Apologies for my ignorance, but why are there barriers under the Eiffel?

Thank you, denisea! You are a very sweet soul. I have a nervous stomach, and unfortunately this happens regularly. It�s not usually this bad though.

Yup kerouac and geetika ... we all hate it, and I also think it�s permanent. I can�t think of a scenario where it�s no longer needed. Well not for the next 20 years anyway. Kerouac, thank you also for the photo you added, doing some trouble-shooting on my posting problem! And quite the most lovely picture, too.

Adelaidean, those barriers are to control access to the site � for security, and also, to my cynical mind, to make sure to collect the fees.

I hope you get to Paris this year, thewizzart5548!

Oooh danon, I will be so happy to see that report!

Wednesday 1 June.
There was a bit of a breakthrough today, but not until later in the day. I felt pretty good upon rising, so I was hoping for a good day.

I had to move apartments today. When I paid the deposit for this Paris Perfect apartment b.c. (before covid), I had gotten it on sale, and I was going to stay there for 14 nights. However, when I was able to use that deposit, PP was no longer offering sales, and I could only afford 5 nights there. So I found another apartment at a super value (a commercial venture, booked at booking dot com), and today was moving day. I was packed up and out the door by 09.30. The PP folks let me store my cases in their offices for the day, since I couldn�t check in at the new place until 15.00.
So after stashing the bags, I took the bus to the Pont Neuf (the �New Bridge,� ironically the oldest bridge in Paris). I intended to wander the islands, but there were blockades and obstacles cutting off access. Just past Pl. Dauphine, just before the court houses, the way was blocked with barriers, police vans, and very stern police. I don�t know if there was a notorious criminal, or a notorious barrister, or a notorious judge �. or perhaps half of the �le de la Cit� will be blocked off forever now, too. I tried both sides of the island and finally had to take the bridge to the mainland, walk down, then cross back at Rue de la Cit�. Notre Dame is also behind barricades because of the construction work. The barricades proclaim these are �The First Months of a Renaissance,� and they are full of bilingual explanations and pictures of every step in the re-building process.
I had lunch at the Caf� St Regis on the �le Saint Louis, a coupe de champagne, mushroom risotto, and a strawberry tarte. Yumyum.

Took the bus back to the offices of the first apartment, grabbed my bags, then another bus to the new apartment. The guy gave me the codes for the door over the phone, so I just let myself in. Trip to the nearest grocery store for new supplies, then unpacking and settling in. It�s a nice apartment, with a very nice view over a small park to the St Francoise Xavier church. Get to stay here for 9 nights.

Anticipation, joy.. it's so beautiful



La Conciergerie


Approaching Pl Dauphine







First Months of a Renaissance




I'mma say this is the year of Paris Barricades


Chauffeur life.

I am sure the barricades don�t add to a positive vacation vibe. Glad to see progress at Notre Dame but also gotta be a little sad seeing her bandaged up and not back to her best.

I love Cafe St Regis�I always loved the little main street on Isle St Louis. glad you started feeling a bit better.

The trial concerning the terrorist attacks of November 2015 (131 killed at the Bataclan, the caf�s and around the Stade de France plus 350 injured) are being held at the old Palais de Justice, and the area is closed off during the day on trial days. The trial started in November 2021 and will last at least 9 months. Obviously covid has also caused delays -- both for starting the trial and for defendants, lawyers and others testing positive during the procedures).Buses and traffic are diverted. On weekends and holidays and at night the streets are open;

Normally this trial should have taken place at the new Tribunal de Paris at Porte de Clichy, but no courtroom was big enough. A new temporary courtroom has been built in the huge common area of the Palais de Justice with all of the space and facilities needed. The are 20 defendants (only one of whom is a survivor of the attacks), 1765 plaintiffs and more than 300 lawyers. There are 469 volumes of documents to be inspected, including 45,000 police reports. So all of this will disrupt the island until 2023 probably. Then it will all be dismantled and the old Palais de Justice should be able to go into permanent retirement and conversion into yet another museum or cultural establishment.

Interesting kerouac. I am sure the trial is closely watched and the security and barricades all make sense now. Sad to remember the attack.

ahhhhh. Kerouac, thanks for that info. I feel like such a rube, that I didn�t know of such an important event going on. I was in Paris when that attack occurred, and I remember the police sirens that sounded throughout the night. Even before I read the news in the morning, it was obvious that something momentous had happened. And during the day, people, even all of us tourists, were walking around like zombies, grieving and mourning and in shock with all of humanity.

Yes, denisea, I encountered so many barricades everywhere�. Some just temporary (like around St Sulpice, below), some long-term, and some permanent. I understand the need for them all. But they did somehow just sort of make Paris seem distant. Sort of like trying to relive one�s glory days, lol. So it fits. How cool that you know Caf� St Regis! It was a good spot! I also love the islands�. It is always beauty, beauty everywhere.

Thursday 2 June
Today was the anti-day. I followed no plan and had no ideas what to do, except I knew that I wanted to buy new eyeglasses frames. I adore my current frames; I got them at the Opticiens du Bac, who specialize in round frames, and make all their eyeglass frames on site. I wanted a back-up of my current style, then got a totally round set. I adore them.

