Crepes and Stained Glass | Cary Family Weblog

On our last day in Paris our first job was to get to Gare du Lyon and drop our bags. Having taken two taxis, we weren’t doing any more of that and I fired up my Uber app for a Van. Good price, considerate, communicative driver – perfect. No more cabs in Paris. After dropping our bags we stopped for a quick break at our embassy (Starbucks).

Waiting outside our apartment for the Uber van.

Lyon station where the dropped off our bags in lockers.

Quick visit to our embassy before heading out! — Quick visit to our embassy (Starbucks, lol) before heading out!

Then, we were off to the Islands in the Seine, heart of ancient and modern Paris, starting with Ile de la Cite and the Notre Dame Cathedral.

You emerge from the Metro again, and wonder Qu'est-ce que c'est? — You emerge from the Metro again, and wonder Qu’est-ce que c’est?

Walking from the metro we saw the two islands, Ile de la Cite (left) with its monuments and Ile d' Saint Louis (right) with its trendy neighborhoods, boutiques and good eats. — Walking from the metro we saw the two islands, Ile de la Cite with its monuments and Ile d’ Saint Louis with its trendy neighborhoods, boutiques and good eats.

Notre Dame cathedral, massive artwork and massive line to get in.

Cary and I joined the massive 5 loop line (free form on the square) to enter Notre Dame while Meridith ran around the side to get in the line to climb the bell towers! Here are some of the fun and amazing architectural features we saw.

The rose window, meant to glorify Mary – kind of obscured from inside.

One of the few ‘picture ok’ spots inside the church.

A window in one of the side chapels built out between the flying buttresses as later addition.

St. Denis, legendarily beheaded but still preaching Christ

Hearing that Meridith was still negotiating the line for the tower climb, we headed off to Sainte Chapelle.

The wait was well worth it. In the Gallery below you’ll see the same kind of restoration we saw in progress at Yorkminster – new stone fashioned by old craftsmanship. While the communards defaced things they could reach, they didn’t break the stained glass during their occupation. Commentary in the gallery below.

Tall – this shot is of the second story chapel.

Very impressive, but I can’t see the top pictures without my 30x Canon lens.

Those windows all have a theme. For a Biblicist like me, would love to see each pane in a theme.

Altar piece for holding the legendary relics.

Beautiful artwork behind the altarpiece.

The veils are ‘painted’ on, but look real even in person.

Awestruck. If you’re in Paris, see this place.

On our return to Notre Dame… we heard our phone text chime go off… Meridith was on Notre Dame somewhere. We thought we could make out someone on the top left tower, but Cary was thinking Meridith was on the balcony below. Well, there was someone atop the left tower, let’s zoom in…