Most people only know the name Chatelet from the giant metro stop where five lines converge but it’s also got, above ground, a pretty square. There was once a prison here where the worst torture known to man was developed. It was torn down in Napoleon’s reign and this fountain replaced it.

This column tops a fountain. I always notice it as the bus I often takes goes by.

Four sphynx are there spurting water, they celebrate Napoleon’s wins in Egypt.

I didn’t notice until I looked at this photo on my computer that someone had given it a black eye.

There are two theaters, one on either side of the square, with a fabulous view from the lobby windows. I went to a play here once.

I love the beach and the ocean. I always have a feeling of well being there. While in la Rochelle we made a visit south to a little place called Chatelaillion Plage to have a look around.

These caught my eye. I guess they are either bathrooms or changing rooms for the nearby beach.

Typical roofline of the region.

Makes my heart go pitter patter to look at this.

A look at the little harbor there.

The sea. Always makes me want to sing that song that was so popular years ago about sailing.
So, do you think we should find a place there? Doesn’t it look great? More to come on that.

While we were on the Atlantic coast we made a trip to an Island I’ve heard about for a long time called Ile de Re.

It was a pretty little island not as I had imagined it, all rustic and nautical with old stone cottages, but very modern for the most part and full of what looked like expensive homes.

All sorts of salt products are for sale in the stores just as you might expect.

Always nice to find a heart shaped design. This was on a huge beach there.

I liked this too. There were many rocks out if the water. When the tide went out, it went way out and there were rock pools to explore.

A view of the harbor at night from the window in our hotel room.

A boy jumping from a very high way into the harbor. It was cold water too.

A few weeks ago Maurice and I made a trip to the Atlantic coast for a visit of the area around the city of la Rochelle. We had marvelous weather and the old city which sits on a small harbor was delightful.

We left on a TGV from the Montparnasse train station and arrived at the really lovely station in la Rochelle three hours later.

Two towers sit on either side of the entrance to the harbor.

One of the towers lit up at night. The city had wonderful areas to walk around.

There were two light houses near the harbor, one with the roof painted green, the other red, to guide boats into the harbor. There’s something magical to me about lighthouses.

A sculpture of a dog on top of a tower in the old city. I don’t know why the dog was put up there but they call it the dog tower just as you might think.

I’ve posted about the fabulous Garnier Opera House before but I was recently there and took more photos. They may even be photos of the same things I posted before but they are new. Garnier won a contest to build the opera when he was 35. It came close to not being finished several times but when the only other opera house burned down, he got to finish it.

There is the famous Chagal ceiling in the auditorium, not original to the building. The chandelier, famous from the Phantom of the Opera, fell on a construction worker, not a member of the audience.

The breathtaking gallery.

All of the curtains and wall coverings have been redone in the original fashion. It’s hard to tell from this photo, but these are almost a foot long.

These lyres are everywhere, the symbol of this opera house.

The grand staircase, where patrons were meant to see and be seen.

The other day I was leaving the Latin Quarter heading towards the metro stop at Hotel de Ville and walked in front of Notre Dame from an angle and distance that I usually don’t see. In fact, I like to take photos of this grand cathedral from the back because I love those flying buttresses but the trees and flowers added nice touches to the view.

Crossing the Seine. Notre Dame is on an island, Ile de la Cite.

Closer with the green of the trees providing a nice contrast.

And it’s hard to beat roses for color and contrast.

Before I reached Notre Dame I saw this grafitti behind some scaffolding. The red balloon and black cat it usual for this artist, but the horse was new.

PS-I will still being doing this blog but have decided to try another one- Secrets of a Paris Tour Guide as well geared towards people who want to visit Paris-just a little different slant. It won’t have anything from the book although I’m sure I will cover the same subjects now and then.