Paris Walkabouts

October 20, 2021 to October 24, 2021

After returning from the Baie de Somme, I spent the rest of the week doing what I love best in Paris – walking the city streets and parks with an occasional museum visit. I’ve combined three of these days into this single large post, which might be viewed as a photo dump with some commentary and captions.

There is no cycling involved in this post, but I do want to comment on riding bicycles in Paris. When I lived here in 2015, I was an avid user of Velib, the Paris bike share system. I found biking in Paris to be convenient, safe, and fun. In 2017, the entire system was replaced with new stations and new bikes, including e-bikes. The new system had a rough start - it was referred to as Velibgate - but the problems appear to be resolved. While I've not used the Velib in my last few trips to Paris, I have observed marked improvements in the biking infrastructure throughout the city, including many more designated/separated bike lanes. Next time I plan to get my Velib pass and once again enjoy biking the streets of Paris. Now, back to the walkabouts.

October 20, Notre Dame

Of the many iconic Paris structures, the Notre Dame Cathedral is perhaps my favorite – I love the gargoyles, the twin towers and, most of all, the flying buttresses. I love to walk around the grounds and, on occasion, go inside and even attend Mass. Like many around the world, I sat transfixed and devastated on that April day in 2019 as I watched flames engulf and almost destroy this great cathedral. I’d been back once since the fire, in the fall of 2019, just as the restoration job was getting started. I was eager to return this year, but my visit in early September was foiled by my falling and twisting my foot. Today the weather was dry and sunny – a perfect day for strolling through central Paris and visiting an old friend.

My walk began in the Tuileries, looking splendid in its fall colors. I made my way through the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, past the Louvre and across Pont Neuf onto the Ile de la Cité. There is heightened security in the area surrounding the Palais du Justice due the trial of suspected terrorists, blocking access to most of of the small roads leading to Notre Dame. I wandered into Place Dauphine, I think for the first time, before I was finally forced to join the crowds along the Quai des Orfrères.

Notre Dame still attracts visitors, and though it is undergoing restoration it almost has the feel of a memorial – perhaps a living memorial to what once was and hope for what soon will be. The walled barriers along the west and north sides now function as museum walls - displays of children’s art are on the west side while placards describing the activities, technologies, and people involved in the repair and restoration flank the north side. Rising above are the towers, the crane, and shrouded scaffolding.

I left feeling hopeful, and walked over to Ile to de Cité for my tradition of enjoying an ice cream cone while sitting on the edge of the Seine.

A pity there wasn't more water in the fountain to capture the reflection of both the Pyramid and The Louvre

Place Dauphine bedecked for Halloween. When I was here in 2015 I had a hard time finding pumpkins - now, signs of Halloween are everywhere

At the request of the Archbishop of Paris, over 6,000 children from around the world submitted artwork on the theme "Draw me Notre Dame: the cathedral you know or the cathedral you imagine." A small sample of those submissions is displayed on the east side barrier wall

October 23, Martin Luther King Park

The Martin Luther King Park in Paris is part of the Clichy-Batignolles urban development project, which began in 2001 with the aim of transforming 130 acres of "wasteland" that once served as railway freight yards. Located in the 17th arrondissement, the project was first envisioned as the Olympic Village, a component Paris’ bid for hosting the 2012 Olympics. Although Paris lost out to London for the 2012 Games, the urban development project continued as part of the city's effort at sustainable development. Today Clichy-Batignolles includes not only Martin Luther King Park but also over 3,400 housing units, 30,000 square meters of retail space, and the Tribunal Judiciary of Paris, which houses courts and tribunals that were previously located in the Palais de Justice in central Paris. The entire project was designed using environmental technologies and the Clichy-Batignolles “eco-neighborhood” was awarded a Grand Prize in the 2016 Green City Solutions Awards, an international competition.

I first heard about the park and the new judicial building from Betty when I was visiting Bologna. She was impressed that Paris was not just preserving the classic buildings of the past but was forging into the 21st century with new concepts of urban spaces. Based on her comments, I headed west to the far reaches of the 17th arrondissement, adding another Metro line (the 14) to my list.

