An Ancient Passageway and other Paris, France Off The Beaten Path Tips

One afternoon after walking up rue de l' Ancienne Comedie to the intersection of Blvd. St. Germain, I turned left on the boulevard. Just around the corner I spied an ancient cobbled walkway with shops and restaurants. This is the Cour du Commerce-St.-Andre. It is the oldest (circa 1776, as old as the US) passage in Paris, older than the other passages-covered with glass and steel-such as Galerie Vivienne and Galerie Colbert to name a couple of them.

Cour du Commerce-St.-Andre is so old that the cobblestones are huge and very misshapened due to the passage of time. In many cases the stones are so worn that there are huge gaps in between them. Be really careful how you step as they can cause you to trip.

The passageway is both famous and infamous. Halfway down the passageway and to one side of it is the Cour (Courtyard) de Rohan, part of which is the site where Dr. Guillotin, inventor of the guillotine, would practice on sheep before using it for real on humans. And if you continue straight down the passageway to your left you will find the rear entrance to Le Procope, Paris's oldest cafe. Benjamin Franklin, Balzac, Victor Hugo, and Oscar Wilde were some former clientele of the cafe.

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Is anyone here interested in chess? It's a top European sport if not a very popular one in the US. Well, if you are interested, Paris boasts a local chess community that meets in the Luxembourg Gardens daily. It's no surprise really that chess is popular in Paris as the FIDE (Federation Internationale des Echecs) or the world chess federation is headquartered in France.

It's not too easy to find the chess players' venue in the Luxembourg Gardens unless you know it beforehand. Even the gendarme did not know where it was and had to ask his colleagues in the park when I asked!

As the garden is huge the easiest way to find the chess players is to take the rue de Vaugirard entrance which is near to the tennis courts and children's playground. Just across the tennis courts and under the trees you'll see these young and old men sitting on the green metal chairs, chessboards propped up on another chair in between them. Shh, don't be noisy because it's not nice to create noise when they are thinking of some highly intricate strategy to out the other guy. If it rains the chess games go on but they are under played an awning.

If you are a chess enthusiast, don't hesitate to join a game if it's possible. If you speak French, you can ask the players or just motion to them that you want to join. When a game is finished, another opponent takes a turn playing against the winner of the previous game. You don't need to speak French to know chess. All you need to know is how to play as chess strategies and theories are universal.

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Happened upon this church upon walking in the 7th district going towards the Invalides. It was a Sunday, New Year's Day, and there was a mass that had just begun. The church was full and I entered the last pew for a few minutes.

The church is located across from the Square Rousseau. It was designed in 1840 and features a Gothic design. This is where the author, Henry Miller, went for mass after a night of revelry.

It's great to hear mass being said in French and also to observe the Parisians with their families attending mass. In fact, a boy of 10 rode his scooter to church and entered just before I did. That was a bit amusing to witness.

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If you cross over to the Marais district from the Ile Ste. Louis, you will see St. Gervais-St. Protais immediately.

The church is designed in a French Gothic style and was built in 1494. The stone facade was begun in 1616 when Louis XIII laid the first stone for it. It's not an elaborately designed church but it's good to visit if you are in the area.

Located at Place St. Gervais; Metro: Pont Marie

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Along the banks of the Seine between the Pont des Arts and Pont Neuf you will find lots of bouquiniste stalls. They sell second-hand books, posters, and different objects. Nowadays they sell lots of souvenirs as well. You can walk from stall to stall checking the offerings.

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If you are familiar with the French-born Jewish Russian singer/poet/actor/director, you will find his home at 5 bis rue de Verneuil. Conveniently located to guests who stay across the street from the Hotel Verenuil at 8 rue de Verneuil. From the street-side rooms, one can see the exterior of his home. And how strange the walls look as I thought when I first stayed at the Verneuil. You see the walls are always covered in graffiti and poems. It looks like vandalism but it's not. The graffiti is done by Gainsbourg's loyal followers. I'm not sure what the meaning is behind it, and I'm glad this doesn't happen everywhere.

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Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_Gainsbourg

Pont St. Louis connects Ile St. Louis with the mainland, Ile de La Cite.

On Sundays the bridge becomes a stage for street musicians. They're very good and draw a large crowd.

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This place is really not off the beaten path literally. It is actually right in the city center just one long block from La Samaritaine department store: The Quai de la Megisserie.
But it is very unique. This whole block is packed with plant nurseries and pet stores. The plants are great if you live in Paris and want to do some interior decorating.

However, the pet stores will appeal to everyone who loves pets. And there are all types of pets, from many varieties of fishes to common and exotic birds, rabbits, minks (as in mink coats),cats, dogs, chicks, hamsters, and my nightmare-reptiles!

You can easily spend at least one hour going from one store to the next making friends with
all the pets. In fact, I fell in love with a King Charles Spaniel puppy who looked like he wanted to come home with me. I seriously wished I could have brought him home too! I love dogs!

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Other Contact: Location is near the Pont Neuf

Not sure what category this one should fall under really, maybe it's both. Outside Eglise St. Germain des Pres is a street artist of sorts who pretends to be a statue.

I am not sure what this person really wanted to accomplish but it was pretty amusing to see him. He must have been quite good in imitating a statue as no one approached him (or did not want to).

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In between the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees is the Alma Tunnel. It's located at a busy intersection at Place de l'Alma across the Pont de l'Alma.

It is in this tunnel that Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a horrific car crash in August, 1997. The Place de l'Alma is above the tunnel and long before the Princess's death a replica of the Statue of Liberty's flame was erected here.

After the Princess's death the Liberty flame became a sort of memorial to her. It is a golden sculpture, not huge, but it seems fitting as a memorial to Diana somehow. As you view it you will notice flowers and notes placed there by grieving admirers. On the barrier wall located across from the sculpture other admirers have written their sentiments about the Princess.

All in all it is a touching tribute and you will most likely be moved by what you read.

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