Musée de la Vie Romantique or Museum of the Romantic Life

The alarm didn’t go off so we slept ‘til 8:00. In an email, Edie mentioned a train strike and I got an RATP notice that Metro line 12 was out. After about five or six notices from RATP, it was up and running by the time we had finished breakfast and draped wet laundry all over the apartment. (The washer-dryer is a washer and definitely not a dryer, despite claims by Airbnb.)

We took Metro #12 all the way to Pigalle and walked down to the Musée de la Vie Romantique (George Sand Museum) and spent the rest of the morning there. The permanent collections are free but special exhibits charge a fee. There was an interesting special exhibit on Chopin so we decided to pay and visit that too. The main house has several things including art exhibits and various memorabilia including that of George Sand and was most interesting since we had fairly recently visited the George Sand House in Nohant, France. As lunch approached, we noted the pretty tea garden was overpriced so we set off down rue Notre Dame de Lorette toward Pl. St. George and found Le Bo Man where we got an adequate lunch for 10.90 euros each. Oddly, the printed menu was the same as L’Empire on rue de Bac where we love to eat, but the food wasn’t nearly as good. [Musée de la Vie Romantique, 16 rue Chaptal, Paris; tel: +33 (0)1 5531-9567; Museum of Romantic Life web site]

Using one of the Paris Walks cards, we continued down rue Notre Dame de Lorette to the church of the same name and entered. The front almost looks like a Greek or Roman temple. It was built between 1823 and 1836 and reflects the neoclassical architecture popular at that time. Inside there are lovely murals and a rather new sculpture of Ste. Thérèse de l'Enfant Jésus by Anne-Marie Roux. George Bizet and Claude Monet were both baptized here, a point of interest to two retired musicians turned painters.

Moving west on rue St. Lazare, we made a slight detour up rue Taitbout to Square d’Orleans where Chopin once lived. It’s very private and peaceful and to get there you walk through an archway at 80 rue Taitbout and feel like you’re walking into someone’s private courtyard but there is a plaque saying Chopin once lived there. Back on rue St. Lazare, we walked to Ste. Trinité at Pl. d’Estienne d’Orves past all the street people on the church steps and into a side entrance to the large, dark church. The organist was rehearsing and we listened for a few minutes but it was not inspiring so we left. There was an open box for offerings on the steps just yards from where all the street people congregate but no one seemed to bother it. Interesting.

We continued to Gare St. Lazare and then south to the Madeleine where, hot and tired, we stopped at a café for Badoit. Great people watching here! We went around and into the Madeleine since we’ve never seen it inside. The outside is much more impressive than the inside. I prefer gothic because I like light . . . The flowers on the front steps were a nice touch.

We wound our way back and through the Tuileries trying to stay in the shade and avoid puddles from yesterday. We found a bench near the Louvre so relaxed a bit before walking home. Crossing the Pont Royal we noticed eight emergency vehicles in front of the Musée d'Orsay. We never did find out why. We stopped for a demi-baguette and groceries and are in for the night.