Travels in the 2nd half

  Notre-Dame des Champs Church After visiting Mont Saint-Michel, I was heading to Amsterdam. However, I had to travel through Paris, and my train back to Paris arrived late in the evening. I decided to give myself a day to rest. I chose to stay near the Gare Montparnasse, which is where the train from Normandy arrived. I spent two nights at the Hotel Villa Modigliani which is part of the Vacances Bleues chain. This hotel is right in the heart of the Montparnasse neighborhood (14th arr.). It is a very nice 3-star hotel that was built in 1997, and it offers a great home base for a stay in Paris. Marguerite Boucicaut, By Unknown author - Fonds Boucicaut,Via Wikicommons On my “day of rest” I decided to explore some of Montparnasse. I started my walk at the Square Boucicaut, This small park, adjacent to Sévres-Babylon Metro station, is named for Baroness Marguerite Boucicaut (1816-1887). Marguerite, and her husband Aristide, were founders of Le Bon Marché, which is next to the square...

The nave and Choir of the church   Sitting at the top of the island of Mont Saint-Michel is the reason for all the crowds - The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel au Péril de la Mar (Mount Saint Michael at the peril of the Sea). With a history that spans over 1400 years, this church draws visitors from around the world. Waiting to enter the abbey According to legend, the Catholic Church established a series of oratories on the island of Mont Saint-Michel as far back as the early 8th century. While not consecrated churches, there were places of contemplation and prayer. During the 9th century, Charlemagne chose Mont Saint-Michel as a protector of his empire and had the first idea of building a church here. The transcript crossing was originally constructed in 1066 at the top of the island, 80 m (265 ft) above the bay. Constructing a church in this spot was not easy. The area was not large enough for a full church, so other buildings had to be built to support the structure of the nave and...

  I have dreamt about visiting Mont Saint-Michel for over thirty years. In 1990 the movie “Mindwalk” was released. Liv Ullmann, Sam Waterston, and John Heard spend almost two hours discussing science, philosophy, and the meaning of life. As they do, they walk around the Mont Saint-Michel. I fell in love with the island immediately. Mont Saint-Michel is a tidal island that sits approximately one kilometer off the coast of Normandy. A tidal island is one that is accessible by walking at low tide, but not at high tide. It covers 4 sq Km (1.5 sq mi) and climbs up to 80 m in height. There are about 25 permanent residents on the island, and 60 buildings. The main structure on Mont Saint-Michel is the Abbey, which was originally constructed in the 9th century, but more on that next week. The ability to defend Mont Saint-Michel made it an important stronghold over the centuries. Its limited access, height, and the ability to construct ramparts for protection made it a safe haven. The abb...