On Tuesday, January 6, Meg and I went exploring the area around the Parc Monceau, which is on the border of the 8th and 18th arrondissements. Lloyd and I discovered the Park and the area south and west of it when we visited Meredith in Paris some years ago. The park is utterly charming, though a bit denuded in winter, and well-known for its statues of composers. We were browsing neighborhoods in which it might be fun to live and definitely were impressed by the 18th.
Of course, one never wanders about Paris without discovering all sorts of wonderful things. This time we were rewarded by discovering the old Banque de France building, which is being renovated as a museum. We were particularly taken by the drain pipes.
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| Banque de France |
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| Whimsical Drain Pipes |
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| Pagoda Paris |
We also went by the Pagoda Paris, one of this city's more delightful structures, on the corner of the rue des Courcelles and the rue de Monceau. As we continued our walk, we came to the Musée Jacquemart-André on the Boulevard Haussmann. Their tea room is an utterly delightful space bordering a classic Parisian courtyard. January 6 is the day the Parisians celebrate Epiphany by serving the Galette des Rois, a cake made with puff pastry and frangipani. None was on offer but we had a wonderful tea with beautiful pastries anyway.
French class continues to be a delight. It's taking a lot of energy because it is so intense. Added to the cold, both inside and out, we don't have much left over for larking about. But who cares? This is Paris! And one can always eat. We've discovered a little place on the nearby Île St.-Louis, Mon Vieil Ami. It is not strictly vegetarian, but offers a good many more vegetables in its dishes than is the usual custom in France. I highly recommend it.
