Autumn along the Seine

A couple of weeks ago, we attempted to "do" the Seine River by tracing its meandering flow from the Pont d'Iena to Pont de Marie.  The walk took us about 5 hours, starting with a quick lunch of hotdogs and fries in the shadows of le Tour Eiffel, and ending with an early dinner of typical French fare, confit du canard, crepes and cider.  We also whispered some promises of Berthillon ice-cream to get Soph to keep walking.

We had to fight off some pretty menacing, bulked-up crows to keep our lunch.

Honestly, there can be never too many Eiffel Tower shots

It was also a great time to get out and enjoy the autumn colours before they disappear.

The kids were up to no good; you can tell from their secret sly smiles.  I just don't know what it is yet.

This is ONE picture with no manipulation.  Tell me you're not impressed with French gardeners.

The banks of the Seine between the two bridges mentioned above is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (you've heard we're suckers for the UNESCO WHS, right?).  It is studded with a succession of masterpieces, including, in particular, Notre Dame and the Sainte Chapelle, Louvre, Palais de l'lnstitut, Les Invalides, Place de la Concorde, École Militaire, La Monnaie (Mint), Grand Palais des Champs Elysées, Eiffel Tower and Palais de Chaillot.  Almost the whole evolution of Paris and its history can be seen in this 5km stretch.  

Pont Alexandre III, the most elaborate bridge over the Seine.  It is named after the Russian Tsar Alexandre III (mais bien sur!).  I've failed multiple times to capture its grandeur, its broad streets framed in four corners by those magnificent pillars topped with gold gilded statues.

Looks something like that, but twice the grandeur and 3x as inspiring.

Gas tags along the banks of the Seine. 

Place de la Concorde in front.  

The place where heads rolled (literally) during the French Revolution.

Musee d'Orsay, formerly a train station up to 1900, and now a major arts museum with many Monet, Renoir, Degas and Van Gogh works.

Pont des Arts - you can find thousands of love padlocks fastened onto the bridge by tourists as a sign of undying love.  The keys are tossed into the river.  

In 2010, the Paris town hall removed all of them because they insisted they were an eye-sore and were defacing the monument.  In 2011, it seems the tourists came back with full force and today, fortunately for us, you can still admire this interesting sight.

The Conciergerie across the other side.  

It is a former royal palace and later in the 1790's, a prison during the French Revolution.  Up to 1,200 prisoners were locked here waiting for their execution, including Queen Marie-Antoinette.

Quiet moment

Les Bouquinistes are a typical scene along the Seine.  They sell old books, movie posters, records, magazines, postcards, etc.

This is what it looks like when the stalls are closed.

Finally, our destination is in sight: Ile-Saint-Louis, Paris' most expensive piece of real estate.

Kept our promise.  Berthillon strawberry ice-cream as a reward for putting up with all her parents' nonsense.

Apparently, Berthillon ice-creams can only be found in Paris.  Not sure if that's true, but there are long queues outside its principal shop in the Ile-Saint-Louis.  YL found it a little sweet, and much preferred the Florentine gelato.

 It is everywhere you look