PARIS WEEK THREE

Suzy and Jean-Marie planned a very special day for us, a visit to Chateau Ecouen outside Paris.  It is related by history to Chateau Chantilly which we saw last spring with Claudine and Claudette.  We did not realize it until the trip was underway, but it is associated with the Cluny Museum in Paris, and houses much of the museum's collection. 

Part of the museum is set up to show how early renaissance royalty lived, starting with the chapel.  Featured in the chapel is a painting of the last supper done by a student of daVinci and considered by some to be better preserved and a better example of the artist's intentions. 

 The chateau in it's heyday. 

 The real thing today. 

 This is a perfume holder, each segment a different scent.  Two are still labeled and readable, but not in the photo. 

The most outstanding object in the chateau is the Nef, a model ship about 2.5 feet long.  It appears to be a very good model ship, with figures and rigging.  A video nearby shows that in fact it is a clock.  When the hour is struck, it moves on hidden wheels, the figures on the deck move, blowing horns and beating drums.  Figures emerge from the ship's cabin and move around the king who waves his scepter as they pass.  The figures in the crow's nests beat bells against the rails.  The whole event lasts about 15 minutes. 

Wonderful!  We thought the Chateau visit would be about three hours, but we had barely finished the ground floor when the upper floor was closed for lunch.  So we enjoyed croque monsieur's in the cafe and finished the tour after lunch. 

We looked down from the chateau to the village and decided to take a look at the church. 

Then it was back to Suzy and Jean-Marie's home for a lovely and lively dinner.  Merci! 

Claudine invited us for a tour of St. Sulpice, the church made famous in the DaVinci Code.  We have visited before, but this was a tour by a docent.  We were unaware at the time that a concert would follow the tour --bonus! 

 The tour got us into the vestry...

After enjoying the concert, Claudine led us on a tour of the immediate neighborhood, pointing out historical sites along the way.  She mapped out a walk for later in the day and we stopped at a cafe for coffee and tea.  It began to rain.  Hard. We began to reorganize our afternoon walk.  The. Rain. Came. Down. In. Buckets.  We rearranged again.  Lightening, thunder.  So we bagged the afternoon and scurried to the metro and back to the apartment. 

We were delighted to spend an afternoon with Jeanne at the Petit Palais.  It featured an exhibit of Jordaens, a Dutch painter who rivaled Vermeer and van Dyke in his time.  No photos permitted of the exhibit of course, but after that we enjoyed coffees and tea in the cafe, and visited some of the permanent collection.  

 As usual, the building itself is at least as interesting and beautiful as the objects in it. 

We spent one afternoon with Francoise's English class talking about life in the US compared to France.  Afterward we sped across the hill to meet with Claudine, Suzy and Jean-Marie at the Zadkine Museum.  On the way we realized we were at the beginning of the pilgrimage of St. Jacques de Compostelle, the pilgrimage route seen throughout France, leading to the cathedral in Spain. 

And then we were off to the museum. 

 It is a fascinating place.  We had known little about the artist, who left his collection and his home and studio intact. 

 The sculpture in the gardens were particularly delightful. 

After our visit we walked a few short blocks to the Luxembourg Gardens for coffee and hot chocolate. 

The bee hives were off limits. 

 It was cool, but some rays were still available for basking. 

 Guess which one is mine. 

Our trip was drawing to a close, and Francoise planned a perfect celebratory lunch for us, with Charles, Francoise P and Paul, and France. 

 After an excellent lunch Francoise and France walked with us through the neighborhood. 

We said our goodbyes until next time.  Merci a tous! 

We had planned to spend our last day packing and resting up, but an opportunity to lunch with Paul  and his new family Laurence and Alix presented itself.  The Musee de la Marine was near the restaurant, so of course...

 A table support; these ladies are described as of the Americas. 

We walked through the rain to the restaurant. 

 Passing the Bridge Club of the exclusive St. Honore neighborhood. 

 The tables were not in use, but ready to go! 

 A charming lunch with delightful company....

 then back to Montmartre, and the next day, home.