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| Sainte-Chapelle - image from Sainte-Chapelle website |
On our first full day in Paris after returning from the Normandy coast, we took a walking tour of the Île de la Cité (Isle of the City), which included entrance to the Sainte-Chapelle, famous for its stunning stained glass windows. This chapel was built in just 7 years by King Louis IX in 1238. The Sainte-Chapelle is considered among the highest achievements of the Rayonnant period of Gothic architecture. It was commissioned by the King to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ's claimed Crown of Thorns – one of the most important relics in medieval Christendom. This was later held in the nearby Notre-Dame Cathedral until the 2019 fire, which it (miraculously) survived. Our guide, originally from Zambia, provided so much information and details about the history of this area - truly mind-blowing. The image of the clock is the Tour de l'Horloge, or Clock Tower, on the Conciergerie building in Paris, France. It is the oldest public clock in Paris, commissioned by King Charles V in 1370.
Once the tour was complete, we returned to the Latin Quarter and popped into the Church of Saint-Séverin, which looks completely different inside, with gorgeous stained glass windows, than it does from the outside. We then took a stroll to the Luxembourg Gardens, and a couple of locations mentioned in another Calm sleep story, A Rainy Day in Paris - and yes, it was sprinkling. We enjoyed a drink (Tim had a hot chocolate and I opted for Prosecco, just because). A quick stop at the Little Horseshoe (also in the sleep story), then stopped in at Church of Saint-Eustache, one of the largest churches I've ever seen. We then headed to Galleries Lafayette for our time slot for the glasswalk, then headed up to the roof just in time to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle, along with about a thousand of our closest Parisian friends.
On our last full day in Paris, our goal was to get to Notre Dame early, thinking we would get there just after Sunday mass. We heard the bells as we approached, and I assumed they were ringing at the end of mass. Turns out mass was just starting! It was not part of the plan, but we found seats on the side and experienced our first Gregorian Mass. The music was beautiful and the acoustics amazing. I think Gregorian means “really long” in French 😉. Afterwards, we were able to walk around the entire cathedral, and I must say the restoration is spectacular.
We tried to hit some of the 'Instagrammable' places, and it was fun to see how the different cafes were trying to out-decorate each other. Eventually, we took the metro to Montmartre, an area we had not been to before. The crowds were quite large on this sunny Sunday, creating a lively atmosphere. We took the funicular up the hill to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica (The Sacred Heart), another extraordinary structure, located at the highest point in Paris. What a beautiful way to end our French adventure!
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