10/22/2022
Day 7 - Bretagne (Brittany) to Paris, via Chartres
Becky, our commandant, compelled us up and out of our beds (well, most of us) by 7 AM for breakfast (petite dejeauner) so that Roman could propel us onward to Paris before super slammed traffic overtook our plans for touring le Louvre. He got us loaded and on the road by 747. The weather was clear and cool, but promised to warm considerably.
The 3 hour drive was broken by a pit stop along the autoroute. Macarons and caffee were on the menu. How can North Americans live without croissants, and macarons. As the sun rose in the east, it dispelled darkness in a beautiful array of light. A casual glance around revealed that some were not able to appreciate this beautiful natural phenomenon, so Virgil added a couple of sunrise photos to todays blog. Otherwise, all photos were taken by group members.
We reached Chartres around lunch and spent the next hour touring the perfectly preserved Chartres' Cathedral Notre-Dame constructed in 1252, it is the widest of the Gothic style cathedrals in Europe. The architecture was incredible. A meditation labyrinth in the flooring was enjoyed by some of the group. The stained glass, quire, nave and relics, and the relief designs in the quire depicting the story of the life of Jesus was enjoyed by all. Taking a moment to light a candle in thanks for such a house of worship was done by some. How this church survived being bombed in WWII was a miracle. In the town we grabbed some food stuffs, more croissants and coffee (especially the burre Sel caramel recommended by Emma and Ting) then it was on to Paris.
We arrived in Paris and headed directly to le Louvre. To see the glass pyramid come into view after crossing the Seine River was a milestone in itself for some of the group. It was a bustling day in the city for sure! We had free time to explore le Louvre, shop, and eat before meeting Becky at 6 PM near the inverted pyramid. Highlights were the Mona Lisa, the Greek, Egyptian, and Roman antiquities, and the French Renaissance masterpieces.
Shortly after walking through the main courtyard, we hopped aboard the Pont Neuf river cruises For an evening cruise along the Seine River. We travelled upstream first to capture magnificent river views of le tour d'Eiffel and watched it sparkling in the fading light. We enjoyed seeing several other major Paris attractions including the MO - Monet Museum, National Assembly building, and Notre-Dame (still under reconstruction after the devastating fire in 2019). Roman had expertly maneuvered the coach to pick us up right on Pont Neuf. We arrived at l'hotel IBIS and settled in for the night. Another lovely day!
