An erotic male fantasy could well involve romantic Paris, and having a passionate affair of the heart with a Frenchwoman. Well, it certainly isn’t my fantasy … anymore! The city of romance has cast a magical spell over my lover and I, as this latest European travel adventure rapidly draws to a close here in France. Paris is a beautiful city particularly when lit up spectacularly after dark, and the romantic strolls taken with my kind and gracious host have served to deepen my admiration for Paris and her charming inhabitants.
The French seem to possess an effortless charisma, constant reader, and even the dazzling charm of a St Germain waiter serving us a drink left me shaking my head in wonder. I originally planned to complete my journey in Portugal, but a chance meeting with a Frenchwoman and her friends at the hostel in Seville led to great Tapas meals, and eventually an invitation to Paris I simply could not refuse. Despite this being my third visit to Paris I’m still discovering fascinating new sights that well and truly maintain the wow factor. One could easily spend a lifetime within the passionate embrace of Paris, and the city of romance thrills visitors with an indefinable je ne sais quoi.
I was keen to visit the Picasso museum on this trip, and ducked out to catch the metro while my host had lunch with friends. Picasso lived the majority of his life in France, and it was during the years 1908-1912 that Cubism exploded onto the artistic scene in Paris. Picasso and the French artist Georges Braque were great friends, and a constant source of inspiration to each other. Picasso has said that a day never went by during the period of Cubism when he didn’t visit his friend to see what he had created during the day. Cubism has been described by a respected Professor of Art as “fragments of the visual world broken down and rearranged.” The artists were so radical during the height of Cubism that even art connoisseurs needed to rely on the painting’s title to provide a reference point, and only then could they gain a proper understanding of the barely comprehensible changes made to the shape and form of the original subject. The Picasso museum houses the world’s greatest collection of work by this modern day genius, and the great man justifiably deserves his reputation as the greatest painter since the Renaissance.
Je n’attache aucune importance au subject, mais je tiens a l’objet. Respectez l’objet!” Pablo Picasso
We spent wonderful days together in Paris which included tea at the mosque one afternoon, and a memorable romantic stroll along the Seine river one evening with the Eiffel Tower lit up like a beacon in the background. Paris is absolutely sensational at night, in spite of the winter chill prevalent at this time of year. On another evening we explored the buzzing Montmartre district, and arrived at the top of the hill right on time for sunset views of Sacre Coeur cathedral which is truly a beautiful sight. Afterwards we gazed down from the top of the hill together to enjoy sensational panoramic views of romantic Paris lit up at night.
We spent another superb afternoon at the palace of Versailles. Louis XIV was determined during his long reign to show the world the glory and grandeur of France, and the palace and gardens are superb. Personally I couldn’t imagine living in such a vast and impersonal palace despite all the grandeur on display, it just didn’t feel homely for me and may also be slightly out of my price range! However, there’s no denying Versailles is a very impressive sight and well worth a visit. The highlight of the palace tour is strolling through the King’s rooms with their staggering displays of priceless silver carvings on display. The tour culminates in the glorious Hall of Mirrors, where the Sun King greeted foreign emissaries with ostentatious pomp and ceremony while perched atop his splendid throne.
The gardens of Versailles are exquisitely maintained, and the grounds behind the palace are more like a park than a garden. Such is the scale involved in the concept and design of this world famous tourist attraction. Versailles is only thirty minutes from Paris by train, and we had an enjoyable afternoon visiting. When we returned to Paris I was taken on a guided tour of the nightlife areas of St Germain and Odeon, and the benefit of having a local companion proved to be invaluable during this visit to Paris, as there are countless gems to discover throughout this wonderful city. We stopped by to order some divine cakes from the famous Mulot Patisserie, which was a personal favourite of Mastrianni while he was living in this very fashionable arrondisement in Paris.
It’s hard to comprehend this is my third visit to Paris, which included living and studying French here for six months after completing university. But I’m finding the charm of the tres chic French and their fabulous capital city still leaves me enthralled after all these years. I’ve had a wonderful time exploring the city of romance and send a special thank you to my gorgeous host for her kindness and consideration *Merci ma cherie*. Classy and sophisticated, sexy, cultured and caring … mais oui, Vive la France et les femmes Francaise where, basically all of you should be here now!
“Democracy” wrote H.L. Mencken, is the theory that “the common people know what they want, and they deserve to get it good and hard.”
It’s home time so until next time, I’m signing off for now
Tom
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