Paris — anytime, anywhere

on the side of the Seine (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

I woke up early my first morning in Paris and went out for a walk just as dawn was breaking. It was a Sunday morning in August, and there was no traffic. Practically nobody else was awake. I felt that I had Paris to myself as I walked through the Jardin des Tuileries. Crossing the Seine on a small pedestrian bridge, the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, I ambled through some residential streets behind the Musée d'Orsay, eventually making my way back to the Seine.

Snapping pictures as I walked along, I saw the newly dawned sun illuminating the mansard roofs of classic Haussmannian buildings. I crossed the Pont Royal and marveled at the sunlight reflecting brightly off the glass roof of the Grand Palais to the west. Looking to the far bank of the Seine, I saw these four young people — two couples — sitting together by the river.  Turning left on the Voie Georges Pompidou, I walked above the spot where they were sitting and was lucky to capture this image through the trees.

The picture tells a story, though the viewer has to imagine what that story might be. Two young couples spending an evening together in Paris, sharing kisses as the sun comes up on a brand new day, this is Paris — anytime, anywhere — the most beautiful city in the world, a place for old and new lovers alike.

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

postcard from Paris | seagulls in a row

pigeons on Ile de la Cité (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

I arrived yesterday morning in Paris. After a 30+ minute wait at passport control, I took a taxi to Hotel Lutetia, a newly renovated Virtuoso hotel on Boulevard Raspail on the Left Bank of Paris. Leaving my bags at the front desk, I went out to walk while the light was still good, just wandering through random neighborhoods until I reached the Seine.

Walking over the Pont Neuf (the oldest bridge in Paris), I came onto the Ile de la Cité. I was greeted by this row of seagulls sightseeing over the Seine. I snapped a few pictures and, as luck would have it, managed to capture a seagull coming in for a landing...

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit our website.

a great new way to see Paris

The blog French Journal passed along a very interesting bit of news for tourists visiting Paris starting July 15, 2007 (the day after Bastille Day). According to an article in The Washington Post, over 20,000 bikes will become available for rent at nearly 1,500 bike stations all over the city. And the best part? The first half-hour is free!

This should diminish the number of cars on the road, make the metro less crowded, and generally make life more pleasant for everyone. The side benefits are unambiguously good: less pollution, less emissions of greenhouse gases, and less demand for petroleum products.

Imagine pedaling from the Eiffel Tower along the Seine, across the river, through the Louvre, back to the Seine, across to the Ile de la Cite, and finishing at Notre-Dame. A long walk becomes a great bike ride. C'est la vie!


If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.