November 21-24, 2010
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This was no “April in Paris!” Our weather was dull and drippy with high’s only in the low 40’s. For our purposes, though, it was fine. We might even have thought it grand weather had we known it would be colder still and snowy after we left.
Setting our own pace and itinerary was top priority, following our Moroccan guided tour. As this was our fourth visit to Paris, the thought of simply wandering about, seeing a few favorite places and a few new ones, was appealing. We used the Metro often to travel around the city quickly, “popping up” at our intended destination.
A few minutes after popping up at Metro stop Republique, we were at the St. Martin Canal. Despite it being November, the Canal was still photogenic:
In season, boat rides can be had on this Canal, parts of which are underground. The above-ground sections are especially scenic for strolling.
This view looks back at the same curve as in the previous photo:
Parc des Buttes Chaumont is within walking distance of the St. Martin Canal. Prior to 1862, this area had served as a place of execution, as a lime quarry and as a public waste ground. Now, it is an attractive park with miles of walks, spacious lawns, two bridges, a grotto and a waterfall. When here in October 1998, we never did climb to the small “temple” atop this rocky mound:
So, this time, we made sure we did:
We BOTH did:
What would a stop in Paris be like without a visit to Notre Dame?
If you have sharp eyes, you may be able to pick out cathedral-climbers between the two towers and, also, atop the right tower.
Our day of touring ended with a walk back to our hotel, mostly along the Seine:
Our second day took us to Montmartre for more sightseeing and people-watching --- and a climb to Sacre Coeur.
Just below the basilica, a merry-go-round cannot be missed,
... at least by some:
Fittingly, after all that rotary motion, we chose a roundabout way of returning to our hotel. Eventually, our path crossed the Seine and led us beneath this enduring landmark:
Holiday decorations were already in place on Rue Cler, the pedestrianized lane where we stayed:
On our last morning, with a flight to Mali just hours away, we had time for only a short walk after breakfast. A circle around Les Invalides, Napoleon’s final resting place, wrapped up our Paris self-guided tour.
Next stop, Bamako International Airport!