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Fueled by hot café lattes and a couple of flakey pastries, we spent the morning winding through the charming side streets and cozy parks of the 3rd and 4th Arrondesmonts making up the Marais. We took an extended pause to flip through vintage black and white photos…anonymous scenes provided creative inspiration. After picking up three favorite vintage gelatin silver prints, we strolled among the shops that tempted us with creative window displays… mannequins decked out in autumn garb, creative art, and on fleek Parisian men’s fashions.
 
We paid a return visit to the Carnavalet museum, a delightful, off-the-radar, and free (!!) collection right in the middle of the Marais. Paintings depicting Paris at various points in it’s history covered every inch of wall space. The collection mixes old period paintings mixed with more contemporary pieces. Detailed models show buildings lost to time. The lavish interior of an art nouveau Parisian jewelry story was saved and presented in situ. The museum’s prize collection (and its original collection) tells a year-by-year story of the French Revolution.
 
We spent the rest of the day wandering and people watching. Some days are just so nice that you don’t need an official destination…you just need a direction.
 
We stopped for pre-dinner wine and nibbles at the charming Resistance cocktail lounge. Later, we dined on escargot and chanterelle, oxtail and pork, millefeuille and apple tart. (Good thing we walked 18,827 steps today!)

 
We started our at the Pantheon, topped by a mighty three-shelled dome. It was ordered by Louis XV after he recovered from near death after an illness. Designed and built as a church to hold the relics of the patron saint of Paris (Saint Geneviève), but almost immediately upon completion it was turned into a national shrine during the revolution. It returned a few times to serve as a church, before permanently becoming a monument. Beneath the dome, Foucault hung his first pendulum to demonstrate the rotation of the earth (there is an impressive pendulum today, but it is a replica.) It’s crypt is the repository of the mortal remains of many leading citizens of France. Standouts for us were Marie Curie, Louis Braille, Victor Hugo, and it’s most recent addition… Alexandre Dumas.
 
Next into nearby Saint-Étienne du Mont built in the late 15th century. Magnificent stained glass towers overhead. An intricately carved stone screen separates the choir and gilded altar. A carved wooden pulpit appears to organically grow from a stone column…twisting and wrapping upwards towards the light. Suddenly…like a quick whisper…a large tour group swept in, poured through quickly with iPhones blazing, and whoosh…they were gone. The beautifully ornate tomb of Sainte Geneviève, patron saint of Paris holds the tombstone which was the only remains spared the revolutionary mob. A 17th century cloister with a beautiful screen of eye-level stained glass was tucked away in a quiet back area.
 
We sat for a spell in the lively Luxembourg gardens. The imminent transition to autumn laced the orderly lines of trees in orange. Kids used rubber-tipped poles to launch model sailboats into the octagonal central fountain. The warm sun lit the Luxembourg Palace against dark rain clouds. (No…the weather app said no rain today…why do we trust weathermen?)
 
On to the Musée du Luxembourg for an exhibit on the painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard exploring shades of love and sensuality. Playful, vibrant paintings in lush romanticized settings drew a large crowd.
 
We ducked into two monumental churches that prove its not easy to keep these gems shiny. L’Église Saint-Sulpice (most recently famous for a role in The Da Vinci Code) was big and notably dirty. Similarly, towering Saint-Eustache L’Eglise des Halles (1532-1640) featured giant chapels filled with paintings and statutes dark from ages of grime. Future visitors will surely revel at the vibrant beauty of these churches…but not today.
 
We headed to Ile Saint Louis for dinner at an old favorite of ours…and it was closed for the evening. 🙁 That turned out to be good fortune, as we lucked out and tried charming Aux Anisetiers du Roy, just down the street. The restaurant was tiny and full of energy. Three inviting American couples on either side of us made us feel like were sitting down at the family table for supper. (One couple was even going camping in Hesperia on the White River near Jeff’s hometown next weekend…small world.) Another couple was the Central Valley in California, and the Presidio Social club came up as a common bond. The man’s company sodded the new parade ground green at the Presidio. What a small world sometimes! A warm chèvre salad to start…melty goodness. Duck confit and beef bourguignon were fork tender and full of rich flavor. A warm chocolate tart in a light vanilla creme was the star of desert.
 
We walked until our feet could not take it no more. 24,609 steps (over 10 miles) today!!
 





 






 

 
With a bit of time before our TGV train in Avignon, we headed for the nearby archeological site of the former Roman city of Glanum. The grand triumphal arch and mausoleum at the entrance to the site is the best indication of how this city once looked. 

The “modern” city is Roman from the 1st century A.D. but at its base there are traces from its Hellenic days, when Greece was the big player in town. But today, we see low stone ruins that give the general features of the city: it’s market, it’s obligatory thermal baths, a spring and deep well, forum, and a temple or two. A very interesting site for a stroll. Imagine… 

Our drive to Avignon was smooth. We definitely have gotten the hang of these roundabouts! We dropped off our little gray Picasso. No tears shed for the lurchy car, but it did serve us well. 

