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April 2023  With so much to do in the 4 days we spent in Paris, I've decided to separate it into 4 areas: Montmartre , Paris (part 1) , Paris (part 2) and Versailles .   MONTPARNASSE For a long time Montparnasse was the "Camden" of Paris. It was frequented by 20th century creative talents: Ernest Hemingway, Picasso, James Joyce, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, Henry Miller and Oscar Wilde. Nowadays might not be as popular as in its heyday, but it's still vibrant with plenty of traditional cafés, restaurants, and some touristic attractions: Catacombs of Paris, La Tour Montparnasse, Montparnasse Cemetery, Foundation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain, etc.  Gare Montparnasse links Paris to Brittany, making it a natural location for Bretons to set up restaurants and crêperies in the area, especially in Rue Montparnasse and Boulevard Edgar Quinet. Following a friend's recommendation, we had the tastiest crêpes at this small but very cosy La Creperie Bre...

April 2023 With so much to do in the 4 days we spent in Paris, I've decided to separate it into 4 areas: Montmartre , Paris (part 1) , Paris (part 2) and Versailles .    PALACE OF VERSAILLES Embellished by several generations of architects, sculptors, decorators and landscape architects, the Palace of Versailles was the principal residence of the French kings from the time of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. The Palace contains 2,300 rooms spread over 63,154 m2. A prestigious series of seven rooms' parade apartment, were used for hosting the sovereign’s official acts. For this reason, it was bedecked with lavish Italian-style decoration, much admired by the king at the time, composed of marble panelling and painted ceilings. During the day, the State Apartment was open to all who wished to see the king and the royal family passing through on their way to the chapel. During the reign of Louis XIV, evening gatherings were held here several times a week. The queen had a...