The City of Light

Papa and I left the Gers this morning and drove to Toulouse for our flight to Paris.  We arrived at CDG Airport by 1:15, took the RER B train to the Saint Michel Notre Dame Metro stop, came out of the Metro, looked up and saw the Notre Dame.  It is such a symbol of Paris, that it was wonderful to see the front facade mostly intact and standing.  We walked two blocks to the apartment we are renting for the week, across the street from Paris’ Hôtel de Ville, City Hall, and the Notre Dame due south of us one block and visible, with it’s roof and steeple missing.

After dropping our things in the apartment, we shopped for a few groceries nearby, then settled in at the apartment a bit, before going for a walk as the sun was setting and the lights of the city were coming on.  We walked about five miles, up the Seine from the Hôtel de Ville to the Louvre, through the Tuileries, then turned around at Place de la Concorde, and back down the other side of the Seine.

“In 1697, King Louis XIV gave the Lieutenant General of Police the task of making the city more safe.  He quadrupled the number of police and added more lighting.  Lanterns were placed on every main street and residents were asked to light their windows with candles or oil lamps.  The idea was to reduce the crime rate.  From that time on, Paris has been known as the City of Light.  It was one of the first European cities to adopt street lighting.  Today, there are over 296 illuminated sights in Paris, including 33 bridges, and the Eiffel Tower shines like a beacon each night.”  Paris seems to sparkle at night.