On exiting the Metro station I felt a bit like Dorothy awakening in Oz – below me lay 25 acres of diverse green space while above soared tall irregularly shaped buildings. This was not your postcard Paris, and I was eager to explore. The park includes several natural environments as well as playing fields, playgrounds, and a skate park yet is designed in a way that maintains a sense of harmony and serenity. It is definitely worth a visit.

In addition to Martin Luther King Park, the Clichy-Batignolles project includes housing and retail space (left) and the Tribunal Judiciary of Paris, the very tall building on the right. The Tribunal Judiciary was designed by Renzo Piano, who also designed the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris and, oddly enough, the headquarters of Kum and Go, a gas station-convenience store chain based in Des Moines Iowa

The 3,400 housing units vary in size and payment options, including free and controlled rents. I was struck by the fact that all units seem to have an outdoor space/balcony – a very humanizing feature in a large, urban environment.

Pedestrian walkways both separate and connect the various natural landscapes with the open spaces and adjacent neighborhoods

The park includes a number of water/wetland areas designed to be self-renewing.

The skate park also functions as a scooter park

There was quite a bit of activity on the street outside the park, including a number of food trucks....

....and a band playing a pretty dreadful version of "Let the sun shine in".

October 24, Luxembourg Gardens

After yesterday's trip to Martin Luther King Park I decided to go old school and visit Luxembourg Gardens, whose beginnings date back to 1612. The Gardens are not unreasonably far from my apartment and it was a lovely fall Sunday so I decided to walk. Heading out, I opted for an indirect route and promptly got lost among the tangle of streets around Montparnasse – it seems I always opt for the wrong “spoke”. The upsides were many, including a longer walk and discovering new sections of my expanded neighborhood.

I strolled through Montparnasse Cemetery, musing about lives once lived, and found my way to Port Royal from whence I entered the Garden of Grand Explorers, a gateway to Luxembourg Gardens. I don’t usually come this way, but the grand Observatory Fountain at the entrance triggered the memory of my first visit to Paris and these gardens, back in 1991. I’d come to Paris to participate in a science symposium and had bracketed the meeting by visits with Christine and her ex-husband Marc, who I worked with in Montana. The trip to Luxembourg Gardens was my first solo outing on the streets of Paris and I got lost that day as well. I have a vivid memory of sitting on a bench on a Paris street speaking for several minutes in French with an elderly gentleman who helped direct me to Luxembourg Gardens. That might have been the day I fell in love with Paris.

It seemed today that everyone was in love – with Paris, with the gardens, with the beautiful fall day, with each other, with life in general. I know I was! Parisians and tourists were out in force, strolling the grounds, languishing in the mid-day sun, or partaking in the varied activities available in Luxembourg Gardens. I found an empty chair in front of the large pool by the Palace, a prime spot for photo-ops and selfies, and spent a fair bit of time enjoying the sun and people-watching.

The Observatory Fountain at the entrance to the Garden of Grand Explorers

A number of folks agreed that it was a lovely day to visit Luxembourg Gardens and enjoy one of the many activities available at the Gardens

You can rent a sailboat to sail on the pond, and can even choose your country

You can find an empty chair and laze in the sun while people watching (my choice today)

You might go for a shaggy pony ride - I think the tail is as long as she is tall

You can play a game of chess - or watch what appears to be an exciting game of chess at the far table

Soon it was time to go – fellow CycleBlazers Kevin and Sunyoung were finishing up their France bike tour and arriving in Paris this afternoon. We planned to meet for dinner and I had to be home to greet them. Wisely, I took the direct route and made it back home in plenty of time. More to come on the Adventures with CycleBlazers in Paris!

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Rachael AndersonI really enjoyed seeing all the different sides of Paris! It’s been a long time since we’ve been there. I can see why you love it so much.
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonOK, Susan. This was effective. We haven’t been to Paris since 1996. It must be about time to return.
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3 years ago

Susan CarpenterThanks Rachael. Because I’ve spent so much time here I’ve had the luxury of getting beyond the usual “hot spots”, or seeing those “hot spots” from different perspectives, at different times of the year. The city never fails to surprise and delight me.
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3 years ago

Susan CarpenterTo Scott AndersonThanks Scott - see my reply above to Rachaels post. I definitely recommend a return visit, and I’d be happy to show you around a bit should the occasion arise.
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3 years ago