It was April in Paris when Flat Stanley arrived. The trees and flowers were blooming and he was ready to begin his adventure. But first, we sent an email to Kylie to let her know he had arrived safely!
Then, it was time to begin!
This is the story of Flat Stanley’s visit to Paris, France in April 2004.
It was April in Paris when Flat Stanley arrived. The trees and flowers were blooming and he was ready to begin his adventure. But first, we sent an email to Kylie to let her know he had arrived safely!
Then, it was time to begin!
The best way to see Paris is on the Bateaux Mouches as many of the most famous Paris monuments are on the riverbanks.
This boat was in front of us for our cruise, but not always this close. This is where we turned around by the Canal St Martin.
The Métro opened on 19 July 1900, its first line being from Porte de Vincennes to Porte Maillot (not surprising it is now the line number 1). Fulgence Bienvenüe was the engineer in charge of construction, the architect Hector Guimard being responsible for the Art Nouveau entrances.
The system has 199 km (124 miles) of track and 15 lines. There are 368 stations (not including RER stations), 87 of these being interchanges between lines. Every building in Paris is within 500 meters of a métro station. There are 3500 cars which transport roughly 6 million people per day.
Flat Stanley kept his map of the métro and some tickets as souvenirs.
The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel’s was unanimously chosen.
At 300 meters (320.75 m including antenna), and 7,000 tons, it was the world’s tallest building until 1930. Other statistics include:
The tower was almost torn down in 1909, but was saved because of its antenna–used for telegraphy at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio (since 1918), and French television (since 1957) have also made use of its stature.
On the right bank of the Seine River, facing the Eiffel tower, the Palais de Chaillot’s monumental architecture was designed for the 1937 world exhibition.
Besides its spectacular view on the Eiffel tower, the Palais de Chaillot is worth a visit for its museums: the Navy museum with ship models spanning three centuries of naval history and the mankind museum.
There are also large metal fountains in the gardens of the Palais de Chaillot and many roller-bladers practicing around them.
Built for the 1900 World’s Fair are two structures covered by domes of iron and glass known as the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais. The Grand Palais is now used for various exhibitions.
Part of the building is the permanent site of the Palais de la Découverte (palace of discovery) where recent scientific discoveries, interactive exhibits, temporary exhibitions and a planetarium are displayed.
This fortress like building on the Ile de la Cité, built by Philippe the Fair (1284-1314) now makes up much of the Palais de Justice complex. Its history as a place of imprisonment, torture, and death is significant.
Among its more famous prisoners was Marie Antoinette, her cell is now a chapel to her memory, and includes her crucifix, and two portraits of her from life.
Notre-Dame dates back to the 13th century and is one of the masterpieces of Gothic art in Western Europe. Its stain glass and the huge interior are really stunning artistic experiences of mystical dimension.
Located on Ile de la Cité and surrounded by the Seine River, Notre-Dame is a flagship in the Parisian landscape and provides a magnificent view of the city from the top of its towers.
The people of France gave the statue to the citizens the United States over 100 years ago in recognition of the friendships established during the American Revolution. Over the years the statue has gone on to symbolize and include freedom and democracy in it’s meaning as well as international friendship.
Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design a sculpture to be completed in the year 1876, to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence.
The statue was to be a joint effort between America and France and it was agreed upon that the Americans were to build the pedestal and the French were to build the statue and help assemble it when it arrived in the United States. However, lack of funds and the raising of those funds caused the delivery to be just a little bit late.
On October 28, 1886, the dedication of the Statue of Liberty took place in front of thousands of spectators. She was a centennial gift only 10 years late!
Today a copy of the flame of the torch decorates one of Paris’s roundabouts, the Place d’Alma and while it inadvertently became a temporary memorial to Princess Diana whose death occurred nearby, it has since been reclaimed and restored to its original beauty.
Built by architect Victor Laloux in 1900, the Gare d’Orsay was one of the Paris stations with trains to the southwest of France (Orléans and Bordeaux).
Located across from the Louvre on the Seine, it has been spectacularly renovated to house the Orsay museum.
The Musée d’Orsay is known worldwide for its famous impressionists collections, among them Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Edgar Manet, Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Cézanne.
An international news network, RFI broadcasts in French 24 hours a day throughout the world and in 19 other languages. You can listen to RFI on the web at www.rfi.fr
Christopher’s school, Lycée Jean de la Fontaine was constructed from 1935 to 1938 on the place of former fortifications of the city of Paris.
It has the shape of an “open square” into which one enters through great wrought iron doors. Designed by Heraud, it is a place full of light with elegant lines typical of the style of the 1930s.
During WWII, between August 1944 and 1945 the lycée served as an American Hospital.
Although we didn’t get to visit the real Mona Lisa, we did manage to find a likeness of her near the Trocadéro. The portrait, full of mystery and secrets, is painted on a 77x53 cm large poplar-wood. It is the most famous work of Leonardo da Vinci.
Today the painting is behind bulletproof glass in Paris in the Louvre and international terms are prohibiting any journey.
Another Mona in Paris is Countess Mona Bismarck. Born Mona Travis Strader in Louisville, Kentucky, she married in 1917 the first of five husbands.
Her quintessential style was celebrated in a song by Cole Porter, while her physical beauty captivated painters like Salvador Dali, Leonor Fini, Bernard Boutet de Monvel and photographers Cecil Beaton, Edward Steichen and Horst. In her later years she lived quietly in Paris and at her villa on the Isle of Capri.
Mona Bismarck was a devotee of arts and culture, and after her death in 1983, she generously transferred her magnificent Paris townhouse to be used as exhibition space for American artists and as a home for non-profit American organizations in Paris.
Dianne works for AAWE (Association of American Wives of Europeans), which is located in the Mona Bismarck Foundation; her office is Mona Bismarck’s personal bathroom and bedroom (both with marble fireplaces!) which overlooks the Eiffel Tower.
On May Day it is a tradition to give gifts of muguet (lily of the valley) for good luck.
Flat Stanley was very sweet and presented Dianne and Christopher with a small bouquet.
They look pretty and smell nice, too!
After a long day of site seeing, Flat Stanley was so tired that he decided to sit and chat with Ayo the cat for a little while.
Ayo was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina and has lived in Paris since 1992. He can meow in French and English!
At dinnertime Flat Stanley, Dianne and Christopher ordered some pizza; we got a large Authentic which was very tasty! He brought the menu back to show you.
Then we all sat back and watched a little bit of Bob l’Eponge on TV.
Afterwards, we brushed our teeth and went to bed because the next day Flat Stanley had to go home to Kylie!
©2004 qbgraphics.com
What is Flat Stanley?: www.flatstanleyproject.net