Parc Montsouris - Les Enfants et le grand arbre

Parc Montsouris

The height of this sturdy limb

provides an adventurous but relatively safe climb

If you are going to Paris and want to see la vie quotidienne

in Paris, visit this park on a Sunday afternoon.

Parc Montsouris

2, rue Gazan

75014, Paris

Le Chalet du Parc

Le Chalet du Parc

Enjoying the autumn sunshine on a Sunday afternoon,

there was no need for the heaters on the terrace.

Friends gathered, 

taking a break from their studies?

Le Chalet du Parc

28, boulevard Jourdan

75014, Paris

Cimetière de Montrouge

Cimetière de Montrouge

The porcelain funerary flowers are probably the work of
Céramiques de France in Béthune with origins in the mid-nineteenth century.
This grave tells the story of a brave aviator Maurice Arnoux (7 September 1895 – 6 June 1940) who was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He returned to flying fighter planes during the early days of World War II and died fighting for France.


The high polish of the marble reflects the
words of remembrance and honor.

Grave of Maurice Arnoux

Cimetière de Montrouge

18, avenue de la Porte de Montrouge

75014, Paris

 

L'arbre hanté?

Haunted Tree?

This tree in Parc Montsouris

seemed almost alive with

its undulating surface.

I am not sure that I would have been

sitting in the same spot at monsieur here.

We hurried along before a branch reached out

and tapped him on the shoulder

Parc Montsouris

75014, Paris

Square du Serment de Koufra - carrousel

Square du Serment de Koufra

This enclosed carrousel 

resembled a little jewel box

nestled under the trees

(More on this park and its historical 

significance at another time)

Square du Serment de Koufra

75014, Paris

«Where the Tides Ebb and Flow»

Where the Tides Ebb and Flow

by Pedro Marzorati

In the lake at Parc Montsouris the Argentine artist Pedro Marzorati

installed his 30 blue men sculptures to bring awareness of

 the worldwide rising sea level.  His project was timed to coincide with the 

United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) which is being held in Paris.  

This installation will be in place until mid December.

You can read more about the artist and his work here.  

Where the Tides Ebb and Flow

sur le lac du Parc Montsouris

75014, Paris

RER B - Cité Universitaire

Today I join James' Weekend Reflections here! 

 

Parc Montsouris

Parc Montsouris

Montsouris is located in the 14ème arrondissement 

at the southern edge of Paris.  

Opened in 1869 the park is one of the four large parks, 

along with the Bois de Boulogne, the Bois de Vincennes

 and the Parc  des Buttes Chaumont, created by Napoleon 

and Baron Haussmann at each of the cardinal points 

of the compass around the city.

It was filled with Parisians enjoying

a sunny clear November day.

Parc Montsouris

75014, Paris

Cimetiere Montparnasse

Montparnasse Cemetery

This cemetery is the resting place 

of many of Paris' intellectuals and artistic elite.

You will find quiet paths and an easy walk as you recognize

19th and 20th century writers and artists.  I was pleased to find

the graves of Brassai (photographer) 

and Bartholdi (sculptor of the Statue of Liberty)

Cimetiere Montparnasse
3, boulevard Edgar Quinet
75014, Paris

La Chandeleur - jour de crêpes

Crêpes for la Chandeleur

Fête des Chandelles

(Candlemas in English) 

Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.

Yesterday I made crêpes with a seven-year-old 

and an eleven-year-old (supervised by a wild puppy).  

You hold a coin in your left hand and flip the crêpe pan in your right.  

If you can catch the crêpe, 

it means your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, 

such is the legend.  

If you drop it, the puppy will eat it and you start again

 

 

Pictured above are savory wheat crèpes 

from Crêperie Plougastel which are delicious.  

My helpers and I made the same basic recipe 

of milk, flour, eggs, butter, and a small amount of salt and sugar 

that I have been making since I first learned to cook.  

We will have garlic shrimp crêpes with a bechamel sauce. 

 

 

(miam-miam)

 

 

 

Crêperie Plougastel

47, rue du Montparnasse

75014, Paris

 

Patisserie reflet - Le Moulin de la Vierge

Le Moulin de la Vierge

Although there are several of these boulangeries in Paris, 

this is the original shop with its wood-fired ovens.

