Paris - Place Hoche - Versailles

Plate CII – Place Hoche …

Perhaps including Versailles in this Paris collection is stretching the city’s boundaries a little, but the Royal town is very clear amongst my memories of the trip. Arriving in Versailles – primarily to visit the Palace I was delighted to find there was more to the town than that one attraction. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the day held great promise. I eagerly anticipated an extensive viewing of not only the palace and its buildings, but also the more or less 800 hectares of Grand Gardens.

Coming from a right hand drive country and not having been man enough to take on the main Parisian traffic, I had put my recently acquired international driver’s licence to use, hiring a Renault Twingo on the outskirts of the city to drive first to Sèvres and now also to Versailles. I almost felt brave enough after the experience to try my luck at Etoile!!

I stopped near Place Hoche with this view of Versailles’ own Notre Dame church behind, to admire the gardens and the statue of the man who, had he lived longer, and but for Napoleon, may have been the leading French military figure of his age. General Lazare Hoche (1768 – 1797), was born in Versailles of poor parents, was largely self educated and became a general of the revolutionary and Napoleonic armies, achieving great accomplishments both in war and in peacemaking in his short 13 year career.

The slightly cloudy but clear weather that greeted my arrival was about to change.

Paris - Porte St Denis – 10me

Plate LXXX1V - Porte St Denis…

The construction of triumphal arches is, it seems, a way of life in Paris, and the Arc de Triomphe de la Porte St Denis is one of two erected by Louis XIV (the other being the Porte St Martin) to commemorate certain notable military victories, this time in the Rhine and Holland. Said to be inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus and in turn itself the inspiration for Napoleon’s more famous Arc de Triomphe at Etoile  in central Paris, Porte St Denis is located at the site of one of Charles V’s earlier gates in the destroyed city fortifications. The early 1670’s monument was designed by the renowned architect François Blondel and carved by sculptor Michel Anguier. In 1848 Porte St Denis was the site of a workers barricade and bloody conflict with the National Guard, a scene documented by the Marxist, Engels.

With a frontage almost 25 metres square, and a depth of five metres, the arch is an imposing sight on the intersection of the Boulevard and Rue St Denis. Having become somewhat neglected over time, the Porte was fully restored in 1988 (unusually, they didn’t wait for my visit) and the gilt lettered inscription 'Ludovico Magno' once again proclaims the victorious Louis’ military prowess. The last recorded ceremonial procession to pass beneath the arch is said to have been that of British Queen Victoria during her visit to the Exposition of 1855.

Paris – Champs Elysées - 8me

Plate LXXI1I – Champs Elysees

The most famous street in the world? Perhaps.

The Elysian Fields - what a name to live up to. From Elysium in Greek mythology it is the place where humans, offered immortality by the gods were sent. A place where perfect happiness was attained on the banks of the Oceanus River. Well let’s settle for the Seine, and walking down this avenue or settling into a chair in one of the boulevard cafes, my feeling of happiness was as close to perfect as I’ve known.

With rentals reputed to be set at around ten thousand euros per square metre it certainly has the most expensive real estate in all of Europe. Although many international names have opened retail operations along the avenue, and cinemas showing the latest international releases are to be found, it remains essentially French - and très, très chic. Part of the historical axis of the city the avenue, usually referred to simply as the Champs Elysées, runs almost 2 kilometres from the Place de la Concorde in the east to the Place Charles de Gaulle (Étoile) and the Arc de Triomphe to the west, offering upmarket shopping and famous entertainments such as the Bluebell Girls of the Lido, and the picture perfect beaux art decorated tearoom of the Lido Arcade.

The scene of many military processions, it was along the Champs Elysées that the Germans infamously marched in grand display of their occupation of France in June 1940, and it was here too that the French and American troops led by General Charles de Gaulle victoriously celebrated the liberation of the city in August 1944. The annual Bastille Day Parade is held here each 14th July, and the world famous Tour de France cycle race sees its final stage along the avenue. Most occasions of any national significance will be celebrated by a gathering here, with visiting international dignitaries being welcomed by bunting and flags in their national colours alongside the tricolore decorating the staffs along the way.

As Maurice Chevalier used to sing ... Ah! Champs Elysées, Champs Elysées …

Paris - The Arc de Triomphe View 1 - 8me

Plate LXIX - Ave de la Grande Armee …

At the end of September each year France celebrates its heritage by freely opening the doors to hundreds of buildings and museums across the country for a weekend. This includes many buildings not usually granting public access including the Elysee Palace (home of the French President). Established back in 1984 these days are known as the Journées de Patrimonie. One of the places opened during my visit was the Arc de Triomphe. The elevators were not available (a discreet Parisian crowd control device perhaps) - but not to be denied the views from atop the arch I climbed it’s narrow winding spiral steps – all 280, I counted - to once again get my bearings and the layout of the city. 

From the arch, being the centre point of Baron George-Eugene Haussman’s Etoile one can appreciate the effect that his approach to urban planning has on the daily lives of Parisians. I can think of no other world city where the consideration given to the effect of new developments on the old is as carefully thought out as in Paris so as to preserve the aspects built before. Hausmann’s boulevards are the foundation of a rational city extending far beyond the old city limits. 

