Middle Ages

Middle Age(s) May 19th

A medieval day today. We tried to get started early. That means I got out of bed at 6 am and putzed, and Katie got up at 8:30. (Remember, she is ‘elderly’) We left the apartment at 10:30 and Katie wanted to try a bakery that was labeled an “Austrian” patisserie, so we did. Katie ordered a Swiss Brioche and coffee with cream; I wanted a croissant but they were out so some strawberry pastry sufficed. We made our way to the subway and emerged at the start of the city in the 5th century (?): the island called Cite on which some tribe that called themselves the Parisii built a village, later re-named Paris. So we went where it all began. It’s where Notre Dame is also located, but as well, several other buildings important to the French, among which is the original palace of the early kings (before they abandoned such a low rent district for the Louvre and another palace in Vincennes Forest). In the 13th century a holy French king by the name of Louis (Louis IX to be precise, known in Missouri as Saint Louis) decided to buy the Crown of Thorns from the emperor of Constantinople. (I absolutely love these stories.) So he needed a chapel fit to house these relics of Jesus’ passion & death, and he had built a stunning church that is simply known as the Holy Chapel--Sainte Chapelle. It is high Gothic architecture at its finest, they say. I say, it’s easy to see what the values of that time were, because on entering the chapel, one cannot help but look heavenward. It just soars up and up and up. The stained glass windows are a strong part of this sense of awe, and these windows are the heart of this chapel. Seventy percent of the windows are the same as they were in 1248. On a bright sunny day such as today, the windows are beyond description. I can give the history lesson, but the visual is beyond my capacity to say. Does that confession help? Hope you will look at Katie’s video to get a sense of it. The best part of the windows, in the apse, was undergoing restoration , but even then, it was terrific. What a different time. Our tall buildings are about worship too, but I think it’s money mostly.

The chapel is attached to the former palace, which is now the Palace of Justice, or the law courts. We decided to explore that too. Found a courtroom that no one objected to when we entered, so we took a picture. The Gendarme shook his head in what we took as tolerant disbelief, so we stayed for the Judge to enter ( a young woman) and to decide several cases, which did not take long. It was cool to watch the lawyers dressed in distinguishing robes (some wearing blue jeans underneath) march purposefully through the halls. Finally we adjourned to the toilette, and found it was shared by men and women alike, a unique experience but one I have at home everyday.

Hungry yet? We were, and we wanted lunch before the next plunge into the Middle Ages, a visit to the Cluny, the Museum of the Middle Age. We wandered the streets around that structure (near the Sorbonne) and found plenty of bookstores and finally settled on a cafe where we could get a salad and an Orangina. Katie got her greens with fish: tuna, anchovy, a big shrimp or Longostino, and cod. I got mine with serrano ham, shaved, cheese, cucumber chucks, olive, tomato and peppers. So refreshing, we just gobbled it up.

Then on to the Cluny and its treasures: the six tapestries depicting the Lady and the Unicorn. The Cluny is next to some Roman baths I think, but the museum itself is part of an old Abbey. Lots of other treasures there but the tapestries are the most impressive.

We felt old and tired after looking at those thousand year old things, so we made our way to the crowded metro and shuffled home. Our market street was filled with life: old ladies with canes, boys on scooters, businessmen, young women with high heels and cigarettes, thirty-somethings pushing strollers, a priest carrying his bread and groceries. We felt like we were home before we got there, and bought our daily bread in the form of a baguette, which we tucked under our arm and climbed the steps to our rooms. Another great day in the city that knows how to be comfortable.