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Showing posts with label Bridges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bridges. Show all posts
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The Canal St.Martin has always been a favorite haunt of mine. A lovely place to take a book & catch some alone time or meet up the gals & catch up! It stretches from the Square Frédérick Lemaître to the Rue Lafayette and shortcuts a long loop in the River Seine in the 10th arrondissement.
Napoleon had ordered the artificial waterway dug to supply Paris with water. The canal was opened in 1825, however by the 1960s, traffic had dwindled and fortunately the canal escaped being filled in and paved over for a highway. Today, the canal is covered from Rue du Faubourg du Temple to the Place de la Bastille.
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The canal is featured in the 1938 movie Hôtel du Nord, as well as one of my all time favorite movies, the 2001 movie Amélie, in which Amélie Poulain enjoys skipping stones at the locks of the canal.
In the spring and summer, locals flock to the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin to picnic and strum guitars. Cafés and quirky boutiques flank the water and iron footbridges. On Sundays, two streets running parallel to the canal, Quai de Valmy and Quai de Jemmapes, are reserved for pedestrians and cyclists—perfect for renting a bike and seeing the city from a fresh angle. Another possibility is to take a tour of the canal by boat.
The canal and its surroundings were entirely reconstructed on set for Marcel Carné's 1938 film, Hôtel du Nord. Originally built in 1885 as a hotel serving mostly manual laborers, the Hôtel du Nord is now a bar and restaurant. A zinc bar, velvet curtains, low lamplight, and an upstairs library give the former hotel a distinctly 1930’s charm. It's just delicious!
Antoine et Lili is unmistakably the place alongside the Canal. It is a quirky fashion boutique whose bright yellow and pink facade is now an icon. Don't miss it for the latest in urban fashion and "ethnic" clothing. The "village" also includes a restaurant, bakery, and tearoom. It is defiantly a place to visit and take some photos.
If you look into the distance in the photo you can catch a glimpse of the Bastille angel.
There is much to see & do in this area if yo so choose. Along the Promenade Canal St. Martin one can enjoy a stroll along the water's edge while viewing amazing sunset's over the canal or linger over a coffee and a pastry while feeling that you are experiencing the true Paris. There is also the Musee de l'Eventail which exhibits a collection of more than 400 fans from the 18th century to the present day. A lot of eye candy there! Also check out the Palais des Glaces (Palace of Mirrors) features two comedic shows.
Or if shopping is your pleasure (as it is mine), then you may want to peruse
the Indian shops in le Passage Brady, which is a slightly dilapidated passageway. It's full of Indian and Pakistani restaurants, which gives it the nickname Little Bombay. My personal favorite, however, would have to be the Marché St-Quentin it offers a variety of goods from flowers and produce to antiques and candies. On the Rue de Marseille, you will find many chic clothing boutiques, and you’ll also find Du Pain et des Idées, one of the best bakeries in Paris.
I personally find it most beautiful in the Winter when the snow has fallen & the children are bundled up playing. It is beautiful all year round though.
The canal is featured in the 1938 movie Hôtel du Nord, as well as one of my all time favorite movies, the 2001 movie Amélie, in which Amélie Poulain enjoys skipping stones at the locks of the canal.
In the spring and summer, locals flock to the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin to picnic and strum guitars. Cafés and quirky boutiques flank the water and iron footbridges. On Sundays, two streets running parallel to the canal, Quai de Valmy and Quai de Jemmapes, are reserved for pedestrians and cyclists—perfect for renting a bike and seeing the city from a fresh angle. Another possibility is to take a tour of the canal by boat.
The canal and its surroundings were entirely reconstructed on set for Marcel Carné's 1938 film, Hôtel du Nord. Originally built in 1885 as a hotel serving mostly manual laborers, the Hôtel du Nord is now a bar and restaurant. A zinc bar, velvet curtains, low lamplight, and an upstairs library give the former hotel a distinctly 1930’s charm. It's just delicious!
Antoine et Lili is unmistakably the place alongside the Canal. It is a quirky fashion boutique whose bright yellow and pink facade is now an icon. Don't miss it for the latest in urban fashion and "ethnic" clothing. The "village" also includes a restaurant, bakery, and tearoom. It is defiantly a place to visit and take some photos.
If you look into the distance in the photo you can catch a glimpse of the Bastille angel.
There is much to see & do in this area if yo so choose. Along the Promenade Canal St. Martin one can enjoy a stroll along the water's edge while viewing amazing sunset's over the canal or linger over a coffee and a pastry while feeling that you are experiencing the true Paris. There is also the Musee de l'Eventail which exhibits a collection of more than 400 fans from the 18th century to the present day. A lot of eye candy there! Also check out the Palais des Glaces (Palace of Mirrors) features two comedic shows.
Or if shopping is your pleasure (as it is mine), then you may want to perusethe Indian shops in le Passage Brady, which is a slightly dilapidated passageway. It's full of Indian and Pakistani restaurants, which gives it the nickname Little Bombay. My personal favorite, however, would have to be the Marché St-Quentin it offers a variety of goods from flowers and produce to antiques and candies. On the Rue de Marseille, you will find many chic clothing boutiques, and you’ll also find Du Pain et des Idées, one of the best bakeries in Paris.