The Avignon TGV station is new and orderly. The crowds pushing their way on the train were not orderly…nor considerate. But this is a happy blog. HUGS. 

We zipped north through the heart of France …startled grazing sheep… and arrived in Paris in no time and pulled into the Gare de Lyon. A bit of drizzle greeted us as we hailed an Uber. Off to our final stay: the chic, newly opened Les Bains, oozing with urban sex appeal. 

We wasted no time and headed out to walk the charming Marais. There was a vibrancy in the air that put energy in our steps. By dinner, we were beat, and did a simple comfort meal of mouth-watering pizzas… a scrumptious gooey egg smiling from the center. 

 





 
Our primary destination for the day was the Pont du Gard rising impressively above the river Gardon. This is one of those iconic Roman sites you simply must see. 

Constructed around 50 A.D., the bridge was a major component of the aqueduct that ran from a spring in Uzés to the city of Nîmes. Three tiers of stone arches held aloft an enclosed channel of vital water. 

The bridge is in remarkable shape. No imagining at THIS ruin. We climbed a steep rocky path to the top of the bridge and a glimpse into the water channel. Continuing, we could follow the aqueduct as it approached the bridge…winding around the hillsides and over much-smaller arches…always dropping its elevation slowly but steadily from the source. 

A high school band played medleys of show tunes mid-bridge, providing a soundtrack for our hike. Who can resist the Rocky theme? 

Crossing to the left bank, we visited the small museum. It included a lot information on Roman hydrologic engineering and its uses. One fact that stood out was the aqueduct system that fed Rome provided on average a 1000 liters of water a day whereas modern Europeans only consume 300-400 liters a day. A model illustrated various architectural constructs along the entire 50 kilometer route of the aqueduct. 

Leaving the Pont, we headed up-stream (or up-aqueduct?) to Uzés. We didn’t find the source of the aqueduct, but instead we found a charming old city center. Perfect for a late afternoon stroll, some shopping, and a cappuccino and beer on a neighborhood square. 

Ignoring the rain clouds, we made one final stop for the day: Arles, with its own Roman amphitheater. A light rain created beautiful reflections on weathered streets in the city center. The amphitheater was well lit and striking…just sitting there among ordinary modern buildings. Signs advertised an upcoming bullfight. Before heading back to the car, we stopped in a charming eatery (Tonton Sam) for juicy local-inspired burgers (Le Gus). After three nights of decadent French meals, a good, humble burger hit the spot. 

Tired from a nice long day of walking, we headed back to rest up and enjoy our last night at the B Design. Tomorrow, we trade the tranquil countryside for the energetic streets of Paris. 

The day began with beautiful sunny skies and fresh crisp air. We headed out to spend the day visiting nearby hilltop towns. 

Les Baux-de-Provence is clearly ready for summer crowds…and we were thankful it wasn’t summer. A short flight of steep stairs from the down-the-hill parking and we were walking beautifully cared for streets, with a view of the surrounding hills at every bend. Tempting restaurants made us wish it was dinner time. The town’s tranquil church (Eglise Saint Vincent) had chapels dating from the 12th century, carved right into the rock. The ruins of the town’s once-mighty Château…more of a fortress…were perched at the top of the town. (The audio guide relied a bit too heavily on sentences beginning with “Imagine…”.) Precarious climbs up heavily eroded steps carved into sandstone with ancient seashells still visible. Below, endless fields of olive trees and grape vines. There was a light scent of lavender in the breeze. Fingers of fog reached over the tops of weathered sandstone hills, adding to the mystique of these hills that (supposedly) inspired Dante’s vision of hell. 

About an hour further west, we reached hilltop Gordes. More like a hill SIDE town. This tiny village, with just a few sights to see in its core, spilled majestically down the hill, cobbled streets disappearing around twists and bends. Almost showing off for its visitors. A well-decorated church, a nice vista of the fields below, and a kitschy weekend carnival (complete with bumper cars set to thumping Euro-club music) and we were done. A quick visit, certainly worth stopping. 

Roussillon-en-Provence stands out from its neighbors with its colorful autumn palette. It’s hills were a source of ochre pigment, and the building and streets show off this warm tone everywhere. The heavy rains the day before added swirls and swooshes of ochre-tinged dirt along the streets. The town’s church was humid and warm…very unusual…but the shop-lined streets were full of refreshing charm. A gallery caught our eye with intriguing movement paintings by a Parisian artist named Kerdalo. Stopped for late afternoon refreshing beverages to fuel our return to our hotel. 

As we left, a quick red fox stood at attention in a long field of low lavender bushes. Perhaps his red coat is ochre? 

A final dinner treat at Côte des Olivades…can’t resist! Tender langoustine over luscious, buttery carrot “tagliatelle”–thin shavings cooked like pasta. Returning favorites of lamb and beef…simply melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Divine deserts of chocolate and almond. We would return to the B Design just to sample this chef’s culinary creations.