Then I took a bus for a few stops to go to St Sulpice, a church I love with a sculpture I love even more. But there was a book fair or something, with multiple tents and obstacles, so I could not get close to the lion. Then on to the Cluny, which I love (I go inside just about every 3d visit to Paris� I have little patience, even for stellar museums). You used to be able to peer into the courtyard to see a horse trough, but like Mme. Eiffel, it is totally shut up now. Then lunch at Le Bistro du Perigord, a total lucky find, rated 4.7 on Google, and it was great. Then meandering around Shakespeare & Co and Rue de la Huchette. When I was a student here, Rue de la Huchette was pretty seedy, but you could get a great couscous and amazing red Algerian wine. It�s totally tarted-up now for tourists.

Today is a good example why the Navigo Weekly Pass works so well. I was still feeling lazy, so took busses for just a few stops several times. At one point, I had been waiting 10 minutes for a specific bus, and was tired of waiting, so just hopped on the next bus, which got me to a busier corner, where I took 2 more busses to get home.
The 2d apartment I rented is behind those trees

St Sulpice






Roman baths


Beautifyl Cluny



Homage to the Sorbonne



St Julien le Pauvre

A Fodorite was here over the weekend, and the line to get in was even longer.








Old frames, new frames, new frames

We all know you didn�t know about the trial and as a result, the barricades! Don�t feel bad. The world we are living in is beyond crazy. It�s always a little frustrating to deal with this stuff when traveling whether it�s the inconvenience or just the fact that a beautiful view can be ruined.

We have been to Cafe St Regis a number of times. I remember having a great chat with a man from Portugal but had lived near St Germain des Pres for a long time before moving to Isle St Louis. He was quite a character.

the frames�we have friends who also live to buy frames in Paris! I would never have thought of it!

Friday 3 June
Enjoying the prospect of not planning. I�ve abandoned the Michelin Walks and decided just to head out to see areas and sights I love. Today I just wanted to see the Eustache church; stopped at the Hotel de Ville enroute, then saw the Eustache, then went on to the Montorgueil market street. It was jammed!!


The magnificent Hotel de Vile


Just yer average pizza joint









The Forum Les Halles

Gardens everywhere


One of my favorites, St Eustache



And of course, more barricades






I've never been here in the summer.... so crowded

Do ya blame me??

Walking home

Hi again denisea! Wow, that is another fun coincidence -- your friend who only buys frames in Paris! I did this by accident; I was walking by the shop and noticed that all the frames in the window were round... and I had been looking for round frames for, like, a lifetime. It would be great sometime to meet irl at the Caf� Regis, eh??

Saturday 4 June
Saturday was just a bit of the Marais, starting with the Hotel de Sens (15th C), some medieval buildings, Rue Charlemagne (lol as if the name of a street could could help me understand that era), the wall of Philip Augustus (13th C), and the Village St Paul (a small warren of artisan shops and cafes).


Crossing over to the Marais


Love these islands and these views

H�tel de Sully

Gardens of the H�tel de Sully







Oldest house in the Marais?


Beautiful Rue des Barres

Village St Paul

Beautiful, swandav!

Enjoying your lovely photos swandav.

Thanks.

Maybe we will meet at Cafe St Regis! Your photos are really good.

I have to admit that I haven�t been to Hotel de Sully or the Cluny. And I have probably walked past the Cluny at least 50 times. It�s one of those places that I do want to go and am not sure why I haven�t (the same as a Seine cruise).

so much in Paris still to see and do!

Ahhhh Paris! Great photos with the lovely blue skies.

I’ve mentioned before about a book called “Aging Well” and in it the author says….My wife’s answer to aging well is, A year shall not pass without going to Paris.

Since Covid put a dent in that system we have some catching up to do. Thanks so much for taking us along with you.

Thank you so much, Adelaidean and Melnq8!

Thank you denisea! You are so right -- I there are do many things I haven't done yet. I may have to stay a month (after my kitty passes...).

TPAYT, thanks back at you for the kind words! And I hope you get back soon, and I'll be eagerly following your report! That is a very fine way to handle aging

Monday 6 June
Headed to the 5th today� the market street Rue Moufftard, St Etienne du Mont church, the Pantheon, and the Arenas de Lutece. I was surprised to see another end of the Wall of Philip Augustus jutting out on one street. I had intended to also see the Luxembourg Gardens, but I didn�t have the energy for it. For some unknown reason, I have not fallen in love with the Luxembourg, which is baffling, since it has all the elements of a wonderful Paris park: trees, flowers, paths, water, chairs, glimpses of stunning architecture, children playing� But anyway, I could not convince myself to get there, so I didn�t.


Pl Contrescarp



One of the Master Fromagers in Paris... a real treat.

....and a stunning building


Rue Moufftard








Arenas de Lutece, about 2d C






St Etienne du Mont


Pantheon





Goodbye Pantheon!

It�s interesting that you have a similar issue to me�we have a 15 year old dog in kidney failure. She needs subcutaneous fluids every few days and so we aren�t traveling until she is gone. We�ve already stolen time as she has been in failure for over 2 years and the progression has been slow and minimal. We boarded her at the vet when we went to Ireland and she just didn�t do well, so we�ll start planning travel again once she has crossed the rainbow bridge.

I love the area around the Pantheon, so fun to see those photos. I do love Luxembourg Gardens but we all have something that most people love that we don�t. As many times as I have been to Paris, I have zero interest in going up in the ET.

I have never been a fan of the Luxembourg Gardens either. They are probably good for people unwilling or unable to explore the other fantastic parks in Paris. This is probably a good things for us Parisians. Whenever I hear foreign languages spoken in most of the other parks, the people are still local residents and not just tourists.

No, I have nothing against tourists. I am one when I go anywhere else;