In front of the Embassy of Texas in Paris with Kristina
Kristina – Alexandre III bridge – “La fillette à la coquille” (the girl with the shell), sculpted by Léopold Morice 9:55 AM – Kristina lives just in front of Manhattan (New York). We ran and discovered Paris on a beautiful morning of May. The magnificent Alexandre III bridge presents numerous groups of statues. Some evoke diverse representations of the Fame, others, France in various periods of its history. The girl with the shell, which we can see on the photo above, is a member of numerous statues bound to the marine world (the Nereid, the child and the fantastic fish, dolphins and other shells). It is a pity people hung on to it padlocks (look at the hands of the statue by enlarging the photo).. Very close to the place where we started our running, Place Vendôme, we met the Embassy of Texas! Kristina – “Embassy of Texas” Embassy of Texas? Yes, read the plaque which we can see on the building behind Kristina: It is written: “Embassy of Texas. In 1842-1843 this building was the seat of the Embassy of the Republic of Texas in Paris. With the Franco-Texan Treaty of 29 September 1839 France became the first nation to recognize the Republic of Texas, an independant state between 1836 and 1845.” A little farther, after having run in the magnificent Garden of the Tuileries, Kristina – Jardin des Tuileries It is in front of another place of political representation that we stop: Kristina – Palais de l’Elysée – “La Grille du Coq” The Palace of “Elysée”, official residence of the President of the French Republic. Look at the railing which closes the garden of the Palace south side: it is the Railing of the Gallic cockerel. Remember, we had spoken about this cock here. By continuing our road towards the Eiffel Tower, we pass by a street the name of which evokes a city well known by Kristina: Kristina – Avenue de New-York In 1918, this way is named Avenue of Tokio (with one “i” as it was the custom at the beginning of the 20th century). At the end of the World War I, the avenue receives this name because Japan was an ally of France. In 1945, the avenue of Tokio is renamed avenue of New York, the most populated city of the United States, the country which participated in the France liberation (Japan having become an enemy during the World War II). The Palace of Tokyo, very close, built for the World Fair of 1937, kept its name. We were lucky! By going to the Eiffel Tower, the cannons of the garden of Trocadéro throw their powerful water jets: Kristina – Jardin du Trocadéro Merci Kristina ! The route of the tour:
Discovery of the symbols of Paris with Emily
Emily – Alexandre III bridge 9:03 AM – With Emily, from Ohio (USA), our sports route crossed the seventh and eighth districts of Paris, known in particular for the big works and monuments we can find there. It is here that we shall meet the constructions which stayed after the 19th and 20th centuries World Fairs: the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Chaillot, the Palace of Iena, the Palace of Tokyo, “Petit” and “Grand Palais” and of course, the Alexandre III Bridge. Had you noticed that on the Alexandre III Bridge are the symbols of France and Paris? Alexandre III bridge – France and Paris Symbols On the basis of most of the candelabras surrounding the bridge, you will find various representations of the symbols of France and Paris: On the left photo above, you can read “RF“, which means French Republic. All the public buildings in France show these letters RF. A little farther, for example, on the left bank, at the east of the bridge, you will find these letters on the blazons of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. In the middle, the Gallic cockerel (“Coq Gaulois“) which is the national symbol of France, even if it is not as formalized as the bald eagle, national bird of the United States.. Finally, on the right photo, you will find the blazon of Paris, the ship of the powerful Gallic corporation of the Nautes. The motto of Paris is bound to this blazon: “Fluctuat nec mergitur“, Latin expression which means “It floats but does not sink”. You can see this blazon on most of the public buildings of Paris. Moreover, we find it in big on the bridge again: Alexandre III bridge – West side We thus left the area of the Champ de Mars to go around the Invalides : Emily – “Hôtel des Invalides” – South side Emily – “Hôtel des Invalides” – North side Meanwhile, we were able to admire, since the street, the Rodin museum and its beautiful garden: Emily – Rodin museum : the garden, the museum and the The Burghers of Calais statue To go on the right bank, we crossed the footbridge Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, with, by leaving the bridge, a beautiful point of view on the “Musée d’Orsay”: Emily – Orsay museum By going back up the Champs-Elysées, we made a small detour to find again our symbols, the Gallic Cock and the letters RF: Elysée palace – “Grille du Coq” (Railing of the Gallic cockerel) If there is a place where we have to see these symbols, it is the Elysée Palace (“Palais de l’Elysée”), the residence of the President of the French Republic (equivalent to the White House for the USA), here on the Railing of the Cock which is in the South of the Palace garden. By crossing the “Petit Palais”, very Parisian monument, it is, this time, the Ship that we found again: Emily – “Petit Palais” – Blazon of the Nautes By entering the “Petit Palais”, by raising the head towards the ceiling, we find once more the blazon, where we can even read it the motto ” Fluctuat nec mergitur “: Ceiling of the entrance of the “Petit Palais” By leaving the “Petit Palais”, here is again the Alexandre III Bridge and in the background the “Hôtel des Invalides” (in fact, the bridge was created to connect the Champs-Elysées to the “Invalides”): Emily – Alexandre III bridge (right bank side) and left bank, in the background, the Invalides By the way, do you know what represents this other symbol, a double-headed eagle, that we can also see at the bottom of the Alexandre III bridge lampposts? ; ) Merci Emily ! The route of the tour:
In front of the garden of the Elysée with Meredith and John
Meredith and John in front of the gardens of the Élysée Palace, residence of the President of the Republic. To see the main entrance, on the other side, you can click here 9:07 AM – Meredith and John come from the East coast of the United States (Washington, New York) and are in Paris for a cultural and very sports visit. This Monday, March 4th, we combined a tourist stroll and and “recovery jogging”. Indeed, Meredith ran the day before, the Paris half marathon by establishing a new personal record on the distance. Bravo Meredith! More than 30000 participants at the 2013 Paris Half-marathon! The start. With a close look, you will see 2 Paris Running Tour guides in the foreground, orange and (Paris Running Tour) green T-shirts That is thus, quietly, that we crossed Paris and took advantage of the beautiful morning, second brightened up morning after a very cold and dark winter. Meredith and John – Garden of the Tuileries – On the historical axis: far off the Obelisk of the place de la Concorde and the Arc of Triumph at the end of Champs-Elysées On the photo above, we see clearly the “pyramidion” (pyramid cover cap) at the top of the Obelisk, its gold cover shines as in the time of antique Egypt. Did you also know that the Obelisk of “Place de la Concorde” represented the gnomon (the needle) of a gigantic sundial? Had you noticed these marks on the ground? A gigantic sundial (1999) “place de la Concorde” – Click on the picture to see the details! The hour calculation is not as simple (duration of the day, etc.) By continuing our running, we returned on the historic axis, with in its beginning, the Louvre: Meredith and John – The pyramid of the Louvre It is in this way that we admired the oldest monument of Paris, the obelisk of Concorde (13è century BC) and one of the most modern, the Louvre Pyramid (inaugurated in 1989)! Merci Meredith, merci John! The route of the tour:
From the top of Montmartre to the Tuileries with Ai
Ai – Palais de l’Elysée (Elysee Palace) 7:02 AM – On early Thursday morning, with Ai, who lives in Seattle (USA), we decided to begin our tour with a sports ascent towards the “butte Montmartre”. Ai generally runs on hilly roads in the region of Seattle. In Paris, the running routes are relatively flat, except for some rare exceptions, as Montmartre. The continuation was easier. At first, the descent led us towards the Elysée Palace, the French Republic president’s residence, then, on the way back, we admired some of the numerous sculptures which decorate Paris, among which the General Lafayette’s statue and his small curiosity, a tortoise who accompanies the steps of his horse… General Lafayette and the little tortoise (click on the image to enlarge it) By continuing our road, we crossed the garden of the Tuileries which abounds in works of art. New creations appear there from time to time, on the occasion of exhibitions temporary like the FIAC which is held from 20th till 23th October in various places of Paris. We were entitled to some previews, of which “Earthlings” of the artist Adrian Villar Rojas, “fallen column” which provokes a funny effect when we meet it for the first time. Earthlings – Adrian Villar Rojas (click on the image to enlarge it) It does not however seem to disturb the sons of Caïn, Paul Landowski’s work, which stands a little farther. The sons of Cain – Paul Landowski (click on the image to enlarge it) Merci Ai ! The route of the tour :
In front of the Elysee with Cindy
Cindy – Palais de l’Elysée 8:54 AM – With Cindy, from Chicago (USA), we crossed the city on about eleven kilometers. On our route, we had a photo break next to the Elysée Palace, the siege of the Presidency of the French Republic, very close to the place Beauvau where stands the Ministry of the Interior (Home office / Department of the Interior). Presidency of the Republic, Ministry of the Interior, the place is really well protected, we can see numerous policemen surrounding these buildings. Besides, it is forbidden to walk, moreover to run, along the sidewalks which line the Elysée Palace! Railing of the Ministry of the Interior – Place Beauvau We then joined the place de la Concorde, the place Vendôme, the banks of the Seine, the Eiffel Tower and appreciated to run in Paris while evoking the charm of the morning runs along Lake Michigan… Merci Cindy ! The route of the tour :
Precocious winter in the Champs-Elysées with Karine
Champs-Elysées – Karine 7:30 AM – Minus 6°C (21°F) this morning! Paris is already prepared and ready to celebrate the end of year festivities, adding cold weather and snow to the program to be in the good mood… So, with Karine from Montreal, we started with the firm intention to do a quick warm up, running through the heart of Paris from the Palais Royal through the Champs-Elysees. Cold? Us? Never! As long as we run! Alice, a journalist from RFI (Radio France Internationale) ran with us. Her radio report talks about all the original ways to visit a city like Paris. We think Paris Running Tour is definitely one! :^) You can hear the radio report here (in French). Merci Karine, merci Alice! About the Champs-Elysées: The Avenue of the Champs-Elysées is called “The most beautiful avenue in the world”, you know that, but do you know what “Champs-Elysées” stands for? In the Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields (“Champs-Elysées” in French) were the place where the blessed dead, the heroic or virtuous souls go. The nearby Elysée Palace is the residence of the French President, for which reason “l’Élysée” is frequently a metonym for the French Republic presidency. The route of the tour:
Matignon, Ecole Militaire, Champ de Mars, Eiffel tower, Palais de l’Elysée, Louvre… Places of History and French institutions.
Dan – Elysée Palace 8.00 AM Where does the French Prime Minister reside? Where does the French President live? What is the meaning of the “Champ de Mars” and what did it serve for? What does “Elysees” refer to? Many questions we discussed with Dan still keeping a good pace. Thank you Dan! The route of the tour: You can display Dan’s tour on a bigger map