Ansieres-sur-Seine & Paris— Day 2

 In the Groove—Day 2

We took the Levallois-Becon Metro downtown near the Pompidou Center and walked to the Marais and found the falafel place, visited Place de Vosges, and then made our way back to home base via four Metro connections. Nice easy 8.5 mile day. 

This is the passage way under the Ansnieres
rail lines. It connects our side of the neigh-
borhood with central Ansnieres.

Sitting outside at Maison Landemaine where we 
have our croissant and cafe au lait. Across the lane
is a butcher's shop.

And the Monoprix next to the butcher's doesn't look
like much from the street but it's a huge grocery store
much like Whole Foods.

Marie enjoying the morning.

These flower stands decorate the entrance
to the railway passage. They are about 6
feet high.

The line outside L'AS Falafel in the Marais.

They have a really efficient army of

falafel makers and a guy moves down

the line, takes orders, and gives you a 

ticket after scanning your credit card.

Lunch

A reader taking advantage of a shady
spot in Joseph Migneret pocket park.

Migneret started as a teacher at the
elementary school of Hospitalieres-
Saint Gervais in the heart of the Marais.
This Jewish school was founded in 1848
and Migneret became its director in 1937.

Migneret became active in the French Resistance,
hiding and helping Jews escape Nazi occupied Paris
after 165 of his students were arrested, deported,
and murdered in 1942. This park is a peaceful place
in the heart of the Marais.

Place des Vosges garden is the oldest planned square
in Paris and one of the finest in the city. It was a
fashionable and expensive square to live in during 
the 17th and 18th centuries and favored by nobility.

Today it's a public park enjoyed by regular folk.

We sat on a bench in the shade. Just taking

it easy on a sunny June afternoon.

The arched walkways of the former

residences are now high-end shops and

galleries surrounding the park square.

The walkways are spectacular. This
passage leads to a door that joins
Place des Vosges with Hotel de Sully.

Hotel de Sully was built with gardens and an orangery

between 1624 and 1630, for the wealthy financier

Mesme Gallet. Since 1967 it has been the home of the

Center for National Monuments. The mansion joins

Place des Vosges square through the doorway shown 

to the right.

Hotel de Sully's garden is completely
enclosed by the mansion, but this doorway
allowed access to Place des Vosges square
and the wealthy and noble of the 17th
and 18th century.

And then we took the Metro back to
home base. It took three line changes
to make it back to Levallois-Becon.
Saint-Paul to Bastille, Bastille to
Republique, and République to Pont
Levallois-Becon.

We had a pretty low key day. Took a nap after getting "home" and then walked to Monoprix to pick up a salad and a little more cheese to go with our baguette. Marie found a nature channel on TV and we watched a program about Alaskan wildlife. It was in French of course. An hour later we had a program about African elephants. This channel is a major find for us!