Day 10 in Paris

Street art near the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre

We took a break from the museums and galleries today but that didn’t mean that it was a day without art.

There is a vibrant and eclectic street art scene here, with the walls of Paris becoming an outdoor gallery space. Our neighbourhood of Montmartre has an impressive “collection” but I have also photographed some great images all over the city, including a number in the Latin Quarter today. Some of the art changes almost daily and when I went back to photograph a dancing cigarette that I had seen on a wall off Rue Abbesses a couple of days ago it was gone.

For the record my Mom does not approve of graffiti and was devastated to see the murals that adorn the spiral staircase at the Abbesses métro station defaced by the random spray paint scribblings. She also finds the above photo depressing. However, she got to choose the photo for the post yesterday and we are trying to be somewhat democratic about this Paris blog so she relented. Expect a happy picture tomorrow though.

Today my Mom took the day off to tend to her blisters and rest her feet. She strolled around our little neighbourhood stopping in at the local patisseries and also went to some dress shops and checked out the location of some other rental apartments as she is hoping to return next June.

I headed down to Les Halles and then checked out the stunningly beautiful St. Eustache Church in the 1st Arrondissement. From there I made my way to the Paris mecca of kitchenwares, the E. Dehillerin shop, and then crossed the bridge and found the marché de la Rue Mouffetard. A great array of cheeses and meats, vegetables, wines and baked goods along a pedestrian only street. A couple of friends had recommended this market and I was glad I got the chance to see it.

On my way home I stopped in to check out the Institut du Monde Arabe before making my way across town to catch the subway to the Lamarck-Caulincourt station.

Tonight we ventured out just before eight to be in time for our dinner reservation at the lovely Chez Toinette restaurant. Mom had the duck with lavender honey and I had the young pigeon with red currants. Both so delicious that we have made another reservation for Saturday night!