Paris, Day 19: La Cité de l'Architecture & du Patrimoine and Les Deux Magots

Friday marked the beginning of the end of the trip: the last weekend in Paris.

In class, we walked from Pont Alma to the Musée du Quai Branly (aka the Musée d'Océanie), the Eiffel Tower, the Trocadéro, and La Cité de l'Architecture & du Patrimoine.

Pont Alma

On one side of Pont Alma is a statue that serves as a tide marker for the Seine. If the water level reaches his feet, there's a flood warning; if the water rises above his feet, the bridge is closed.

Palais de Tokyo. This building has changed hands several times, including during World War II. When the Nazis occupied France, they used this building to store the confiscated precious valuables from the Jewish people. Today it is a destination to see contemporary art.

Musée du Quai Branly. Former President of France François Mitterand, interested in the cultures of indigenous peoples in Oceania, had commissioned the creation of this museum by architect Jean Nouvel

The gardens in the museum are beautiful and quiet. In fact, there is a wall surrounding the property that serves as a sound barrier to set its visitors away from the noise and sound of the streets. 

The outside wall of the administratve building is indeed covered in vegetation...

Le Trocadéro

On one half of the Trocadéro is an architecture museum. None of the architecural examples from the permanent collections downstairs were original, they were all models.

La Cité de l'Architecture & du Patrimoine

Because most of people in our group chose the last weekend to travel--Kelly, Sara, and Jackie went to Amsterdam; Monica went to Berlin--I was free to spend the weekend however I wanted. So, I met up with two friends, Baptiste and Alex, at Les Deux Magots for lunch. Both Baptiste and Alex were exchange students at my home university last year, so it was great to catch up and reminisce...

Les Deux Magots is one of the ex-pat cafés frequented by Ernest Hemingway.

Paris, Day 4: City Sight Seeing Tour and Angélina

On Day 4, our professor took us to three different cathédrales: Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, the only Roman style church left in Paris; St. Severin, a Gothic style cathedral; and Saint German des Près, another Gothic style cathedral. For the sake of easy identification, I have described each cathédrale in one specific style, but in actuality, each one is made up of a mix of various different architectural styles because of invasions and wars over the centuries.

The oldest tree in Paris is in front of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

St. Severin

St. Germain des Près



After class and lunch, we went on a sight seeing tour of Paris on a Cityrama bus. Some of us managed to sit in front of the double-decker bus, on the second level. I won't really bother going into detail about the tour, since it's just more interesting to look at the pictures...

When we were looking for a place to eat lunch, we came across this goat. As small as this goat is, it's not a baby goat--unless I misunderstood the owner's explanation, she uses the goat to make dairy products... Now that's fresh food.

My first croque monsieur in Paris

We started facing the Opéra

I think this was a part of a palace Napoléan wanted to build, but ran out of funds, so the only trace of it is this pillar...

La Comédie Française

The Louvre. It started to rain during the tour, hence the Impressionist looking photo

I forget what this is... There's a carrousel in front of it that's not in the picture if that's interesting...

... The Panthéon? Clearly I didn't pay attention enough ...

... No idea. At least it's easy to identify it as un cathédrale ...

Les Deux Magots is one of the three main ex-pat cafés in Paris. Located on Boulevard St. Germain (?), Hemingway, Wilde, etc. would often come to the café for drinks and discussions

I don't remember the specific name of this plaza and the fountains, but the obelisk on the far right is a gift from Egypt. It's amazing how it was transferred up the Nile River, up the Seine, then placed in the square.

Les Champs-Elysées and L'Arc de Triomphe

The Louis Vuitton flagship on Champs Elysée

*It figures that I can remember a luxury store, but not important historical French monuments that I'll be studying...

Yes, I know what this is...

A view of Le Grand Palais et Le Petit Palais. There's a Cartier exhibit in the Grand Palais I want to visit.



I remembered reading in Paris My Sweet about Angélina and her famous hot chocolate, so naturally when one of our group study abroad advisors suggested us to go there after the tour, I was very determined to go. When we arrived at Angélina, we didn't have to wait that long for a table. I don't think it's uncommon for people to go to Angélina just for a cup of chocolat chaud and not an entire meal.

If you identify yourself as a chocoholic, you must order the hot chocolate. Once the chocolate touches your lips, you will never forget its light, silky, luxurious taste. It might be impossible to find a better hot chocolate anywhere else.