My last day spent exploring the city of Paris focused on Ile de la Cité, the natural island in the middle of the River Seine where the city was first settled. Like many other days during my first trip to Europe I don't remember much, but fortunately I have my trip diary and several photos to remind me of the places I'd been.
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| The River Seine and Ile de la Cité, Paris (2010) |
On Place Louis Lépine I visited the Marché aux Fleurs, the flower market that has served Parisians since the early 1800s.
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| Marché aux Fleurs, Paris Flower Market (1981) |
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| Marché aux Fleurs, Paris Flower Market (1981) |
A day earlier (a Friday, according to my trip diary) I'd found ducks, swans and even rabbits here, as once a week the market becomes the Marché aux Oiseaux, bird market. Today the bird market takes place on Sundays.
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| Marché aux Oiseaux, Paris Bird Market (1981) |
I strolled through the medieval streets of the Ancien Cloitre Quartier on my way to Notre Dame but I'm not sure if I ventured inside the cathedral.
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| Medieval Street in the Ancien Cloitre Quartier (1981) |
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| Front Facade of Notre Dame Cathedral (2010) |
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| Notre Dame Cathedral (1981) |
I also toured the Conciergerie, the prison where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned during the French Revolution. I described it in my diary as grim. Thanks to another notation about a 14th century public clock I was finally able to identify one of my photos: the oldest public clock in Paris. It still works, following restoration work done in 2012.
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| Conciergerie (1981) |
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| Oldest Public Clock in Paris (1981) |
My notes also mentioned Sainte-Chapelle, the gothic royal chapel famous for its 1,113 stained glass windows but I have no memories or photos. I'm glad I had the chance to revisit this beautiful chapel.
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| Sainte-Chapelle (2010) |
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| Stained Glass Windows of Sainte-Chapelle (2010) |
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| Sainte-Chapelle (2010) |
For my last destination of the day I departed Ile de la Cité and headed for Luxembourg Gardens on the Left Bank of Paris. When I returned more than thirty years later the colour scheme of the gardens had changed from pink to yellow, and the palace looked like it had benefitted from some restoration work.
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| Luxembourg Palace and Gardens (1981) |
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| Luxembourg Gardens (1981) |
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| Medici Fountain (1981) |
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| Luxembourg Palace and Gardens (2012) |
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| Medici Fountain (2012) |
Next time, my first trip to Europe comes to an end with a visit to the Palace of Versailles.
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