I personally find it most beautiful in the Winter when the snow has fallen & the children are bundled up playing. It is beautiful all year round though.
Bisou Mon Amis!
As Winter is creeping up on us & there is a chill in the air, I sit here remembering the warm days (no, strike that the sizzling days) in Paris.
Beach volleyball in front of the Hotel de Ville ~ Incredible!
The summer transforms Paris! The cityscape dons Palm trees (In a very French fashion, potted & expertly placed in a neat row) and the riverside thoroughfares become car-free resorts.
Even the ice cream looks heavenly!
The Paris Plages (Paris Beaches) operation kicks off on or around 20 July and lasts four weeks. It began in 2002.
A Seine-side holiday is what Paris Plages is all about ~ complete with sandy beaches, deckchairs, ubiquitous ice cream sellers, and concerts for French and foreign guests.
Holidaymakers at the Bassin de la Villette (Paris 19) can also borrow books free of charge, play beach volley, take an aquagym class in a mini pool, or kayak around the lake – or, of course just relax and enjoy.
It doesn't get much better than this!The Seine’s banks become pedestrian and the beaches are spread across three spots (Louvre/Pont de Sully, Port de la Gare and Bassin de la Villette). The project attracted more than 3 million visitors last year & is such a fun way to spend your time. There really is something for every taste.
The floating swimming pool is a great place to spend an afternoon. They have aqua aerobics and fun activities for the children. There are life guards on duty as well.
Quai~side swimming anyone?
It is generally open from about 8am nonstop until midnight! There is entertainment for everybody! Live musical performances, street performers, everything! It's such a pleasant & easy way to spend all day fighting the heat. My favorite part of Paris Plage, however, is the fantastic people you get to meet! We made so many new friends and met up with our old friends too! You can't beat friends, palm trees, colorful parasols, bathing suits, & ice~cream!
The lights at night are truly magical!So, the next time you are in this gorgeous city when it sizzles! Try to check the Paris Plage out! So fun!
If you get too hot you can run through the misters! Bisou Mon Amis!
Photos via flickr
Chenonceau is known for it's stunning floral displays, this is one Chenonceau is known as the Queens Castle and when visiting it you can see why. It was owned in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, then made even more attractive by Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis, and saved from the French Revolution by Mrs Dupin.
The chateau is located in the Loire Valley near the small village of Chenonceaux and it was built on the river Cher, which lends itself to incredible views and breathtaking architecture. It has been written about as early as the 11th century but nobody is quite sure the exact time it was built.
The Green gardenThe original manor was torched in the 1400's to punish owner Jean Marques. He rebuilt a castle on the site in the 1430's. After his death, his indebted heir Pierre Marques sold the castle to Thomas Bohier, Chamberlain for King Charles VIII in 1513. Bohier destroyed the castle and built an entirely new residence. The work was overseen by his wife Katherine Briçonnet, who delighted in hosting French nobility. Eventually, the château was seized by François I for unpaid debts to the Crown, and after François' death in 1547, Henry II offered the château as a gift to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers who became attached to the château. She had the arched bridge constructed, joining the château to the opposite bank. She then oversaw the planting of extensive gardens. Set along the banks of the river, but buttressed from flooding by stone terraces, the exquisite gardens were laid out.
Diane's Garden
Diane de Poitiers was the mistress of the castle, but ownership remained with the crown until 1555, when years of delicate legal maneuvers finally yielded possession to her. However, after King Henry II died in 1559, his widow Catherine de' Medici had Diane expelled. Because the estate no longer belonged to the crown, she could not seize it outright, but forced Diane to exchange it for the Château Chaumont. Queen Catherine then made Chenonceau her own favorite residence, adding a new series of gardens.
Louise of Lorraine's bedroom. Decorated to reflect the mourning of her husband.
When Catherine died in 1589 the château went to her daughter-in-law, Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont. It was here at Chenonceau that Louise was told of her husband's assassination and she fell into a state of depression, spending her days wandering aimlessly along the vast corridors dressed in all White mourning clothes (as was the etiquette of royal mourning, this is how she came to be known as the "White Queen") amidst black tapestries stitched with skulls. Her bedroom has been reconstructed around the original ceiling. It is decorated with mourning objects : silver tears, widows' cordons, crowns of thorns and the Greek letter - l - lambda, Louise's initial, intertwined with the H of Henri III
In 1720 Madame Louise Dupin acquired the castle and brought it back to life by entertaining the leaders of The Enlightenment: Voltaire, Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. She saved the château from destruction during the French Revolution, preserving it from being destroyed by the Revolutionary Guard because it was essential to travel and commerce, being the only bridge across the river for many miles. She is said to be the one who changed the spelling of the Château (from Chenonceaux to Chenonceau) to please the villagers. In 1864, Daniel Wilson, a Scotsman, bought the château for his daughter. She would spend a fortune on elaborate parties to such an extent that her finances were depleted and the château was seized and sold to José-Emilio Terry, a Cuban millionaire, in 1891. 
