Les Gobelins

 I have wanted to visit the Gobelins factory and museum for a long time.  Inevitably the carpets and in particular the tapestries back in the day were made by Gobelins.  They still are. 

The tour was really three parts.  First was a temporary exhibit of the "barracks" of Napoleon.  Our intrepid emperor required 70 people to maintain his traveling household as he went off to battle.  Someone had to disassemble the lamps and store them in their custom cases, and to count the gold-encrusted dessert plates.

 The second part of the visit was a walk through the restoration workshops, where all manner metal-, glass-, wood, and fabric-goods are repaired.  Gobelins is now part of the government, and responsible for every piece of furniture and furnishings owned by the government, down to the provincial level.

 Only one small detail of one minor drapery.  

The final part of the tour was a guided visit in other buildings nearby to the carpet factories, where we saw the artists working completely by hand on new commissions for various government buildings.  No photos were allowed.  Interestingly, the carpets were all modern, by contemporary designers.  Most will take several years to complete.

The 'hood

 Yes, Virginia, the Eiffel Tour can change color.  Here purple, another day red and blue.  I honor of fashion week we were told. 

 Even the Montparnas Tower got it's aubergine on. 

This is getting ridiculous...

 ...even as we read about the drought in California. 

Journees du Patromoine, Day Two

Our first objective for Day Two was the Ministre d"Agriculture.  But on the way, we saw that the Hotel Matignon had no line at all.  We had been a few years ago, and waited a very long hour to get in, then waited to file through the building.  But here it was -- no line at all!  So we took a breezy stroll through. 

The Hotel Matignon is the official home and office of the prime minister.

The official bees were hard at work, and the officla bee keeper was also on hand, but alas, no honey samples.  

 It had to happen.

So then it really was off to the Ministre Agriculture.  There are no restaurants in the area and we were starved, but we decided to see what we came to see before worrying about lunch.

 We need not have worried.  The entire courtyard and one of the halls was filled with food stands selling cheese, wine, sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, candy...and our lunch. 

In the back was a demonstration of herding dogs keeping the geese population organized. 

Our next stop was a concert at the Petit Palais.

The last stop was an exposition called Wool War One at the Grand Palais.

 The exhibition consisted of hundreds of tiny knitted soldiers marching along in groups representing the various units and countries of World War One.  None have eyes except one, the unknown soldier seen above. 

 The display was both endearing and unexpectedly moving. 

 They wear uniforms of the allied countries. 

We made our way home, exhausted and pleased.