Hello, hello one and all! I do hope you are well. Little Treasure is up to all sorts these days...saying "mummy" and "daddy", walking about on tippy toes, turning around on the spot, hiding in corners and being rather obsessed with the washing machine. A few weeks ago she had her first trip abroad and her first ride on a train when we took her to Paris on the Eurostar. I thought I'd share a few snapshots from our adventure...
We stayed in a typically Parisian apartment right in the middle of Paris. I can't help thinking that no French apartment would be complete without a grand mirror like this one.
Galeries Lafayette on the Boulevard Hasussman is, I think, a bit of a gem. From the outside you'd be forgiven for thinking it was just another department store but venture inside, stand amongst the cosmetics counters and look up...the sight is absolutely breathtaking.
Although it was built as a department store, Mr Treasure and I couldn't help thinking the interior looked rather like a theatre.
I was really taken with the lighting and decoration on the ground floor. It's so opulent.
Here's a closer look at the ceiling decoration. I must admit, I was so taken with the building I didn't really take much notice of the things being sold (and it was the amongst the handbags...and I do love handbags)! We did have lots of fun looking around the toy department though. I think Little Treasure would have happily spent our entire holiday in there!
With it being Little Treasure's first trip to Paris we had to show her all of the sights. Although she probably won't remember any of it at least we can show her all the photos we took!
Little Treasure loves nothing more than being able to push her pushchair about...she gets quite put out if we try to help her or guide the pushchair along!
I always think it's important to look up every now and again when wandering around Paris...there are so many fabulous bits of architecture and decoration waiting to be discovered.
Where else in the world would you find an underground station so elegantly announced?
Joy of joys, Paris has a whole area where the streets are filled with fabric shops. I've never been to them before so imagine my delight when Mr Treasure announced we could spend some time there on our way to Montmartre! Although this shop (on Rue Charles Nodier) has five floors, it was the first floor that I spent the most time in. There are rolls and rolls of every fabric imaginable. I came away with some stripy jersey (I thought I could just cut it into lengths and make some scarves with it) and some African fabrics (for my Dad to try using for the covers of the books he makes).
I had a great time in Tissus Reine (Place St Pierre). The ground floor is filled with a tempting array of fabrics, including two tables of Liberty fabric (which are about the same price as we'd pay in Liberty itself, but lovely to have a look through). Upstairs are row upon row of every trimming imaginable and a whole wall of buttons. A lovely lady served me, cutting off the lengths of lace, ribbon and patterned bias binding I pointed to and tried my best to ask for in French (she was very patient with me!) She even gave Little Treasure an empty button tube to play with while I was making my purchases and then let her take it home as a little souvenir!
After all the fun of the fabric district, we found a little cafe near Sacre Coeur for some lunch. It was only after we were settled at our table that we realised we were sharing it with someone else! This cat was not in the slightest bit bothered by our presence and stretched himself out further and further along the seat until Mr Treasure was practically sitting at the next table! Needless to say Little Treasure was very thrilled to be sharing her table with a moggy and enjoyed popping her head under the tablecloth every now and again to see if he was still there (to which our feline friend didn't bat an eyelid).
Just off the main square of Montmatre is this rather intriguing looking entrance to a house. Someone of note lived there, but I'm afraid I'm not sure who...I was so taken with the architecture I forgot to remember this detail!
When Little Treasure had her afternoon nap in Montmatre, Mr Treasure and I treated ourselves to a little holiday indulgence at 'La Mere de Catherine' while she slept.
Whenever we go to Paris we always love walking along the Seine. The stalls of old books and prints are always fun to browse. I bought some old copies of 'Le Petit Echo de La Mode' - full of all the fashions of the day.
One of the bridges that goes over the Seine was covered in padlocks with couples' names written or etched on to them. I've never seen this before but apparently (as I discovered when I did a Google search) they're 'love padlocks', put there to symbolise a couple's everlasting love.
A gem of an English language bookshop, opened by George Whitman in 1951. There's a whole host of new books for sale on the ground floor...
...but venture upstairs and discover a series of rooms that are crammed with all sorts of books that are there to be enjoyed while you are in Shakespeare and Company (like a sort of reference library). There are also all sorts of notes pinned to the walls too that have been left there by visitors over the years.
Shakespeare and Compnay also has an Antiquarian Bookshop, but I didn't venture in as I wanted to go and meet Little and Mr Treasure who were happily playing in a nearby park as it was rather impossible to go into the shop with a pushchair and small person! I did buy Little Treasure a copy of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' as a memento of her first trip to Paris...perhaps one day she'll even enjoy reading it! If you do find yourself buying a book in Shakespeare and Company, ask them to put the shop's special stamp onto the title page for you as a special souvenir.
Having not been to Paris with a small person before we hadn't fully appreciated just how many parks and playgrouds Paris has to offer. Little Treasure loved running about under the shadows of so many Paris landmarks and clambering in the numerous sandpits the parks have to offer. We found this bronze lady in the gardens by the Louvre. Several people I've shown this photo to said she reminded them of Princess Anne! If you look closely you can see Little and Mr Treasure having a walk together in the sunshine.
We had a fabulous time showing Little Treasure the sights of Paris and hope to take her off exploring somewhere new again soon.
Au revoir for now!