A view of the Cher
During World War I the gallery was used as a hospital ward; during the Second War it was a means of escaping from the Nazi occupied zone on one side of the River Cher to the "free" Vichy zone on the opposite bank.
The mazeThe chateau holds so much beauty and grandeur. It is almost too much to behold! The extensive collections held here are almost worth the visit alone. The collections include masterpieces from Le Primatice, Rubens, Le Tintoret, Rigaud, Nattier, Van Loo, just to name a few. Many of its' original pieces of furniture can be viewed in Versailles. It also contains Renaissance furniture and a vast ensemble of XVI and XVIIth tapestries.
A tour through the vast gardens is an absolute must and much time should be allotted for this purpose. Diane's garden or, "Le Jardin de Diane", has the garden's original fountain.
On the commemorative bronze plate placed near the garden we can read the description of it by Jacques Androuet de Cerceau in his book "The Most Excellent Buildings of France" written between 1576-1579. The flower beds themselves are planted twice a year with 30,000 to 32,000 plants for each planting:
On the commemorative bronze plate placed near the garden we can read the description of it by Jacques Androuet de Cerceau in his book "The Most Excellent Buildings of France" written between 1576-1579. The flower beds themselves are planted twice a year with 30,000 to 32,000 plants for each planting:
1. The spring plantings: yellow Viola pansies and blue, white roses depending on the decorative theme, daisies, pink or white bellis perennises and their bulbs ; daffodils and mysosotises.
2. The summer plantings: petunias, tobacco, lilliput dahlias, patiences, verveine, or more begonias.
Catherine's garden, which features splendid climber rose-trees and a majestic alley of 16 orange trees, you can see the Building of the Domes, which previously contained the Royal stables and the silk raising yard. You then enter the courtyard of the 16th century farm, and lastly the Flower Garden, where countless flowers for cutting are exclusively produced. These flowers are earmarked for the floral decoration of the Monument, the Building of the Domes, and the Orangerie.
The Gardeners house (how beautiful)
The maze is also a must see attraction but my favorite part of the visit...a fun ride down the Cher in a lovely Green little boat. Rowing along and feeling the history and splendor of this charming castle was riveting. You could just imagine all of the secret rendezvous and plots that were laid out here over the passage of time. Enchanting! I hope you get a chance to see this gem & I hope I get a chance to go back!
The Hall
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Breathtaking!
Like a fairytale!Bisou Mon Amis!
~Photos via Flickr & the Chateau Chenonceau site~
Could this possibly be one of the world's most romantic spots? I think it may be! I dream of going back to Paris it's almost an ache that fills my dreams. I was watching the Henri de Toulouse~Lautrec movie (from the 60's, it made me cry) and a scene had this magnificent bridge in it. I couldn't help but to close my eyes and picture the last time I stood on that very bridge. It was a very cold day and I knew I was coming home to the States in less than a week so I tried to get a glimpse of as much as could.I tried to savor the memory, the taste, the feel, the sounds, & the smell of these incredible places and people I had been so lucky to be in the presence of for the last 3 years. Basically, I remember saying goodbye to Paris on this bridge :(
Paris is such a remarkable city with so much of it's emphasis on the river Seine. The river defines much of the city. It divides the city in half, the Right bank & the Left bank, distances are measured from it, street numbers determined by it, the quays are lined with striking apartments, monuments, & museums. The city relies heavily on this river. Of all of its' great uses, however, my personal favorite aspect would have to be the bridges. Asking me to pick my favorite bridge would be like asking a mother to pick her favorite child! I love them all! They all lead to someplace more magnificent & magical than the last, they all have some sort of story, they all serve a great purpose and many have been here for centuries.
I do, however, have a personal love affair with the Pont Alexandre III. I know, I know it's so Paris cliche, but I can't help it! It's magic! Absolutely breathtaking. It takes on different personalities throughout the day and with the change in seasons & weather. It is passionate, torrid, romantic, sexy, beautiful, sad, hopeful, luxurious, & all of the other emotions that its' pedestrians feel on it.
A bit of history on this romantical structure...It is Art Nouveau in it's decoration of nymphs, cherubs, winged horsed, bountiful flowers, and torches. It was built between 1896 ~ 1900 just in time for the famed Universal Exhibition. It was built to celebrate the ratification of the Russian~French alliance and named after Tsar Alexandre III. His son lay the foundation cornerstone.
The bridge connects the Champs~Elysees quarter to Les Invalides quarter. The statues on the two support pillars on the Right bank symbolize medieval France & modern France while the statues on the Left bank represent Renaissance France & the country in the time of the Sun King. There are also symbols representing Russia, the Seine, & Neva..jpg)
Like I mentioned above, I saw this bridge in the Toulouse~Lautrec movie & I was thinking "What other movies have I seen this bridge in"? I think I have also seen it in Anastasia, & a Gene Kelly movie that I can't place right now could it have been An American in Paris? I'm not sure. What movies have you seen it in? I would love to hear! If you get a chance, visit this amazing bridge for me & share a kiss with your sweetie on it! 
Goodbye all! & ...
Bisou Mon Amis!
All images from Flickr
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