Sacre Coeur and Montmartre

Note:  Were all of you aware that you can click on any of the pictures to make them bigger and easier to see?

I was so busy watching out of the windows this morning that I forgot to take a picture.  The police were out directing traffic at the round about we are adjacent to.  All of the lights were flashing amber. Some honking going on.  (Which is illegal in Paris). And one road blocked off by a parked police car.
We were not sure what was going on.  However, later today the Professor read that the president of Iran is in town.  So maybe..
    But when we got on the Metro we did not have to pay anything.  All of the gates were open and we could simply walk through.   Was this because of the traffic snarl up on the street?  Or because of striking taxi drivers?  We really didn't know.  But we did have to use our passes when we came back home this afternoon.

Sacre Coeur Basilica

No photographs may be taken inside the Basilica.  

There was still a large nativity display that I would have liked to take a picture of. 

However, there was actually a service going on when we entered the 

church.  A woman was singing with the congregation singing along with her.  We assumed she was a nun who had a microphone.  She had the voice of an angel. 

Communion was given.  We were interested to see

that both a priest and a nun gave wafers to worshipers who were lined up to take the sacrament in  remembrance of the Savior.  Some receiving it on the tongue while

others took the emblem in their hands.

Then the priest gave a benediction on all.

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Diocese of Saint-Pierre at Montmartre

A second church building that is easy to overlook because it sits

next to the Basilica of Sacre Coeur.

What captured my attention was a glimpse of three crosses behind a wall in the courtyard.

We never could figure out how to get access to the courtyard but I am still curious about 

three almost life size depictions of men dying on crosses.  Is it permanent?  Left over from

some Easter celebration?  

Saint Antoine

 I was enchanted with this two tone statue of St Anthony and the Christ child.  I cannot find a copy of him on the Internet so I am especially glad that I took a picture of him.  He is gentle and beautiful.  I think that this depiction is far more tender than any of the others that I have seen.

Saint Antoine is the patron saint of lost objects so it seems appropriate that I should admire him. 

Although he was a Franciscan monk who lived in the 13th century this article about him says 

that art depicting him holding the baby Jesus did not become popular until the 18th century.

I assumed that I could learn about this statue online so did not read the information next to him on the wall (or rather have the Professor translate).  I wonder who the artist was.  I might have to go visit Montmartre again.  

Musician playing harp on Montmartre.

Overlooking Paris

Funiculaire

Okay, I did not walk up the steps to the basilica.  I took the funiculaire.

Place du Tertre

Quiet with few artists and even less tourists.

Window display in an art gallery.

Walking down from Montmartre

Stairs that are behind in me in the above picture.

An arson has been destroying motorcycles in this neighborhood.  Our picture does

not show the worst burned bikes. Some have little remaining.

Tourist shops on all of the streets leading down the 

hill from Montmartre.

Lunch of galettes and crepes

Galette/crepe at the Crepuscule on rue Amelie

The shop across from the creperie was established in 1827 and makes

nothing but fans and hats.  

As you can see, Duvelleroy is open by appointment only.

The fan shown is priced at 290 Euros.

Walking to the Petit Palais

It has been a cool blustery day.  I lost my hat to the wind a few times, but we made it indoors before the rain started in earnest.

Walking across the Pont Alexandre III

The Grand and Petit Palais in the background.  Both buildings and 

the bridge were built in the 1890s for a World Exposition.

The Eiffel tower was another construction for the event

Looking back at Les Invalides

Napoleon's Tomb

The courtyard in the center of the Petit Palais.

In the picture above the plant is in bloom in January.

The Petit Palais is a gem where there is no fee to enter.  Among my favorite

works is a statue of Adam and Eve with Adam carrying their dead son Abel.

By Eugene Delacroix

Les Halles painted by Leon Lhermitte

If you click on Les Halles, you will be sent to a link telling the incredible story

of this painting(page 12)  It was exhibited in 1904 then rolled up and put in storage.

Just recently it was brought out and cleaned and stretched.  Detail below.

Another favorite of every day life in Paris

Jean Béraud 

Parisienne, place de la Concorde

Woman with monkey

by Camille Alaphilippe |

Sedan Chair

The Professor's comment, "Elaine calling at taxi."l

Circa 1700-1715

Gilded wood, carved and painted

173 x 82 x 94 cm

The surprising richness of this utilitarian object is explained by the fact that a visitor would step out of the chair under cover in the hallway where it would remain during the visit, becoming part of the decor. It was therefore designed rather as an interior object which was temporarily exposed to inclement weather from which it tried to protect itself with a studded leather roof and panels made of waterproof material such as lacquer or vernis Martin, a lustrous lacquer substitute.

Tapestry Room

Ceramics

Sarah Bernhardt painted by Georges Clarin

 The painter Clairin, who was her lover and then a loyal friend, remained the official portraitist of his illustrious muse for fifty years.

Walking up the Champs Elysees

The prize at the end of the very windy walk up the street

from the Petit Palais

A stop in front of the Disney store

A different food vendor's truck

Charles de Gualle

Winston Churchill striding along next to the Petit Palais on av Winston Churchill.

Churchill quote, "We will never surrender." 

London 4 June 1940/Londres le 4 juin 1940

Yesterday the hotel across the street had some windows open and it 

looked as if someone might be painting walls inside.

This morning this huge "elevator" was leaning against the 

wall carrying huge frames and board up to the top floor.