Paris-9/24/2015 - 10-5/2

Notre Dame de Paris Île S. Louis, Le Marais Lunch, cheese & wine Dinner at la Régalade

Île saint Louis, Le Marais

From Notre Dame de Paris we walked to Île Saint Louis, a natural Island in the Seine River.  This small island is really charming with markets, bakeries, fromageries and cafés, while much of Paris has modernized over the years, the Île Saint Louis remains romantically frozen in the 17th century and it is exactly why people go there.

Crossing the Pont Louis-Philippe, a bridge across the River Seine.  The bridge links the Quai de Bourbon on the Île Saint-Louis with the Saint-Gervais neighborhood on the right bank.

 

Kevin and Kristie on the Pont Louis-Philippe

Looking back at the Notre Dame de Paris from Île Saint-Louis.

 

Hotel de Sens

Last year we walked around Le Marais and searched a good 30 minutes for the Hotel de Sens and we never found it, so this year I was determined to find it.  With Thuan's help we found it within a few minutes.

The Hôtel de Sens is a City palace in the Marais, in the 4th arrondissement. It was built during the years of approximately 1475 to 1509 as a residence for Tristan de Salazar, who was the archbishop of Sens and hence its name. 

The hotel de Sens is one of Paris's few surviving medieval residences, with immaculate gardens.

Well manicured garden, and very peaceful.

This mansion is one of three medieval private residences remaining in Paris.

There are benches for people to sit, relax and to admire the elegant formal garden.

It is a real treat to slow down, taking time to relax in a really quiet and charming area away from the hustle and bustle of the city less than 5 minutes away..

 

From the garden we passed by the court yard.

The Hotel de Sens houses now the Bibliothèque Fourney (Library) devoted to graphic an applied arts. An arched entry leads into the entrance of the library.

The Hotel de Sens also holds temporary exhibitions from time to time, and the courtyard and library are open to the public -Tuesday to Friday from 1.30pm to 8.30pm and on Saturday from 10am to 8:30pm.

 

There's a cannonball lodged high in the front wall of the Hôtel de Sens. Some history, if you're interested (I personally just like the cannonball), this medieval building was built between 1475 and 1519, originally housed the archbishops of Paris during the middle ages, and then in 1605 Queen Margot, Henri IV's ex-wife, moved in - See more at: http://www.coolstuffinparis.com/cannonball_hotel_de_sens.php#sthash.FHl1Zq5O.dpuf
his is something tiny and it takes no more than a minute to enjoy, but I absolutely love it. There's a cannonball lodged high in the front wall of the Hôtel de Sens. Some history, if you're interested (I personally just like the cannonball), this medieval building was built between 1475 and 1519, originally housed the archbishops of Paris during the middle ages, and then in 1605 Queen Margot, Henri IV's ex-wife, moved in. - See more at: http://www.coolstuffinparis.com/cannonball_hotel_de_sens.php#sthash.FHl1Zq5O.dpuf
This is something tiny and it takes no more than a minute to enjoy, but I absolutely love it. There's a cannonball lodged high in the front wall of the Hôtel de Sens. Some history, if you're interested (I personally just like the cannonball), this medieval building was built between 1475 and 1519, originally housed the archbishops of Paris during the middle ages, and then in 1605 Queen Margot, Henri IV's ex-wife, moved in. - See more at: http://www.coolstuffinparis.com/cannonball_hotel_de_sens.php#sthash.FHl1Zq5O.dpuf
This is something tiny and it takes no more than a minute to enjoy, but I absolutely love it. There's a cannonball lodged high in the front wall of the Hôtel de Sens. Some history, if you're interested (I personally just like the cannonball), this medieval building was built between 1475 and 1519, originally housed the archbishops of Paris during the middle ages, and then in 1605 Queen Margot, Henri IV's ex-wife, moved in. - See more at: http://www.coolstuffinparis.com/cannonball_hotel_de_sens.php#sthash.FHl1Zq5O.dpuf

This the front of the Hotel de Sens. 
 

The architecture of the Hotel de Sens features some elements of defense such as turrets built for surveillance, a square tower that served as a dungeon and the arched entryway that had chutes built into it enabling defenders to pour boiling water on invaders. 
 

This is the interesting part of this building.  Look carefully and you will see a cannon ball lodged into the wall- (black ball the size of a fist)

On July 28th, 1830, during the three insurrection days against King Charles X, the revolting citizens besieged the Hotel de Ville district, building barricades and shooting cannons into the old city. One of those cannonballs hit the Hotel de Sens, and remains fixed on the eastern facade of the mansion. The date of the event is now carved in the stones under the enshrined projectile, turning it into a genuine and very unusual memorial to the French Revolution

There's a cannonball lodged high in the front wall of the Hôtel de Sens. Some history, if you're interested (I personally just like the cannonball), this medieval building was built between 1475 and 1519, originally housed the archbishops of Paris during the middle ages, and then in 1605 Queen Margot, Henri IV's ex-wife, moved in - See more at: http://www.coolstuffinparis.com/cannonball_hotel_de_sens.php#sthash.FHl1Zq5O.dpuf

 

Rue Saint Antoine

 

Roasted chicken looks so good when you are hungry!

 

This is an interesting store which we do not have in the U.S., they sell cheese that are aged by an affineur ( A person who ages cheese).

 

Laurent Dubois has an artisan cheese shop and received the highest rank as meilleur ouvrier de France which is a very prestigious award.

I would love to buy some cheese but we were just passing by....

 

Place des Vosges

Place des Vosges is a magnificent square bordered by arcaded pink-Bricks (look at back ground) and stone mansions with a formal garden at its center.

The square was commissioned in 1605 by Henry IV and was inaugurated in 1612 for the wedding of Louis XVIII and Anne of Austria.

 

Beautiful fountain.

We have been walking for over 3 hours now and it looks like Thuan and Hoa are bit tired so they are resting a bit while I am taking pictures.

 

Nice picture of Kristie and Kevin.

 

More view of the square...

 

Musée Carnavalet

The Carnavalet Museum is dedicated to the Parisian history. The Hôtel Carnavalet was purchased by the Municipal Council of Paris in 1866; it was opened to the public in 1880. By the latter part of the 20th century, the museum was bursting at the seams. The Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau was annexed to the Carnavalet and opened to the public in 1989.

The Hôtel Carnavalet is a beautiful Renaissance mansion surrounded by an attractive garden.

 

 

Next.... Lunch- Cheese & Wine

Home

Travel

Our house

Birthdays

Photo Gallery

 Mon  petit coin