Right away we made a discovery that wasn't mentioned in the guidebooks -- the Librarie Galerie Photographe, a wonderful bookstore devoted to photography books.
We quickly arrived at the Quai de Valmy on the canal
with views of the widest part of the canal to the north.
It was a sunny morning and locals were already relaxing on the shoreline.
As we walked south along the canal I was fascinated by the streets leading off at a lower level.
The neighbourhood could offer lots of sidetracks and discoveries away from the canal.
But for the moment we wanted to concentrate on the canal, its locks, bridges and quais.
and the old working class buildings that line it.
The bridge and locks at Rue de Lancry and Rue de la Grange aux Belles are particularly picturesque.
The Quai de Jemmapes side features the charming Hotel du Nord cafe/restaurant
featured in the famous 1938 film by the same name.
We decided that the patio offered the perfect opportunity to pause-reset
with a glass of prosecco.
John took the opportunity to take some shots of the 1930s interior,
now listed as part of the French national heritage.
Across the bridge is a popular store, ARTAZART, which features books on art, graphics, illustration and design.
As we wandered down the canal I got a peek on another place worth a future visit. Later I discovered that I was looking at the gate to Hopital St Louis, founded in 1607 by Henri IV to care for victims of the plague.
At last we reached the bridge and locks
where the canal disappears into an underground tunnel to the Bastille.
We crossed the street to Rue Leon Jouhaux and
headed towards the trees of Place de la Republique to continue our day's agenda. Lunch!
No comments:
Post a Comment