Paris Pot Pourri

We can always tell when it's almost the end of our holiday, not just by looking at the calendar, but also by acknowledging that neither of us wants to write another blog (ever!!).  In light of this, I present the following photos taken during the past few days, as we visited (in order): Saint-Germain, Montmartre, (Including the cemetery) the Paris Opera House and Galeries Lafayette department store. 

Cafe de Flore - wonderful old cafe, great for people-watching.  Traditionally "old school" style.

Debauve & Gallais is the oldest chocolate shop in Paris, opened originally as a pharmacy, at a time when chocolate was considered therapeutic (it still is, by some....).  We bought four tiny chocolates - they were utterly delicious and unlike any chocolate we've ever eaten before.

Photos below were taken in Montmartre, an area of Paris unlike others, in that it has a village-like atmosphere.  Traditionally it is an area inhabited by more Bohemian types - artists and such.  Some know the area as the location of the famous Sacre Coeur Cathedral, from which you can see a fantastic panoramic view of Paris.

The Montmarte cemetery is particularly gloomy - we've chosen to include a photo of a sunny section of the graveyard, rather than the alternative.  It's well-known as the location of many famous graves (philosophers, artists of all kinds and such), but the whole area is not well-tended and even on the bright day we visited, we came away feeling as though it wasn't much to see.  Usually we do find cemeteries quite interesting in their own way.  Not this one.

Photos below were taken today in the splendid Palais Garnier (Paris Opera House).  It has doubtless the most magnificent interior of any building in Paris.

Lastly, the below photo was taken in Galeries Lafayette - an upmarket department store opened in 1912.  Wikipedia records that in 2009 Galeries Lafayette recorded earnings of over one billion euro (AUD$1,458,236,743).  As you can see from the photo, it's a magnificent store, even just to walk around longingly in.