Sunny Days

The weather finally turned around and for two days the skies were a gorgeous blue and we could feel the warm sun on our skins. We walked all around, enjoying further explorations and sightseeing.

Ten minutes from our apartment...

Highlights include the Hotel des Invalides and the military museum. It's a functioning military area, but has a museum of France's military history and a huge and gorgeous old church.

The church is home to Napoleans grandiose tomb and is just so ornate and beautiful. The military museum was also super interesting. It features old weapons, uniforms, artifacts, tanks, cannons, cars, swords, armor, etc - dating back over 600 years. It was really wild to see uniforms from the time period of the US revolutionary war, armor from the old French kings, right up to WWII artifacts (including documentation papers from French Jews who were taken by the Nazis).

Hotel des Invalides

Ketch being a total babe, as per usual

The dome inside the church

Napolean's tomb. It's HUGE (figures).

Ketch having a grand old time in the church

The crypts

The courtyard

The view from the front walkway of the Hotel des Invalides

After that, we walked to the Petit Palais and enjoyed all the beautiful art, the luxe architecture and design of the building, and even took a moment to relax and have coffees in the dreamy courtyard garden in the middle of the palace.

Pont Alexander III - Ornate and beautiful bridge

The Petit Palais (Small Palace) ... Doesn't look small to me!

Romantic courtyard garden in the middle of the Palace. Perfect place for a coffee break!

Winding staircase in the Petit Palais

On the walk home.
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Yesterday we walked to the Pantheon, which is a more recent (1700/1800's) building inspired by the ancient Pantheon in Rome. It is another ornate and beautiful church but has interesting history of going back and forth from being a religious building to a secular building, depending on what leaders are in power. The Pantheon is home to Foucault's Pendulum and the tombs of Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, and others.

The Pantheon, Paris.

Love those columns. Oh, that guy is pretty cute, too.

Inside the Pantheon.

Foucault's pendulum.

Victorian mourning art - hair wreaths! In the mausoleum crypts.

View from the Pantheon.

After exploring the chilly crypts and taking in all the amazing art and architecture, we walked down to the Luxembourg Gardens and had a lovely lunch. The gardens are huge and scattered about are sculptures, fountains, manicured greenery and flowers, etc. There were loads of people enjoying themselves in the sunshine. It felt so magical and romantic even though we were eating home-made sandwiches and surrounded by people.

What a fox.

Lunch at Luxembourg Gardens

Glamour-face at the gardens

Garden style

Luxembourg Gardens

Luxembourg Gardens

On the way home we popped in Bon Marche, the most luxe department store I have ever seen in my life. It had everything from food and furniture, to clothes and books, but all super high quality and luxury brands. The interior was open and bright, with cream and gilded gold accents and moldings. I saw the most gorgeous clothes by designers I had never actually seen in real life and/or only dream about -- Lanvin, Jill Sanders, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Marni, Chanel, Pucci, DVF, Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, and so many more. It was incredible just to wander around and admire all the creative, art installation-like displays and take in all the colors, patterns, and fabrics.

Bon Marche

At the food market, we found a number of exciting treats and indulged a few gems (all vegan, of course)! They had so many jars of spreads, oils, and creams made with truffle mushrooms and I was just losing my mind. I scored basil pesto with white truffles and a white truffle spread. Also, we got saffron mustard, monster munch crunchy snacks, and cereal that had a Star Wars spoon inside! So far it has all proved to be delicious and none of it was expensive at all!

Most exciting snacks ever!

The walk home

Art-Nouveau Metro sign

Last night we had two dear friends over for dinner at our apartment. We made a (vegan & gluten-free) cauliflower and onion tart, roasted potatoes covered in the saffron mustard, and zucchini with mint, almonds, and curry. Our friends brought over dessert treats, Rose' wine , champagne, and nail polish! It was so comforting and nice to just hang out like we would with friends at home.

Roasted potatoes with saffron mustard, zucchini with mint, curry, and almonds

Cauliflower and onion tart with gluten-free herb crust