A rainy Sunday in Paris with Joyce

Sunday began, like so many days here lately, overcast and rainy. it pretty much stayed that way for the rest of the day, with the addition of a blowing, chilly wind by midday.

We left the apartment late morning and walked to Jussiue where we picked up the no. 7 metro, and got off at the Opera Garnier (Le Palais Garnier).

After the routine bag inspection we walked inside, found the ticket booth and bought our tickets to get inside (€8/apiece). Some months back Susan and I had talked about coming to the Opera for one of their events, but with the exception of Giselle (which was sold out) none of the season's program appealed to us. Like most things in life I suppose this worked out for the best: now we could see the inside of this most spectacular building for the first time and see it with our guest from Maine, Susan's sister Joyce!

Designed by then-unknown architect Charles Garnier, the Opera was first opened to the public in 1875. (The main facade was completelt rennovated in 2000.) For the casual visitor you can really see very little, except for a fair hint of the Grand Staircase (30 meters high), and you really need to go inside to fully appreciate the grandeur of this place. (You might be pleased to know that Garnier is buried in Montparnasse cemetery.)

Aside from the auditorium itself, which has a ceiling by Marc Chagall, and the Grand Staircase it is the foyers and the two rotonde that take your breath away, and the view overlooking the Grand Staircase is striking. (The Grand Foyer, facing the front of the palais, was restored in 2004.)




As we left the Opera we discovered the rain had returned. Not to be deterred, however, we walked down the Boulevard des Capucines to the Place de la Madeleine, hoping something would be open but no luck. Hey it's Sunday in Paris. So we hopped on the metro and headed back to the apartment.

We stopped at Pascal's shop on the way back to pick up some baguettes for a late lunch and Susan learned that she had be back in the shop early the next morning. Apparently a well-known chocolatier was going to be at Pascal's for the week showing everyone how to prepare Easter chocolates. After returning home and having lunch we all found plenty to keep ourselves occupied at home for the remainder of this rainy, dreary Sunday in Paris. Still,

Wish you were here,

Steve