April in Paris...

Ah, oui....!

Here's the TGV, shortly after our arrival from Montpellier at the Gare de Lyon...



.... and here's the Gare de Lyon...


And here's Paris in the Spring ...


We had blind-booked our hotel, but found it to be in a great location, on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Latin Quarter--at the scholarly end rather than the touristy end of Saint-Germain-des-Pres. A very comfortable room, looking out over the stub end of the cul-de-sac...


... and equipped with a tiny kitchenette, which will help us to avoid some of the outrageous costs of eating out at every meal.

Having received an invitation to meet with a friend-of-a-friend and to see her apartment, we called first thing, and walked back across the Boulevard St. Michel into the more famous--and busier--area of St. Germain, and spent a very pleasant hour of relaxation at the home of our new friend before heading out to the streets, with her expert--and, I have to add, passionate--knowledge of the district. Here's a few views:





We stopped in at the church of St. Sulpice for a glimpse of the Easter Sunday service, in progress, and a whiff of the incense, visible in the air...


A nice picture of Ellie and our friend and guide at the gates of the Ecole des Beaux Arts...


After parting our ways with warm thanks for her help, we wandered back along the Boulevard St. Germain and discovered a corner cafe for an early dinner. Here's Ellie, pensive...




... and Peter, up to his usual tricks. Bonsoir, tout le monde...!