Dimanche des Rameaux

Dimanche des Rameaux

(Palm Sunday)

In preparation for Palm Sunday in Paris

the ancient but active church of Saint Louis en l'Île

has both palm branches and a donkey.

The music for Dimanche des Rameaux includes

Puccini's Messa de Gloria

bon dimanche

Église Saint Louis en l'Île

Île Saint Louis

75004, Paris

 

Aux Anysetiers du Roy et des hortensias

Aux Anysetiers du Roy

pink hydrangeas!

Although the bright pink hydrangeas* were the focus of my photo, this charming restaurant set in a Medieval building has more history than can be imagined.  Serving simple, classic French fare, Madame oversees all the food preparations.  Devotees of this  non-touristy restaurant swear by the French onion soup, Cassoulet Maison,  Boeuf Bourguignon and Crème Brûlée.

Set on the quiet Île Saint Louis, 

one can step back hundreds of years

 into a building which has not changed by much 

and enjoy traditional French comfort food ...

which has not changed at all.

Aux Anysetiers du Roy

61, rue Saint Louis en l'Île

75004, Paris

*corrected - merci beaucoup Lance, Jane, and Alan!

Église Saint-Louis en l'Île

Église Saint-Louis en l'Île

It was first a parish chapel.  

In 1642 Louis XIV decided to build a larger church 

based on plans prepared by François Le Vau, 

and  it was dedicated to St. Louis. 

The organ is magnificent and I will show it in a future post.

This Jesuit-styled church is considered to be

a perfect example of 17th century French Baroque.

bon dimanche

(linking to inSPIRED Sunday)

Église Saint-Louis en l'Île

Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île

Saint-Louis en l'Île

75004, Paris

Galette des Rois

Galette des Rois

"King's Cake"

Tomorrow is Epiphany, January 6th, and every pâtisserie in Paris will have these delicious puff-pastry almond and butter cakes.  It makes my mouth water just to think about it.

Each cake contains a fève, a small porcelain figurine and the lucky person who finds it will wear the crown.  Where I live in the US, we have the cakes but they are nothing close to the French version.  We bake our own.  Our tradition says that the one who finds "the baby" (plastic) is the King and will host the next party.

I will put a real French fève in my Galette des Rois.

Galette des Rois

Boulangerie on Ile St Louis

75004, Paris

 

 

Église Saint-Louis en l'Île

This parish church found on the same street as Berthillion on l'Île Saint-Louis,

on the quiet end of the street with few cars. 

This is the same church where we saw a donkey on Palm Sunday.

Construction started in 1642 at the direction of Louis XIV using the plans of François Le Vau who was also designing Versailles.  The interior is filled with art and this sculpture seems appropriate for wishing the moms a wonderful Mother's Day.

bon dimanche

Église Saint-Louis en l'Île

Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île

Saint-Louis en l'Île

  

Monsieur et sa trottinette

Two minutes before I saw this gentleman zipping by on his trottinette, I captured a younger man going in the opposite direction.  As you can see from the photo, monsieur is moving at a good pace.

The trottinette is not just a child's sidewalk ride to school!

zoom-zoom

Rue Saint Louis en l'Île

Île Saint Louis

75004 Paris

The commute

When I saw him coming in my direction,

I knew that I would only get one shot... He was FLYING!

So, would a Parisian say this is a scooter, a trottinette, or something else?

Il va travailler à trottinette?

Rue Saint Louis en l'Ile
Ile Saint Louis
75004, Paris

Macarons on Ile Saint Louis

This is a simple display of macarons with a hand-lettered sign to offer the day's flavors. Some of the larger pâtisseries produce machine-made perfectly uniform macarons, and only an expert or a researcher would know. But, when you see macarons of varying sizes, you know that they were individually made, tops and bottoms matched for size, fillings piped by hand. These look delicious and I need to remember that when I am in Paris, I should never pass up a macaron or two (or maybe three)!

You can see the reflections of the people outside with their noses on the window. Does one of them have a camera?

Check out other reflections at James' Newtown Daily Photo