Day 7- Paris of the 1800s

We started out Day 7 at the Pere Lachaise cemetery, established in 1804, which is on the outskirts of Paris. 

We had a map Katherine found online, but it really wasn't very good--but we still managed to  navigate through. 

We found Oscar Wilde

Jim Morrison

Chopin, 

and Abelard and Heloise's graves to name a few. 

Abelard was a French theologist in the 1100s--Katherine and I studied some of his writings in college. 

He became a famous teacher, but his career suffered a set back when he began an affair with a woman named Heloise. 

After she became pregnant, they secretly married, but Abelard didn't want it to be known because he was afraid it would hurt his career.  When her uncle announced it anyway and Heloise denied it, Abelard sent her to a convent to get her away from her family.  Her uncle though Abelard was trying to get rid of her, so he sent men after Abelard, who castrated him.  Abelard then became a monk at the abbey of St. Denis (the same abbey attached to the Basilica of St. Denis that I shared yesterday).  At the same time, he made Heloise take vows as a nun even though she was reluctant.  

After the cemetary, we metroed back into the main part of town, and stopped at the Musee Jacquemart-Andre.  This was the mansion of a 19th century wealthy couple with a love of art.

Before going in the museum, however, we had tea in the museum's tearoom (salon de the) which was gorgeous!!! 

The tearoom had been the dining room of a fancy hotel at one time, and had 18th century tapestries hanging around the room.  This was one of my favorite food experiences of the entire trip.  The tearoom was very pretty and the food was delicious!  I started with a tea (of course), and had a difficult time choosing which one from their many teas:

I had the Eden Rose, which was wonderful.



We had quiche (tuna and asparagus) with a salad

 and a choice among about 12 REALLY fancy desserts from a case near the entrance to the room.  I was obviously in tearoom heaven. 

I choose a dessert with pistachio macaroon top and bottom, pistachio cream, and raspberries.   

Katherine is not as into tearooms as me, but I think she was liking the French version!

The museum was lovely,

The museum had some lovely pieces of medieval art:

The bedrooms on the first floor were lovely,



but the very last thing I saw in the museum was gorgeous china!

Top level:  Manufacture de Serves (1767-1768)
bottom level:  Limoges

After the museum and lunch, we headed to the Madeleine cathedral, which was built in the 1800s.  This church was definitely inspired by Roman architecture.   

After a quick walk through, we headed up to the Opera Garnier, which was built from 1861 to 1875. 

(Side view of l'Opera)

The building was very Phantom of the Opera-like, and was even built on top of a stream like the scene in the play (or the movie).  I could just imagine "Masquerade" being sung on the beautiful staircase.

The Opera is famous for a ceiling painted by Marc Chagall.

A couple other notable rooms in the Opera include:

 (grand foyer)

 (the Sun room)

This was the last room we saw before heading around to the front of the building.



Unfortunately, there was a protest happening the day we toured the Opera, so there were too many people in front to try and take a picture that day, but I can share one taken earlier in the trip at night.



(This is what we saw every time we came up from the metro at the end of a day of touristing)

The Opera was right near our hotel, and, since we moved hotels this day, we headed back to grab our bags.  We had signed up for a Globus tour for the second week of our trip, and the welcome dinner was this night.  

We had French wine for the first time and some type of local liqueur (I cant remember what now), and I tried an "entree" (the French word for starter) of escargot!  I even figured out how to get them out of the shells--with much encouragement from the table. 

I had a delicious chicken in a wine sauce with French fries.

Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of dessert, which was fruit over vanilla sorbet.