Sunny skies today and we took off from our apartment in the Marais heading for the Champs de Mars. We hoped to take the #69 bus from Champs de Mars to Pere LaChaise Cemetiere. Â On our way to Champs de Mars, we grabbed a baguette sandwich and shared it on a bench in Champs de Mars, watching children play and enjoying the sun.
Eiffel Tower against a blue, blue sky
I was wearing the scarf Carol made for me, two women walked by and said “Lovely scarf, dear, did you make it?” No, I said my friend made it for me. One responded that it matched my coat and quite set off my hair, then she asked where I was from. A 10 minute conversation then ensued, one was from Missouri, the other from Canada and Maine. As she left, I remember thinking: “Canada and Maine? Â I would chose like Canada and someplace warm!”
Me and my scarf on the Champs de Mars
After enjoying our chicken sandwich and watching a vendor set up and market a temporary track for peddle cars for children, we wandered over to the bus stop. Â We waited quite a while, then a kindly man explained the 69 was not running today and where were we going. I thanked him and we decided to take the #42 bus across the river, down the Champs Elysee and get off at Concorde.
Mike wearing his shades to prove the sun is shining
From there, we headed to Ile St Louis to find the bridge in the painting over our fireplace in the dining room. We were correct it is the Pont Marie and took a photo. Then we walked Ile St Louis, window shopping and watching the tourists. We headed over to the Pont de Archeveche, in the shadow of Notre Dame to check on our lock. To those of you, who kept up with our last trip to Paris, you know that on our anniversary, we placed on lock on the bridge and dropped our keys into the Seine. Wow! This year we were blown away! There are probably millions of locks now, some have been graffiti-ed and are unreadable, but the fence is so jam-packed that we could not find our own lock!
Fountain at Place Concorde
We did see a bride and groom, in full wedding attire come to the bridge to place their lock – along with their photographer. They had her all set up, dress and train swirled just so, taking photos and an oblivious Frenchman walked through the scene with his dog! I sneaked a photo and as we walked away, we saw another couple approach the bridge in their wedding attire. So, the secret is out – placing a lock at the bridge is now part of a wedding package – and the locks overwhelm the bridge. Â There is now a lock salesman, on the QT of course with a satchel of locks and a permanent marker, selling locks to couples on the bridge! Entrepreneur at work!
Bride and Groom Photo Session at the Locks of Love bridge
We made our way back to the apartment, getting there about 4:30 and propping our feet up before we head over to La Cordonnerie for dinner!
Pont Marie, the bridge in our painting
