Paris St Germain

Staying in the left bank Latin Quarter

another easy morning stroll to St Germain,

where  J P Sartre and Samuel Beckett once lingered.

Now more a place of original retail than philosophical genius.

Where else but Paris would see a shop selling solely éclairs

 

or meringues

tins of fish

or sardines on a hat

There is still a little of the traditional bric a brac

filled streets to linger in

Out of the colourful cacophony of cafes and food,

in Strasbourg gardens.  A place of rest and poise.

And the Eglise Saint-Sulpice  Song drifted down the aisles.  I’d arrived by chance to hear a sung mass.   What the content was, I know not, but the beauty of the ancient song in ancient language and place compelled me to stay a while.

A metro dash to see the Arc d Triomphe  turn from green to gold and silver

as the Champs Elysees sparkled with Christmas and opulence.  Which we tried to offset, just a little.

Being the week of the 2015 World Climate Change Conference, we did our bit to pedal power the lights.

Before the mandatory meal.

Day 3 of 4 in Paris.  Day 1, Day 2, Day 4