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| Boats on the Seine. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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"You can’t escape the past in Paris, and yet what’s so wonderful about it is that the past and present intermingle so intangibly that it doesn’t seem to burden." -Allen Ginsberg
This quote from Allen Ginsberg sums up perfectly how I felt about my first trip to Paris in April 2015. The city is new, thriving, on the forefront of art and fashion, yet every corner unveils a story in history that encompasses elegance, romance and tradition.
In all honesty I have been meaning to write this post since the day I stepped off of the Eurostar back at St. Pancras, but it would seem life got in the way of a post that I had already decided would need to be paid much attention on my part. I reconsidered writing this post in November when Paris was in the midst of a horrific terror attack, however I felt then my words may not suit such a sombre time, so it is now, at the start of a new year in which I hope to return to Paris, that I finally assign my visit to a page.
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| Charlene & myself at the river side overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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Firstly, cheers to this girl for making my week a not so lonely one! I left on this uni trip thinking I'd be milling around Paris by myself, a thought which I was entirely happy with, due to the fact that I knew only a small handful of names on the sign up sheet however fate had it that I was sat next to Charlene on the Eurostar and no one could fail to make friends with such a lovely girl. So here you go, I introduce to you, my travel companion for the week!
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| The Louvre. Paris April 2015. BH. |
I know the postcards may tell you otherwise, but the Louvre is in fact only about 1% hideous glass pyramids, from a compulsion in the 80's to modernise the museums, and 99% gorgeous architecture. It is the external squares of the museum that enchanted me, even if the miles of corridors inside blistered my feet like a gravel path.
Now here are some highlights from the galleries that aren't the Mona Lisa...
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| Inside the gallery. The Louvre. Paris April 2105. BH. |
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| Arches of Paris. The Louvre. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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| The Sculpture Galleries. The Louvre. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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| Tourist central at The Louvre. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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| Old and new at The Louvre. Paris April 2015. BH. |
From one landmark to the next, and the beautiful Notre Dame cathedral. We were lucky enough to be staying at a hostel in the Marais area of the city, meaning each morning I got to walk over the Seine and past the Notre Dame on my way into the centre of the city. We of course had a guided visit inside the cathedral too, but seeing as I seemed to have bypassed the spiritual gene at birth, I found myself experiencing a far greater connection with the gorgeous gothic architecture of the exterior of the building.
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| The impressive Flying Buttress' at the rear of the cathedral. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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| The iconic front façade of the Notre Dame at night. Paris April 2015. BH. |
You may assume that a uni trip with free reign of Paris may equal some serious night life but I'm afraid my budget for the week didn't allow such things, and honestly, I am glad of it. instead of wasting my money on a hearty carafe of wine each night, I instead discovered a whole new city lit up by lights. Along with Charlene and Sarah, I discovered street food for easy night-time meals, and gorgeously decadent crepe stands, both of which we utilised nightly sitting by the river or on occasion, in front of the Notre Dame, devouring such treats.
By far my favourite activity however, was a walk along to the Eiffel Tower by the river side at night. The boats cruised by us full of parties and tourists wrapped in coats, with lights glittering as they went, lighting up the river and the buildings lining the banks. The buildings of Paris were quite aside from glowing windows and the occasional set of French doors set ajar, letting the inner curtains billow out, unveiling the quiet private life of Parisians.
I will point out however that such night time walks were not all as peachy and dreamy as they may seem. It should be noted that the metro does not run as late as the London tube and after an hour and a half walk to the Eiffel Tower, finding the train stations closed at 10:30pm meant we faced a 4 mile walk back to the hostel with already blistered feet and aching backs!
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| My smile says it all. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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| The sparkling Eiffel Tower. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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| Rest stop in what became an 8 mile round trip. Paris April 2015. BH. |
Unlike many culturally rich cities I have visited, Paris is different in that you can hide from the crowds of tourists, but you cannot escape the enchanting presence of everyday Parisian life around you. Walking along the river see's people on their office lunch breaks, not crows of tourists fighting for a lunch spot, and sneaking off down side streets can find you in a restaurant with a girl and a violin singing beautifully to the contented crowd without smartphones pointed at her. It is in fact the most beautiful city I have every visited, and where I surprisingly felt most at home.
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| My regular lunch stop on the Seine just north of the Notre Dame. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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| A spot free from tourists at the lesser known site of Pont Neuf. Paris April 2015. BH. |
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| If only every corner of London was this beautiful. Paris April 2015. BH. |
I hope that I will return to Paris extremely soon so I can relive every moment I had in April. It would seem however that since my visit, many of the 'love lock' bridges have been stripped of their namesakes due to over baring weight on the structures, so finally putting a lock of my own upon one may be a distant wish!
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| Love locks. Paris April 2015. BH. |
See my photo series
'From Paris With Love' here!
