Tag: la Rochelle

Beauty

We are lucky to be a short drive from the beautiful city of la Rochelle. I really love its architecture. I don’t love it in August though. We had to fight our way through hordes of tourists to go see a movie (the latest Mission Impossible) and there seemed to be a street musician every half block trying to make some money. There are lots of young homeless too, or I think they are homeless. They sit around on the streets with their dogs. Anyway, I got a couple of photos near the charming harbor.

One of two buildings guarding the entrance to the harbor. The sun was setting as we came out of the movie theatre.

On the other side.

There are two lighthouses right in the city near the harbor used for guidance into it. I guess gps is all that is needed now. Note the large ferris wheel to the left. On a clear night we can see it from our balcony.

The sun was setting as we headed back to our car.

This and That

A mix of photos here around the beach.

If you don’t cut off the artichoke bulb in time, it will bloom into this wonderful flower. It helps that there was an old concrete wall behind it too.

Footprints on the beach. A trick of light makes them look puffed up, not actually in the sand.

One day on a trip to la Rochelle we saw this wonderful lighthouse against the dark sky. Would you believe that we didn’t get rained on? I think the clouds were moving too quickly.

Fishing shacks at the edge of the water. They are called carrelets.

Orsay

I haven’t been to the Orsay Museum in quite a while so made a visit to see what is new. They have recently started changing the locations of many of the paintings so you have to hunt them out.

The Statue of Liberty copy is somewhat new.

A look from up above at the lower floor. You can tell that it was at one time a train station.

There are some good views from the windows as well.

A painting by, I believe, Cross. A lovely refined evening at a party. Look at those tiny waists on the women.

By Seurat, a master of Pointillism. This caught my eye because it is of la Rochelle, near our place at the beach.

As you can see, it hasn’t changed.

La Rochelle

We are lucky to live very close to the beautiful city of la Rochelle. It’s steeped in history and full of historical and ancient architecture. We went to walk around the city for a bit the other day.

I’m always happy to see a blue door with hollyhocks next to them. In fact, I may have taken this same photo last year.

I got a glimpse of a sailboat leaving the old harbor. You don’t see these here in this location actually sailing very often although many are moored here.

An unusual door of a private club with coins decorating it.

One of several towers around the old harbor.

Such a pretty street.

A perfect setting for lunch. We’ve eaten there before but not today.

A City Garden

My planned post on another sad day for France. I’m speechless.

Many cities in France have a city garden called a Jardin des Plantes and la Rochelle has a lovely one.


You reach the garden by going down block after block of covered passages. La Rochelle is full of them.


It’s behind the Natural History Museum and is composed of “rooms” of gardens.


A pretty line of arbors.


Lily closeup.


One of the rooms had some mirrors.


There were flowers outside on the street too gowing on their own.