. Go to Victor Hugo’s House

6. Go to the Jardin du Luxumbourg

7. Go to the Grand Rex movie theatre. Even though most of those movies are English ones (Saw KUNG FOO PANDA and understood it!!)

8. Look at my Paris book for anything else I have missed.

9. Artist square in Montmartre

Montparnasse Cemetery

Kat — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:37:03 +0000

I did the coolest thing today….

For those of you who don’t know me to well, you can probably have geussed that from this blog, I love the existentalist author Jean-Paul Sartre. Ive already been to his café, the quartier he hung out in, etc. Well today….I visited his grave. I know its morbid, but for someone like me who has a fascination-it was so cool!!! (And I hope my students who have read him with me and who are reading this can understand HOW COOL THIS IS!!)

I just happen to be flipping through my Paris book and found this! So we went. Also in this cemetary was Guy de Maupassant (author), Samuel Beckett (author), and Charles Baudelaire (french poet of “Les Fleurs du Mal”) amongst many others.

This was very different from the Père Lachaise cemetery for a few reasons: 1. It was laid out much better. Things were much easier to find, not winding, broken roads, smother pavement, etc. Much better upkeep. 2. It was smaller and there for less recognizable names were burried here. My main draw was Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Thats so cool. So we saw the 3 or 4 graves we wanted to, and moved on.

We ended up going to the Place de Vosges where my other favorite French author- Victor Hugo- once lived for 16 years. We got to go into his old house-free of charge, and wander around looking at inspired paintings, pictures form his plays and he living area. We even saw the bed/room in which he died. It was way cool. He wrote most of “Les Misérables” there too.

We then walked around this beautiful park and enjoyed the nice, cool weather It was the day of my favorite French authors!

Arc de Triomphe

Kat — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:26:12 +0000

So I actually went up the arc this time. I went to the arc when I was 16 on my first trip to this beautiful city. You have to actually go underground to get up to the base of the arc. Why? Because the probably biggest round about in Paris surrounds the arc with 12 streets feeding into it. Its a mad house, that’s why!

So, you enter from the Champs-Elysées, go under ground and come up under the arc (way cool). To just visit the tomb of the unknown soldier and the base is free. If you want to climb up to the museum and look at the view from the very top, there is a fee. (Between 18-25 its reduced! Yay me!) Its like 284 steps to the top though. BLAH. But once you get up, there is a cute gift shop where I bought some really cute magnets for work, a Eiffel tower eraser and a little tiny present for my Dear old Dad (its nothing much, just reminded me of you dad!! A little tiny token ) But they also have this tiny museum and a movable arc where, depending on how you move it, it shows you the statues and art of that part of the arc. Its very cool.

So then you walk up another flight of stairs and finally get to the top. The view is AMAZING. Stairs suck, but the view is worth it!!!!