If it's Tuesday. . .

Today we visited Notre Dame, the Conciergerie, Arc de Triomphe, strolled down the Champs-Elysees, and finished the day on the Rue de Cler.  All in all, an amazing day.  Pictures below thanks to Jordan.

The Facade of Notre Dame

Mary and the Christ Child framed by the West Rose Window

Flying Butresses

The Spire of Notre Dame

The green figures descending from the base of the spire are the apostles, with the exception of the top figure, which is the architect that designed the spire.  The apostles look outward toward the beauty of God's creation.  The architect is looking toward the spire--the beauty of his creation.

View from the East

We were crossing a bridge from Notre Dame to the Left Bank.  The fence on the bridge was filled with hundreds of padlocks containing the names of couples and dates.

This is the oldest tree in Paris and the powers that be are doing their dead level best to keep it alive.  The white streak running from the base of the tree up to the leaves is concrete poured into eroded gashes in the tree.  The structure to the right is a concrete pillar made to look like a tree that leans into the trunk and holds it up.  Two other pillars that you cannot see in this picture are also holding up the tree trunk.

The Shakespeare Bookstore

This is the English language bookstore located on the Left Bank.  It was the gathering place of many famous English speaking authors.  Struggling authors can still rent small apartments above the bookstore to work on their books.

The Conciergerie

The Vaulted Ceiling of the Conciergerie

Detail of the Arches

The Cell of Marie Antoinette

The Conciergerie was the prison where many members of the aristocracy were held prior to their trials and their encounters with the guillotine.  One of the rooms in the building contains a complete list of the enemies of the Republic who were beheaded.  Among the prisoners that made the list was Marie Antionette, who occupied a private cell in the Conciergerie for a bit over 70 days before she was beheaded.  Here she is in her cell.  I don't think it was really her.  Try as we might, we couldn't get her to turn around.

The Enclosed Courtyard of the Conciergerie

Another view of the enclosed courtyard.  Note the long, downward pointing spikes below the windows of the upper floors.  These were used as deterrents to keep prisoners from climbing the walls.

The Arc de Triomphe

We climbed up the stairway from the Metro, and there it was in all of its glory, The Arc du Triomphe.

A very nice passer-by offered to take a picture of the four of us in front of the Arc.

Having climbed to the top of the Arc du Triomphe, I understand how it got its name (at least for me).  It was an incredible climb up a narrow spiral staircase.

The view of Sacre Coeur from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

Our first view of the Eiffel Tower

Paris with My Best Girl

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the base of the Arc de Triomphe

Detail from the Facade of the Arc de Triomphe

We have many more pictures from our trip today.  Jordan took over 300.  However, as it is about 1:45 in Paris, and we have to get up at 6:30 tomorrow morning for our journey to Chartres, I'll have to leave them for another time.  We didn't take pictures along the Champs-Elysees or on the Rue de Cler, but we enjoyed them both and plan to go back.  We'll get pictures then.  Oh, important note, while we were walking the Champs-Elysees, we found the Paris flagship Louis Vuitton store where Mademoiselle High-Heeled Strappy Sandals bought said footwear.  We encountered her on our first day in Paris.  You will hear more from her as soon as I can have her story translated from the French.

One final note--while we were out today, we passed the Theatre du Chatelete, which was advertising a production of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd.  We couldn't resist hearing it in French.  After we came home tonight, Carl bought us tickets for tomorrow night's performance.  Can't wait.