Running in the Champs-Elysées with Françoise and Benoît
Françoise and Benoît – Champs-Elysées 8:59 AM – With Françoise and Benoît of Belgium, we began our run on the Parisian western historic axis. This “royal” way begins in the Louvre with the equestrian statue of Louis XIV, crosses the garden of the Tuileries, continues by the Champs-Elysées, passes under the Arc de Triomphe and continues up to the business district of the La Defense to end at the Grande Arche. We then continued our sports stroll along the Seine on the left bank. In passing on the Pont des Arts, we saw the “beaches of Paris “: Paris-Plages. Paris-Plages is an event which takes place in Paris in summer on the right bank automobile traffic lane: some sand, deckchairs, games, concerts, any sorts of activities and this year, a beautiful sand castle! Paris-Plages Merci Benoît et Françoise ! The route of the tour :
Routes of a Running Tours guide
Routes of a Paris Running Tour guide (some GPS Garmin Forerunner 405 records, done since May 2008 – Training, competitions, Running tours, …) In Paris Running Tour, the runners-guides know perfectly their city, Paris. Crossing in great detail the capital almost every day, having created numerous beautiful routes, they can share Paris in a nice way with the visitors-runners who want to discover it. During very early morning runs, some places are very privileged, enlightened axes as banks of the Seine or the Champ de Mars garden, the only park opened permanently: Click to zoom Numerous runners all over the world like sharing a moment of running by showing and by commenting on their city. Many big cities possess “Running Tours” companies. We would like to greet a new one: Atlanta Running Tours Do you remember Kristy who ran with us? Kristy became Running Tour guide and shares her attractive city of with the sports visitors. We wish her very beautiful races!
Along the Seine with Angela
Angela – Quay Malaquais 7:32 AM – With Angela of Santiago (Chile), we ran early during this beautiful morning of May. At that time, streets are still quiet, with very few pedestrians, deserted quays and the tourist places still little frequented. We had the city only for us. The morning, Paris belongs to the runners! If you run the morning on the quays bordering the Seine, you will see surely large green boxes (as on the photo above). They are the boxes of secondhand booksellers, called the “bouquinistes” (here a video – in French). You will see them opening from 11 am.The “bouquinistes” of Paris sell old books, secondhand or contemporaries but also of the exhausted editions, prints and etchings. From the XVIth century, on the quays of Paris, we could meet small peddlers of books ; from 1620, twenty four approved secondhand booksellers. For a royalty, they are entitled to hold portable shops on the bridge and the neighboring quays. In 1859, the itinerant secondhand booksellers became concessionary of the city of Paris which enabled them to pose boxes at fixed place on the parapets. The Seine is the only river which runs between rows of books (more than 300 000)! Merci Angela! “Bouquinistes” during the day – Quay Malaquais The route of the tour :
Left bank, at the level of the ancient city with James
On the left bank – Notre-Dame – James 10:02 AM – With James, from Chicago, starting on the Island of Saint Louis, we ran on the centre of Paris finishing on the left bank of the river Seine, at the level of the ancient city… As us (James and the Paris Running Tour team), if you are interested by the Roman Lutecia (name of Paris at the Gaul and Roman periods), at the foot of Notre Dame, you must visit the Archaeologic Crypt (just under the square of Notre Dame). You will find the ruins of the Roman constructions and many information on how Paris evolved in time. Some information here (in French) and a brochure (in English) here. Go there! Merci James! The route of the tour: Display James’tour on a bigger map