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A YEAR OF ADVENTURE
Where in the world is Priss?

Easy Day Trips from Paris


Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

I reserve Tuesdays to explore destinations outside of Paris. My requirements are that the trip is less than an hour and a half by train or bus, the site is walkable, and I am back in Paris by dinner.


My favorite bus tour combines a visit to two châteaux, Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte. The former once belonged to the kings of France and features Napolean’s throne room and the “Renaissance” rooms showcasing decorative artifacts from the French Renaissance. The elegant Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte has arched windows that overlook the formal garden designed by André Le Nôtre. Spoiled king alert: after seeing this garden, King Louis XIV was so jealous he imprisoned the owner, Nicolas Fouquet, for life. (Not nice.)



(Left to right) Top row: Fontainebleau: Napolean’s Throne and Renaissance Room; Rouen Cathedral detail. Bottom row: Rouen, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Giverny kitchen detail


Rouen, located in Normandy, has a stunning Gothic cathedral made famous by Monet’s paintings. It is a gastronomic center and has over 2,000 timber-framed buildings and a beautifully preserved medieval quarter. It is a long day from Paris, so you can spend the night if you would like. Historical note: Joan of Arc was tried and executed here. (So not nice).


Giverny kitchen

 And finally, Claude Monet’s home at Giverny, a riot of color. He lived in the house from 1883 to 1926. The pink home with green shutters overlooks a garden of flowers and is a short walk to the pond, bridge, and water lilies the artist painted. Be sure to see his blue-tiled kitchen featuring copper pots. It is an upbeat, unexpected visual treat.


Bonne journée,

Priss

 




MY FAVORITE THINGS

  • Château de Fontainebleau – a 1,500 room family home for the kings of France.

  • Vaux-le-Vicomte – beautiful home and gardens. Well-done audio guide that tells the story of the owner’s rise and fall from grace from his first-person perspective.

  • Rouen – Normandy town with cathedral, medieval timber-framed buildings.

  • Claude Monet home at Giverny – visit the garden, house, artist’s studio, and kitchen, which is tiled in blue.

 

STAY IN TOUCH

Let me know when you are in town! You can reach me via email or leave a phone message




Cozy Ateliers of an Artist, a Sculptor, and a Novelist


Bourdelle studio with “Dying Centaur”

Paris is gray and rainy during winter – and perfect for exploring cozy, quiet museums. By luck, I discovered three small ateliers of those who contributed to the rich fabric of Paris culture with their art, each in a different neighborhood. The first, a female artist and her son living the bohemian life, the second, a sculptor, and the final, a larger-than-life novelist, sometimes in debt.


Musée de Montmartre, located very close to Sacré-Coeur, is the museum of the art and history of Montmartre. The museum includes the atelier of artists Suzanne Valadon and, her son, Maurice Utrillo, featuring a reconstructed wooden studio with a large window overlooking the neighborhood. (Spoiler alert: huge family drama.) The permanent collection is located across the courtyard in the oldest house in Montmartre, built in the 17th century, and there is also a small terrace next to a tiny vineyard.



(Left to right) Top row: Musée de Montmartre, Suzanne Valadon and Maurice Utrillo studio, and bust by Antoine Bourdelle. Bottom row: bust of Honoré de Balzac, Bourdelle studio, and desk of Honoré de Balzac.


Musée Bourdelle in Montparnasse features the works of sculptor Antoine Bourdelle. I enjoyed his studio particularly, which has remained in its original state, displays an array of his sculptures, and is bathed in northern light. The interior garden showcases his bronze statues under large trees and surrounded by ivy. Bourdelle bequeathed his works in order to create this museum in his name “as Rodin did”. 


Paint box, Suzanne Valadon and Maurice Utrillo studio

La Maison de Balzac is nestled in the hills of Passy and is the only remaining home of the novelist Honoré de Balzac. He wrote The Human Comedy and other works at the desk in his study, often during the dead of night and fueled by black coffee. His life was turbulent (he was sometimes in debt) and his attire was eccentric (he wore the dress of a Carthusian monk and the shirt of a manual laborer to establish his image of a hard worker, toiling in silence).  I will leave it there…


À bientôt,

Priss


 

MY FAVORITE THINGS

  • Musée de Montmartre – museum of the art and history of Montmartre. There is a funicular from hill, base to top. Very close to Sacré-Coeur and Place du Tertre. .

  • Musée Bourdelle – Enjoy seeing the sculptor’s works in the garden, museum, and his atelier. Close to Montparnasse metro station. Entrance free. 

  • Maison de Balzac – Balzac lived in this home for seven years. It now has a modern café across the small garden with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

 

STAY IN TOUCH

Let me know when you are in town! You can reach me via email or leave a phone message




A Convent, a Charming Street, and Art(isans)


The Duomo

I took a road trip to visit one of my favorite cities, Florence. My accommodation was a convent

that was 10 minutes from the Duomo - an old building with pillars and arcades, a lovely fresco

on the second floor, and a garden with orange trees.


Once settled, I explored. I walked along a charming one-block street located very close to the

Ponte Vecchio, Borgo SS. Apostoli. While there, I visited the Piazza de Limbo to see the Church

of Santi Apostoli, a small Romanesque-style church that is one of the oldest buildings in

Florence. Along the way, I admired the details of centuries-old brown wooden doors as I strolled

past shops and a lively wine bar, Mangiafoco.



Left to right:

Top row: Borgo Pinti convent, Borgo SS. Apostoli, and door detail

Bottom row: Ghiberti’s bronze door detail (replica), Scuola del Cuoio, and Palazzo Vecchio


Florence was not crowded, so I was able to visit the Duomo and The Baptistry with Ghiberti’s

bronze doors without being jostled. After a quick walk, I entered the doors of the Badia

Fiorentina, an abbey founded in 978 with beautiful art including a painting by Filippino Lippi. (If

you can, come here to listen to the beautiful singing at Vespers; you will thank me.)


I also visited the Scuola del Cuoio (“Leather School”) where I watched artisans create leather

goods sold on-site. Interesting note: The Leather School was founded after World War II to give

orphans a trade to earn a living, and the building features frescoes executed by the school of

Ghirlandaio!


Ponte Vecchio bridge at night

On my final evening, I crossed the Ponte Vecchio bridge at dusk and heard the musicians playing

music and walked on to the Piazza della Signoria to see the Loggia and the Palazzo Vecchio

illuminated against the night sky.


I have returned to Paris, but I hope to share another adventure with you soon.


Ciao for now,

Priss



 

MY FAVORITE THINGS

  • Monasterystays.com – book rooms in monasteries and convents, often in interesting old buildings centrally located in town. For the adventurer.

  • Scuola del Cuoio – leather school behind the Santa Croce church. Watch artisans at work.

  • Tram – take the tram directly from the airport to the center of town in 20 minutes for 1.5 Euros. Easier and faster than taxi.

 

STAY IN TOUCH

Let me know when you are in town! You can reach me via email or leave a phone message




Let me know when you are in town!  You can reach me via email or leave a phone message

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