A Picnic Along The Seine

A lovely street market.

Mom strutting with her new bag.

The Notre Dame Cathedral.

Perched on the steps for our picnic.

Musée de Cluny

Starting the day with a nice, fresh baguette.

The entrance to the Musée de Cluny, which houses a spectacular collection of medieval art. 

The museum also serves to protect the historic architecture on site. 

Featured works of painter and graphic artist Jean d’Ypres. He was active around 1500 but had only resently come out of anonymity. His works retained a surprisingly modern feel. 

The stained glass of Jean d’Ypres.

A delicate and beautifully crafted miniature book. Perhaps no more than three inches in length. 

A print side by side with its original wood block carving. 

Admiring the craftsmanship of this hand made book. The penmanship and detailed illustrations both works of art in their own right. 

“Hercule et le lion de Némée”, a beautiful tapestry attributed to Jean d’Ypres. 

A damaged portion of the wall revealing the many layers of contruction.

Perhaps most astonishing of all was the six panel tapestry piece called ”The Lady and the Unicorn”. Created at the crossroads between medieval and renaissance art, it celebrated the senses. 

The mysterious “Mon seul désir” panel (My Only Desire).

A close up of the extraordinary detail lavished on the tapestries. 

A detail of the “L’Ouíe” panel (Hearing).

”Le Goût” (Taste), a lady feeds treats to the bird perched on her hand. 

A detail of ”Le Toucher” (Touch).

Enjoying the cafe across the street from the museum.

The lovely park adjacent to the museum. 

The Glittering City

The Arc de Triomphe.

The view of the Champs Élysées towards the skyscrapers of the business district. 

The Champs Élysées.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

The view of the city from our Airbnb window.