Thursday 13 August: a highlight

Had a nice slow start to the morning and then went to Galeries Lafayette for an early lunch.  It's a huge department store with a massive stained glass roof.

From the top of the roof, we had great views over Paris.  We ate our lunch with a view of the Eiffel Tower.  

In the early afternoon, we returned to our apartment to escape the heat.  Won't admit to having a nanna nap in preparation for our BIG NIGHT OUT.  We had booked seats for a concert at Sainte-Chapelle  --  a HIGHLIGHT of our time here (see below).

Late in the afternoon, our walk to Sainte-Chapelle took us over on to Ile de la Cité  --  an island in the middle of the River Seine and the centre of Paris.  

Paris is nowhere near a beach, but truckloads of sand are brought in for the Paris Plages - the Paris Beaches, complete with deck chairs and ice-cream sellers.

We continued on our way to Sainte-Chapelle, a magnificent Gothic chapel built from 1243 to 1246.  It has the most impressive stained glass windows completely surrounding the chapel. 

The concert was magnificent.  The pianist was great, but when the violin started playing Ave Maria, it was a goose-bump experience!  Because it was still light outside, I kept looking up at the stained glass while listening to the music and was transported to a different world!  The program included music by Chopin, Gounod, Bartok, Schubert, Ravel and others.  A highlight  --  Meditation from Jules Massenet's opera, Thais.  More goose bumps!!!  

After the concert, Sue, John, Daryl and I walked through the St-Germaine-Des-Près area on the so-called left bank (south side of the river).  Lots of wonderful cafés and the oldest (or second oldest?) church in Paris.

We finally ate at this restaurant, famous for seafood platters (fruits de mer):

Daryl     John     Sue