Paris Always Walk

#PARIS #UNLOCKED Day 1-3

Paris Always Walk Independent Tours  is offering, virtually, to  you a glimpse of the unique #Montmartre #Paris and much more of the #city of #Light,  starting today, May 11, 2020,  the beginning of  the ease  of #confinement.

#Paris  #Unlocked  Day 1 -windy

#SacreCoeur basilica and the panorama view of #Paris, in windy  day 1  of #unlocked  #deconfinement Paris .

Going downhill #Montmartre, in Place Blanche, #restaurants # bars and #MoulinRouge are still closed, yet the traffic of the #cars and  #scooters can be heard, the sign the #French #economy has been partially #reopened.

Pont des Arts, or better known as  #Pont des Amoureux ( #Bridge of #Lovers) – a pedestrian one ( 1801), is one of the favorite passage, for those crossing over Rive Droite a Rive Gauche  ( from right #bank to the left one),  with a marvelous view  upon #TourEiffel, far away. It’s the very same bridge where  the, #remake of #Sabrina #film ( 1995) had the final kiss: the beautiful Sabrina and the wealthy Linus. How #romantic is that!

Even though #deconfinement , as #French have it, is still restrictive in 4 departments of #France,   #Paris included, when grand #museums  #Louvre , #MuseeOrsey, for instance,  grand #shopping centers  #Printemps ,  #GalleriesLaFayette , public #parks  #gardens and #schools are still closed,   the 2 main  green #lungs of  #Paris  are open to the public  Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes,  and the banks of #river Seine, as well, which makes the difference for the open-air exercise

  #Paris #Unlocked  Day 2 – sunny

#SacreCoeur  basilica ( 1914)  uphill  Butte #Montmartre can be  seen in the aura of a  #Parisian blue #sky  in her full splendor, given by the impressive architecture and the bright white stoned construction, visible from  most heights of #Paris.

 Paris Always Walk Independent Tours  has ‘ crossed over the border’ of #Montmartre #Village for the 1st time, in #unlockdown, in 56 days of tough restrictions and has got some captures , #walking along #river #Seine.

Created as ‘ voie express’ ( rapid traffic lane) in 1967, the  right low bank of #river Seine- voie G. Pompidou, has become a promenade one, recently. Closed during #lockdown till May 11, 2020, the lane is now back, animated with bikers, pedestrians, picnics getting people together with more or less taking into account #social #distancing, admiring the #sunset, down the river and  Pont Neuf ( 1607) ( New Bridge), by the west side of Ile-de -la -Cite ( City Isle).

The most famous #art #museum in the world,  #Louvre is visited by millions of people, from all corners of the our #planet.  The rich #art #collection,  with more than 35k items exhibited, was started by the kings of #France.

Palais du Louvre,   was the royal residence of  King Charles V ( 1338-1380) interested in #Italian #Renaissance and King Francois I (1494-1547) who enriched the collection by purchasing ‘ Gioconda’ after the death of Leonardo da Vinci , in 1519, among other paintings of the same #artists.

#Roi  Solei ,  Louis XIV , King of France ( 1638-1715) was an art lover and grand collector. He “loved all- in its splendor, magnificence and profusion” as one of the memorialist of his time, Duc de Saint- Simon, described the #King’s taste. During his long role as a monarch of Kingdom of #France, he founded   ‘Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture’ ( 1638). “He was a rather great king”( Saint Simon). Many other leaders of #France have contributed to the  Louvre art collection over centuries.

Louvre opened as a  #MuseeLouvre in 1793 – Art #Museum.

 #Paris #Unlocked  Day 3– chilly

The northern side of #SacreCoeur basilica ( 1914)  might be less visited than the opposite one, with the main entrance.  Yet, la campanile, the bell-tower (84m)  is an interesting architectural feature, completing the whole ensemble of Roman- Byzantine #architecture, designed by #French #architect Paul Abadie in 1874 and finished by  architect Lucien Magne.   This imposing  belfry holds the largest bell in #France: ‘ La Savoyarde’

(3m in diameter and 1,8 tons), made in Savoie, #France ( 1895).

Butte de #Montmartre ‘ s Place de Tertre  is known as #Place des #Artistes, where many #artists hire 1m2 for their #chevalet ( easel), brushes, painting tubes, papers and work. Tourists, happy to have reached  the top of the Montmartre Hill gladly would have their portrait sketched, in no time, by one of the painters, trying to demonstrate her/ his talent. As never seen before, this popular square with petits  #restaurants and #cafes, seems deserted since the beginning of the #confinement.

At dusk, walking along #river Seine, even though the leisure boats full of tourists are not seen, temporarily, during the #confinement, the #romantic #city has not lost its #magic. In the  dimmed light,  on admire both the beautiful Pont Alexandre III ( 1900). The first stone was laid down by the #Emperor of #Russia  Nicholai  II,  ( 1896) in the presence of  #French  #President Faure, as a symbol of French- Russian alliance. The bridge Alexandre III was part of the #Universal #Exhibition in Paris.

and  #sunset over the #city of #Paris…

For the same Universal Exhibition in #Paris , another wonderful work in metal was created ( 1889) by the #French engineer  G. Eiffel. The well-known La Tour Eiffel   #EiffelTower, has to become, after being rescued from demolition by the end of the exhibition, the symbol of #Paris. The capture is taken from Pont d’Alma ( 1854).

 See more of Paris Always Walk photos and videos taken during the #lockdown and #unlocked  #Paris, visit its  Instagram / Twitter / Face Book.