It is worth a trip to Rue Vercingétorix

to gaze at the original tiles and mirrors,

etched glass doors, all

unchanged over the past century. 

bon weekend

Le Moulin de la Vierge

104, rue Vercingétorix

75014, Paris

Métro Pernety

Loren Munk - l'artiste américain

Loren Munk

The artist, Loren Munk, was born in 1951 in the United States and made his artistic debut in SOHO.

He is known for his cubist paintings that "combine urban imagery with exhaustive historic research, complex systems of thinking and painterly finesse." (www.freightandvolume.com)

He was jury-selected to execute this wall mural by the Mayor's Office of Paris in 1993.

Loren Munk wall-mural

4, rue de la Gaité

75014, Paris

Parnasse Lingerie - boutique de lingerie

French Lingerie

Window shopping...

Our favorite "French girl" loves to shop 

at Victoria's Secret when she comes to the USA.

She has just returned to Paris 

and I wonder if her suitcase was brimming with lingerie.

bon weekend

Parnasse Lingerie

9, rue d'Odessa

75014, Paris

 

Cimetière Montparnasse

Cimetière Montparnasse

Carefully attended and beautifully adorned, 

there are surely many stories about this grave.  

Certainly it belongs to a person 

who had a loving and dedicated family.

bon weekend

Cimetière Montparnasse

75014, Paris

Le Carrousel de la Gare Montparnasse

Carousel at Gare Montparnasse


This (counterclockwise) carousel has the original
wood horses along with some other interesting rides.


I do not know the significance of the turquoise "F" along the crown.

Le Carrousel de la Gare Montparnasse

Métro Montparnasse Bienvenue

75014, Paris

Cimetière du Montparnasse - l'avenue violet

Cimetière du Montparnasse

A large-scale art installation by Christo would be no more exquisite than this little avenue in Cemetière du Montparnasse, strewn with the violet blooms.

The colors of spring are vivid and a treat for the eyes.

Cimetière du Montparnasse

75014, Paris

 

Boulevard Edgar Quinet - des chapeaux

Arts Fair

Boulevard Edgar Quinet

Along Boulevard Edgar Quinet there is an open produce market in the central alley of the boulevard every Wednesday and Saturday morning (7am-2:30pm) and an arts fair every Sunday (10am until sunset). On this spring Sunday an artist was displaying a colorful assortment of hats.  Other vendors offered watercolors, collage, handcrafted leather, pottery, and other art and fine craft.

Arts Fair

Boulevard Edgar Quinet

75014, Paris

Métros Edgar Quinet or Raspail

Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain - le reflet

Fondation Cartier

a contemporary art museum

Fondation Cartier inhabits a striking clear glass building designed by Pritzker Prize architect Jean Nouvel surrounded by a modern woodland garden landscaped by Lothar Baumgarten.  Would you believe that the landscaper's name translates to "tree garden?"

Seen from across Boulevard Raspail, it is difficult to discern the trees from the building with a multitude of green reflections.

Fondation Cartier is one of Europe's most important institutions for contemporary arts.  It hosts a constant stream of temporary exhibitions focusing on particular contemporary artists, schools, or themes.  It is also an important patron to contemporary artists, commissioning important works and offering artist-in-residence programs.

bon weekend

Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain

261, boulevard Raspail

75014, Paris

 Joining James' Weekend Reflections

View all the contributions here

Cimetière du Montparnasse - printemps

Montparnasse Cemetery

Spring blows into Paris,

scattering fresh blossoms

like pastel confetti

May they last in my memories forever

Cimetière du Montparnasse

75014, Paris

Trois statues parmi les fleurs

Three statues among the flowers

Without regard to the season or the weather,

one can always find fresh flowers, herbs, and plants in Paris.

Are you ready for spring?

Mahasiah

234, boulevard Raspail

75014, Paris

La Chandeleur - jour des crêpes!

La Chandeleur

Fête des chandelles

(Candlemas - English)

Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.

Today I will be making crêpes, holding a coin in my left hand, and flipping the crêpe pan in my right.  If I can catch the crêpe, it means my family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, such is the legend.  Also, one does not eat crêpes until after 8:00pm.

This chef at Crêperie Plougastel on Rue du Montparnasse, allowed me to take some photos of him as he deftly prepared all the crêpes for the lunch crowd.  I have been here three or four times, introduced by French friend Isabelle.  They have both savory and sweet crêpes with quick service and good prices.  On a street full of crêperies, this one is always well attended.

 

 

bon dimanche

 

 

Crêperie Plougastel

47, rue du Montparnasse

75014, Paris