In this first view I was looking back along the Ave de la Grande Armée to the Grande Arch of La Défense. This avenue together with the Champs Elysées forms the main line of Paris' incredible Axe Historique (explained in an earlier posting). The trees of the Bois de Boulogne can be clearly seen at the left of view. It is in this area that the Roland Garros stadium, the site of the renowned annual French Tennis Open tournament is found. (And it is through watching this magnificent annual event on television that I am aware of the very changeable nature of Parisian weather).
The préfecture of La Défense with its skyscrapers, so thoughtfully allowed only outside of the greater city limits (la Tour Montparnasse being the one notable exception) dominates the skyline, the Grand Arche is seen at almost picture centre.

Paris - The Arc de Triomphe - 7me

Plate LXVIII - The Arc de Ttriomphe…

I believe that two images most strongly define Paris in the eyes of the world - the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

Perhaps through having seen in my schooldays those fractured, aging 1945 newreels of the victorious Charles de Gaulle entering a newly liberated city; or perhaps because of a lifelong fascination with Napoleon and his military prowess - this was the one particular sight I had waited for so many years to see.

For whatever reason, to me this is Paris, and Paris is the Arc de Triomphe. Prepared for disappointment by previous visits to many other celebrated world sights and landmarks, which always seem smaller than their reputation would have you expect, could the Arc de Triomphe be all that I needed it to be?

Having arranged these images by arrondissements they are not in the sequence I visited them. After time at La Défense I had taken the RER from Nanterre to Etoile. Rising through this underground mystery, that was still so new to me, to the midway Metro station and then not sure which exit to take, I fortuitously selected the escalators that rise to the very foot of this magnificent landmark. The hairs on my arms began to rise as I caught my first glimpse of the stonework carvings that decorate the Arc. Little by little, more and more was revealed – seemingly as if in slow motion. And then … there it was!

A giant Tricolore suspended in the centre of the arch greeted my arrival in Paris.

I was here at last, and I was most definitely NOT disappointed.

Paris - Axe Historique - La Défense

Plate V - Grande Arche view of the Axe Historique …

If I have one recommendation for any first time visitor to Paris it is to start your visit, whether you are here for one day or several, with a familiarization viewing of the city from the top of the Grande Arche. Although I was to make several unforgivable (but enjoyable) ‘blunders’ in planning my city wanderings, you will truly get a feeling for the siting of everything you will see or want to see during your time here. This is to Paris, what the London Eye has become to that other nearby capital across the channel.

The almost nine and a half kilometer precision of the historical axis (and indeed Haussman’s city plans radiating from Etoile) becomes apparent with the view from here. Proceeding from La Défense along the Ave. de la Grande Armée, through the Arc de Triomphe, along the Champs Elysées, throught the third arch (du Carrousel) and onto the Louvre, you will also understand the axe’s other name the Voie Triomphale (Triumphal Way). Some slight deviations from perfection do exist, (I have previously mentioned the almost negligible 6.33 degree rotation of the Grande Arche) the axis having been planned along the center of Tuileries Gardens rather than the Vieux Louvre (as the old palace was called). Cleverly, Haussman placed Napoleon’s Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel on the fulcrum point of the Tuileries Palace to Vieux Louvre axis, disguising the ‘fault’ of the join. Further sympathy to the axis was shown by I.M Pei in placing the equestrian statue of Louis XIV adjacent to his Pyramide in the Cour Napoléon of the Grande Louvre design – marking the furthest point of the axis.

Although I did not know it at the time of my visit, a secondary axis forms along the line of the Eiffel Tower, and the Tour Montparnasse. Notice the seemingly solid lower section of the Eiffel Tower in the picture, caused by the alignment of these two landmark city edifices. It was only while questioning the strange apparent solidity of the tower that I discovered how, through fortunate chance, I had captured this placement. It would seem however that nothing about Paris happens through mere chance.

Paris - La Défense - La Défense

Plate I - La Defense

I had flown into Orly airport at around midday, and taken the Orlyval and various metro or RER trains to reach my hotel, only a stone’s throw from the RER stop at Nanterre Préfecture. I will confess to having been so overconfident that I could navigate the city like a native Parisian that I hadn’t noticed that two opposing direction metro lines terminated at either Boissy or Poissy (of course I could have confused myself even further had I known there was another headed for Roissy).  Clearly remembering only the ‘oissy part of where I was going (and assuming there was only one), I followed the signs at Chatelet to the Boissy option and nervously realised I was headed in the wrong direction for La Défense only some four station stops later. Who cared … I was in Paris (or under it). Having had glimpses of parts of the city when the train ran above ground, I could not wait to start discovering this destination I had so long dreamed of visiting. 

My hotel was indeed a very short walk from the RER (it was in fact built immediately above the underground rail tracks and at night the rumble of the trains either kept you awake … or lulled you into sleep). I deposited my baggage in my room, and without even pausing to refresh myself from the long overnight flight from South Africa, I set out to discover as much about the city as I could on day one. I could not wait as long as it would take to reach Etoile, and started my familiarisation with La Defense.

Coming up to ground level a carousel was operating in the large public space between the office blocks and shopping centres of La Défense. Activity was brisk … and it appeared that an ambulance was on hand to cater for any heart stoppages I may have experienced as I finally got my first real glimpse of Paris. I knew immediately I was going to love the place.