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Vive la belle France!
Saturday, 30 July 2005 08:21I just got back from Paris, France (aka the best place in the world). It was amazing! I really didn't want to leave.
The Conciergerie and the Musee Carnavalet were definitely the highlights:
In the Carnavalet, not only do they have that famous picture of Robespierre (and the one of Camille, and the one of Lucile), but they also had a lock of his hair, a tricolor rosette he wore to the Jacobins right before the Fete de l'Etre Supreme, his briefcase type thing (porte-feuille), and his shaving bowl.
The Conciergerie, apart from being the last place Robespierre was in before he died, had a very nice bust of him and a ladder that had been in my historical persona, Eleonore Duplay's house. (They had written that there was a rumor that he used it to get to his room, but I really don't see why he would have needed it, considering his room was on the ground level.)
Speaking of my historical persona's house, however... It was a bit of a disappointment. They had turned it into a store (whose name I have blocked out), and it didn't even have its courtyard anymore. It really is too bad they closed Le Robespierre. I would have killed to be able to go there.
And again, speaking of death, I also saw the Catacombes, where Robespierre's (along with just about everyone else who was guillotined) remains are...um...stacked? Yes. I think stacked would describe it. BTW: I will post pictures as soon as I can... not just of that but of everything.
Still on the subject of death, I also saw my historical persona's grave in Pere Lachaise, after some difficulty. It was very nice. The Societe des Etudes Robespierristes fixed it up, with a new plaque, flowers, little trees, tricolor ribbons, and (I suspect) a place on the map--the map only mentions the more "important" figures buried there.
Another interesting thing was the Pantheon. Among other people, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Condorcet are entombed there. It is muchly cool (both literally and figuratively).
On the way to the Pantheon, we saw the Sorbonne and tried to see Louis-le-Grand, but apparently they've built a new wing--or something--because we could only see the courtyard through a window.
All in all, it was the best trip ever, and I hope to be able to go back soon--whatever anyone else says be damned!
--Suzanne
The Conciergerie and the Musee Carnavalet were definitely the highlights:
In the Carnavalet, not only do they have that famous picture of Robespierre (and the one of Camille, and the one of Lucile), but they also had a lock of his hair, a tricolor rosette he wore to the Jacobins right before the Fete de l'Etre Supreme, his briefcase type thing (porte-feuille), and his shaving bowl.
The Conciergerie, apart from being the last place Robespierre was in before he died, had a very nice bust of him and a ladder that had been in my historical persona, Eleonore Duplay's house. (They had written that there was a rumor that he used it to get to his room, but I really don't see why he would have needed it, considering his room was on the ground level.)
Speaking of my historical persona's house, however... It was a bit of a disappointment. They had turned it into a store (whose name I have blocked out), and it didn't even have its courtyard anymore. It really is too bad they closed Le Robespierre. I would have killed to be able to go there.
And again, speaking of death, I also saw the Catacombes, where Robespierre's (along with just about everyone else who was guillotined) remains are...um...stacked? Yes. I think stacked would describe it. BTW: I will post pictures as soon as I can... not just of that but of everything.
Still on the subject of death, I also saw my historical persona's grave in Pere Lachaise, after some difficulty. It was very nice. The Societe des Etudes Robespierristes fixed it up, with a new plaque, flowers, little trees, tricolor ribbons, and (I suspect) a place on the map--the map only mentions the more "important" figures buried there.
Another interesting thing was the Pantheon. Among other people, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Condorcet are entombed there. It is muchly cool (both literally and figuratively).
On the way to the Pantheon, we saw the Sorbonne and tried to see Louis-le-Grand, but apparently they've built a new wing--or something--because we could only see the courtyard through a window.
All in all, it was the best trip ever, and I hope to be able to go back soon--whatever anyone else says be damned!
--Suzanne
