For the Love of France
The Other Arch - Arc de Triomphe du Carrouse, Paris
You guessed it! The Louvre
Interior of Notre Dame, Paris
Notre Dame
View from across the River Seine
You guessed it! The Louvre
The Gardens at the Palace of Versailles
The Royal Banquet Hall, Palace of Versailles
A place to call home? Wish! Mougins, South of France
Marc Chagall Original inside the small Cathedral in St. Paul de Vence
Charming!
Inspired by photographs of Europe posted by Debora Zahn, I was reminded of my own memories of my trip to France in 2007. I dug into my photo boxes, having misplaced the digital pictures (my daughter must have stolen them!), and came up with a few that I scanned and have organized for you to see and enjoy.
France is spectacular, and its beauty is sheer magic! From Paris to the South of France where we traveled, there wasn't one thing that did not impress in one way or another.
At the top, you see a picture of the other "Arc" which was similar but smaller than the Arc du Triomphe, but is equally impressive. This one was built to commemorate the victories of Napoleon in early 1800's. Below sits a shot of the famous Louvre pyramid which always reminds me of the movie. "Da Vinci Code" somehow. Going further down, we go into the heart of Paris where the rainy day we experienced, made the Conciergerie look as eerie as it must have to Marie Antoinette who sat imprisoned there during the French Revolution until the day she walked to the Guillotine. Actually it was part of the Royal castle before it was used as a prison, and must have given a different impression then.
Not far from the Conciergerie, stands the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, imposing and magnificent. The next two photos display the stunning interior.
If you visit Paris, you cannot leave without taking a trip by train or road to Versailles, to visit the gorgeous Chateau of Versailles. Its vast, beautiful gardens and grand palace where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette enjoyed a lavish lifestyle until they were captured during the French Revolution speak of France's distinguished history. The banquet hall shown here is known as the Hall of Mirrors.
The pictures below those are from a journey through Mougins, in Provence, a seductive and extremely picturesque town. The houses are quaint, along narrow streets where behind small wooden doorways, you will find artists and sculptors at work. Picasso once lived there, for about 15 years, towards the end of his life.
In another medieval town, St. Paul De Vence in the French Riviera, we found ourselves in a little town square, where a couple were celebrating their wedding with the driver driving them around in circles and blowing the horn, as wedding guests showered flowers upon them! The small Cathedral there is decorated with works of Marc Chagall, one of them displayed here.
Each memory unlocks another, and I know this is a very short tour of the France I saw that I am giving you, but I hope some day some of you will want to go there, despite the commonly held views of French arrogance! I personally had a great experience, not just with France, but also with the French. Maybe it was luck. I do not speak French.
Copyright Neetu 2012
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Oops, I published this before the photos were in the right order! Good thing we can edit - they seem to be about right now! Hope you enjoy them!
Lovely! I love Paris, haven't been since 1987. The shot at the Louvre is awesome! The pyramid was not there when I went. I miss using film, so warm and gorgeous.
well done!
Beautiful pictures, Neetu. I haven't been there in two years. Makes me want to go back. Great discriptions of the sites. Maybe you should start to write travel guides?
Very nice to meet you, Strangerthanfiction! Do you have any abbreviations for the name?? Thank you for coming by and admiring the shots. Some of them are rather blurred, but I couldn't get them any better, unfortunately, as copies of prints. It was an awesome experience traveling there and I am glad I could share some of it here. I wonder when the pyramid was built....somehow, I assumed it had always been there!
Thank you, Perrie! I actually do write travel guides...as a ghost writer(
) - just don't know how to get to writing as me! Glad you liked my description and photos
.
Charles, I hope so too! You will love it!
Those are absolutely beautiful pictures Neetu. One of my best friend's mother was French and met her husband during WWII, I think. Anyway my friend and his longtime girlfriend who is also French go there almost every year. He always brings back pictures he takes and he takes a lot of pictures. They visit and stay with relatives. He speaks French fluently as his girlfriend do and are members of a French Club. Every year they have the International Festival downtown and set up a booth. I guess I will never see France. My flying days are over as far as I'm concerned.
Beautiful pictures! I've never wanted to go to France, expecting the people to be un-nice-- but your pictures tell me what I'm missing! Thanks, dearest Neetu, for posting these!
I am sorry you won't be flying off to France or anywhere else, Six! I am glad you liked these pictures. Thank you. I am also glad you have friends who give you a little taste of France - it is wonderful to know people from other countries even if you cannot travel there.
Dearest Dowser, my personal motto is: never go by hearsay! Always find out for yourself, whether something is true or not. I am glad you enjoyed my photos and post! Thank you.