Looking at my vault, found some older pictures in of all places my old albums that I have just finished updating them with fresh pages to keep my photos longer in good shape ! . These were not yet in my blog and they should be ! Nostalgia sets in and here I go on the curiosities of Paris, Part VI. The pictures are from different years but all from before I came to live in France !! . I have added a brief description of the places, but all have posts in my blog. Hope you enjoy these marvels of my eternal Paris !!!
The Church of the Madeleine is a pure masterpiece of neoclassical architecture, very fashionable in France in the 18C. It was built in response to the Palais Bourbon, located opposite, on the other side of the Seine and the Concorde. This district, newly attached to Paris in 1722 ,former suburb, named Ville l’Évêque, was undergoing rapid growth, which had to be ordered. The new church was thus part of a vast redevelopment plan for this part of the city, integrated into Place de la Concorde, Place Louis XV . The church we see today is the work of Pierre-Alexandre Vignon. He simply made a clean sweep of what had been built over decades, to build this temple of Greco-Roman inspiration, keeping only the columns. The church, located today in one of the most remarkable districts of Paris, is one of the most visible monuments of the city. Between the 8téme and 9éme arrondissements, at the end of rue Royale, Boulevard des Italiens and Boulevard Malesherbes, it is impossible to miss it. At the top of the 28 steps, you can feel the majesty of this peripteral temple with 52 Corinthian columns: 30 meters high, 108 meters long and 43 meters wide. The church was finally consecrated in 1845. Indeed, it is a Cavaillé- Coll, of which Camille Saint-Saëns himself was titular organist from 1857 to 1877! Today, the concerts of the Madeleine Church are still famous, people come from all over to attend them.
The Paris tourist office on the Church de la Madeleine: https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71158/Eglise-de-la-Madeleine
At the heart of the Hôtel des Invalides, the Saint-Louis Cathedral bears witness to the importance given to faith by Louis XIV. The history of this building makes it possible to cross the ages in a grandiose setting. In 1676, the young architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart was commissioned to build a church on the Parisian site of Les Invalides. Dedicated to King Louis IX, canonized under the name of Saint Louis, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity, The classical-style church opened its doors to boarders in 1679. Under the vault of the soldiers’ church are banners with various effigies. They are war trophies, flags that have belonged to France’s enemies throughout history. Long seat of the general vicariate of the armies, the Saint-Louis des Invalides Church officially became the cathedral of the diocese of the French armies in 1986. As a result, despite the separation of church and state, the cathedral displays the national emblem between its walls. Today, masses continue to be celebrated in Saint-Louis Cathedral, which also hosts the concerts of the Invalides Musical Season.
The Paris tourist office on the Cathedral Saint Louis des Invalides : https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71308/Cathedrale-Saint-Louis-des-Invalides-Hotel-national-des-Invalides
It is grand, intense, magical, impressive, atypical, geometric, there are no adjectives to describe the originality of this major architectural work of French heritage, erected as an extension of the historic axis of Paris. Its style, resolutely modern, testifies to its openness to the world. Inaugurated on July 14, 1989 during the bicentenary of the French Revolution and on the occasion of the G7, it was initially named “La Grande Arche de la Fraternité”. Offset by six and a half degrees , the same as that of the Louvre pyramid , it then offers a new perspective: that of a third dimension. Built like a bridge 110 meters high, resting on a frame of 12 pillars, La Grande Arche overlooks the Esplanade de la Défense and the city of Paris. Offering access to the Roof, the LA CITY restaurant is open Monday to Friday from 12h to 14h30, with a capacity of 70 seats. In the evening, the restaurant can be privatized for events.
The Paris tourist office on the Grande Arche de la Défense :https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71478/Le-Toit-de-la-Grande-Arche
The Luxembourg Garden belongs to the Senate and is open to the public. Acquired by Marie de Medici between 1614 and 1631, the Jardin du Luxembourg underwent many modifications, until the work carried out by Haussmann between 1850 and 1870, which gave it its current layout. It is not just a place for a walk in the heart of Paris. There is also a puppet theatre, a playground, tennis courts, an orchard and beehives where bees make their honey. In summer, there are many chess and boules players and many concert-goers meet at the bandstand. The Luxembourg Museum presents prestigious art exhibitions. The Palais de Luxembourg in the garden is the Senate of the French Republic (France), Senate debates, most often on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, are open to the public. Those wishing to attend must obtain an invitation from a Senator , Access to the session is guaranteed within the limit of available places, My senators from the Morbihan are Muriel Jourdan, LR, Jöel Labbé (Eco) Jacques Le Nay (centrist).
The Paris tourist office on the Jardin du Luxembourg : https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71393/Jardin-du-Luxembourg
At the origin of Bouquinistes or booksellers, there is the word bouquin, a familiar form of book. Printed for the first time in 1459, it was then called “boucquain” and became “bouquin” towards the end of the 16C. It comes from the Flemish word “boeckin” meaning small book (in the sense of a book of little value or little esteem, itself derived from the medieval Middle Dutch “boek”: book. The first appearance of the term “bouquiniste” is noted in the Trévoux Dictionary in 1752, with this definition: « Which is said of the sellers of old books, of books ». The current boxes were made official in 1891, when a municipal decree authorized booksellers to leave their merchandise overnight at the place of sale granted to them. Until then, books were offered in small, easy-to-handle wooden boxes. Around 1900, it was required that the boxes should all be the same color called “wagon green”, like the first Metro, the Wallace fountains and the Morris columns. In addition, the raised cover should not exceed 2.10 meters above the ground, so as not to block the view. During the Universal Exhibition of 1900, there were already 200 booksellers on the banks of the Seine. Today, there are 3 km of old or contemporary books, engravings, stamps and other magazines that can be surveyed. All installed on the parapets of the high quays of the two banks of the Seine enclosing the Île de la Cité and Saint-Louis, On the rive droite or right bank, they are from the Pont de Marie bridge to the Pont des Arts, which is from the quay of the Hôtel de Ville to the quay of the Louvre : On the rive gauche or left bank ,they are from Pont Sully to Pont Royal which is from Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Voltaire, A wonderful sight of my Paris !
The Paris tourist office no the Booksellers or Bouquinistes : https://en.parisinfo.com/shopping-paris/73937/Les-bouquinistes-de-Paris
And the official association of Bouquinistes that defend and protect this wonderful heirloom of my Paris have a Facebook page :https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064932720523
There you go folks another dandy set of views and sights of my eternal Paris, never a dull moment in the most beautiful City in the World, These are wonderful spots that brings nice memories to me and my family, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the curiosities of Paris as I
And remember,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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