“Let Them Eat Cake”…

It is a glorious morning in Paris! Despite a small chance of rain this afternoon, the sky is blue and the warm sun greets us. It seems ideal light to visit the San Chapelle.

We pass Notre Dame again on our walk to San Chapelle. Each time we pass she appears more fragile or more stalwart than before. We cannot help but linger a moment in reverence.

When we enter San Chapelle we pass through the lower floor with gilded columns and a warm sacred feeling. The Chapelle was built quickly by 13th century standards, being completed in less than 10 years by King Louis lX, who would later become Saint Louis, to house  the Passion relics especially the Crown of Thorns.  It is was brought from Constantinople to Paris.

Upstairs, the chapel itself is the most impressive. Though small compared the the Cathedrals and churches of Paris, it is walled on all sides with

expansive stained glass windows depicting the biblical stories from Moses through the Passion of Christ to the Judgement Day.  An elevated altar that could only be reached by a staircase, held Christ’s precious Crown of Thorns high above the people.

On this beautiful morning, the sunlight floods the chapel. The deep blues and reds and greens of the glass cast a spectacular luminosity. It is an amazing space.

There is beginning to be a thread running through our explorations of Paris.  As we explore one site we are drawn to another -serendipity- at times the connection is only apparent once we are there…

After all the many stories of Kings and revolution we decide to go to the Conciergerie. It sounds like a very special place that will take care of you … like a 5 star hotel.  Well, perhaps Marie Antoinette would disagree. The Conciergerie was the prison Marie was kept in until she was ultimately sentenced and taken to meet Monsiuer de Paris ( the executioner who helped her lose her head)in the Place de la Concord. Her love for the extravagant and reputation for spending France’s fortune while queen with little regard for the poor, fueled the revolution. The legend goes… when told of the hungry poor with no bread to eat, she responded … Let them eat cake! ( disclaimer…. no evidence that she actually said this… but that did not stop the rumors!)

The Conciergerie is a really fascinating place. The once  palace ( prior to the Louvre being built ) became a detention and prison center leading to and during the revolution. The beautiful gothic ribbed and vaulted ceilings with fireplaces along the walls are impressive enough. New technology in the form of an iPad -like device allows the visitor to see into the past. By scanning the device over a “ history box” and holding up like a view master, the rooms transform to how they might have appeared in the days of old. A roaring fire in the fireplace, long tables set with candles and dishes for the soldiers and guards dinner. Meat on spits in one fireplace, fish grilling in another, the kitchen comes alive. The days of palace life switch with days of prison life. Upstairs detention cells and the dungeon are seen, small but clean in the moment, ghostly, grey and cramped with the viewing device. Marie’s last days were here, and her cell, now transformed into a chapel in her memory is a highlight.

Prisoners of the revolution passed through the Conciergerie for trial and sentencing. The beginnings of the court system are seen. The early tenets of legal system begin to develop. The Reign of Terror under Robespierre gives rise to more protections for the accused. The Palais de Justice still stands.

After delving into the history on the site of the Conciergerie we need to rest and refuel… the Bistro des Augustins is located on the left bank with a view to the river and Notre Dame. The cafe offers a table on the street. A carafe of wine, a Parisian tartine, and a little people-watching fortifies us to continue our pursuit of Paris.

We head into the St Germain area  to the home, atelier -turned museum of the artist Eugène Delacroix. His renown painting, Liberty Leading  the Revolution, now displayed in the Louvre  moved us so on our visit that we want to see more. He was working on the murals for the Chapel of the Holy Angels in the Church of San Suplice when he purchased this home and built a studio in the garden to be closer to his work. Within the home and studio we find a diverse variety of his works. Now we are reminded of his works in the San Suplice…. perhaps a visit to this church on Sunday?

We finish our day with an amble up the Champs-Élysées. It is festive on a Saturday night with both tourists and Parisians out for dinner and shopping. Those who are seeing and those to be seen. We hop on the bus to return home. It is a pleasing experience with the lights of Paris neighborhoods and the different route of the bus through lesser known streets.

Bonsoir Paris!