2014.11.5今天Openstack只有多半天的日程，而星期三卢浮宫一直开放到晚上9点半，正好适合下午去参观。

因为事先买了参观票，结果还要到拉德芳斯（La Défense）去取。其实11月是旅游的淡季，直接在展馆买票也不会有太长的队。趁中午午饭的时间，我乘地铁到拉德芳斯。前一天刚刚来过，晚上非常冷清，中午的时候还是相当热闹。经过一场秋雨，天气又好了起来，蓝天白云，非常暖和。

Grande Arche, La Défense, Paris

Grande Arche, La Défense, Paris

从旅馆到卢浮宫要穿过杜乐丽花园。杜乐丽花园是凯瑟琳·美第奇皇后（与修建卢森堡公园的玛丽亚·美第奇同属美第奇家族）于1564年下令兴建的。公园长约500米，西至协和广场，东邻卢浮宫；宽300米，位于塞纳河与里沃利大街（Rue de Rivoli）之间。

Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

杜乐丽花园从东到西由一道宽阔的步道贯穿，两边各有一个池塘。靠近协和广场一侧的池塘呈八边形，叫Bassin octogonal。周围摆满了铁椅，天气好的时候总是被游人坐满。东侧的池塘呈圆形，除了位于中轴线上的较大，两侧还各有一个小池塘。步道两侧间或摆放着很多古典雕塑，又有露天博物馆之称。

Jardin des Tuileries and the Pavillon de Flore, Paris

Pavillon de Marsan and Jardin du Carrousel of Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Carrousel广场连接着杜乐丽花园和卢浮宫。这里原来是凯瑟琳·美第奇建造的杜乐丽宫，几经破坏和重建，杜乐丽宫最终于巴黎公社后被拆除。原来一直封闭的卢浮宫西面露出峥嵘，成为巴黎中轴线的起点。实际上，卢浮宫并不完全在中轴线上，而是有六度左右的偏差，所以有方案在讨论重建杜乐丽宫的可能性。不但可以恢复城市景观的完美对称，而且为卢浮宫庞大的展品提供更多的空间。

The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris

再向前走就是卢浮宫前的拿破仑庭院。这里周围的建筑是被称为“新卢浮宫”的部分，建于19世纪；而“旧卢浮宫”围绕方形中庭（Cour Carrée）的主体建筑从中世纪和文艺复兴时期就存在了。拿破仑庭院中的玻璃金字塔就是卢浮宫博物馆的入口，虽然再熟悉不过，亲身经历仍然让人惊奇不已，堪称是古典和现代艺术结合的最大胆尝试。

Cour Napoléon et pyramid (Napoleon courtyard and pyramid), Paris

Cour Napoléon et pyramid (Napoleon courtyard and pyramid), Paris

Look through the Louvre Pyramid in Palais du Louvre, Paris

从玻璃金字塔进去走下扶梯，就进入了卢浮宫博物馆。作为世界上最著名的博物馆，其展品的丰富和珍贵无需赘言，《蒙娜丽莎》画像被观众里三层外三层地围住的景象也是天天出现，几个小时的时间只能是走马观花。只能说印象比较深刻的是Richelieu馆里古巴比伦的《汉谟拉比法典》石碑和亚述古城杜尔舍鲁金（Khorsabad）的遗迹；Sully馆中古埃及的文物和中世纪卢浮宫的城壕遗迹；Denon馆内的莫里恩厅（Salle Mollien）包括《自由引导人民》和《梅杜莎之筏》在内的大幅浪漫主义绘画作品。可惜的是，走到后来相机没电了，莫里恩厅里的绘画都拍不下来。

Statue of the Ancient Egyptian God Bes, Musée du Louvre, Paris

Human-headed winged bull from the palace of Sargon II of Assyria, Cour Khorsabad of Musée du Louvre, Paris

Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, by Piero della Francesca, Musée du Louvre, Paris

Four Seasons Painting by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Musée du Louvre, Paris

参观完卢浮宫，由Carrousel广场北侧的拱门走出来，便如北京的皇城根儿，立刻从皇城的庄严转成市井的喧嚣。已经是晚上八、九点，这里还是人声鼎沸，路边的餐馆到没见到有特色的。我们还是回到旅馆附近，选择了一家越南风格菜式的餐馆，Au Coin des Gourmets。

Au Coin des Gourmets, Paris

Au Coin des Gourmets, Paris

2014.11.4With an OpenStack conference scheduled for the afternoon, I still had the morning for some sightseeing. Taking Metro Line 12 from Place de la Concorde to Abbesses station, a short walk led me to Montmartre. Rising about 130 meters above Paris, this hilly district has been a magnet for artists since the 19th century. Even as the opening of the Moulin Rouge and the completion of Sacré-Cœur transformed this village of windmills into a bustling urban hub, its bohemian, anti-traditional atmosphere remained, drawing creatives to its streets ever since.

Exiting the Metro at Abbesses requires climbing a long spiral staircase, which brings you roughly halfway up the hill. Behind the station lies a small garden featuring a high wall decorated with blue lava tiles, where a few tourists were posing for photos. It turned out our pre-trip research was a bit lacking—Paris’s Wall of Love (Le mur des je t’aime) is apparently quite famous, yet we stumbled upon it entirely by chance. Completed in 2001, the wall is covered in “I love you” written 311 times in 250 languages. It is, naturally, an essential stop in the “City of Romance.”

Le mur des je t\'aime - - \'I Love You\' wall, Montmartre, Paris

The streets of Montmartre are highly commercialized. We browsed through shops along the way, eventually reaching the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The basilica was originally intended to inspire a religious revival following the French Revolution and the Paris Commune. Approved in 1873 and completed during World War I in 1914, the pure white structure sits at the highest point of the hill. Looking up from the base of the steps, the view is grand and imposing, yet it feels more like a place for quiet harmony than fearful awe. However, the area is prone to scammers posing as charity collectors; it’s best to keep your distance.

Sacré-Cœur, as seen from the base of the butte Montmartre, Paris

Climbing the front steps to the upper terrace, the view opens up to reveal the entire Parisian skyline. Many people sit on the stone steps, listening to street performers while overlooking the city.

Overlook paris from Sacré-Cœur\'s upper platform, Paris

Sacré-Cœur, Paris

The interior of Sacré-Cœur is vast, with small chapels lining the sides and the area behind the altar. A mass was in progress during our visit, so I only managed a wide shot from a distance.

The Chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul, Sacré-Cœur, Paris

The main dome, Sacré-Cœur, Paris

The Chancel, Sacré-Cœur, Paris

Walking around the left side of the building, the domes reveal Sacré-Cœur’s Byzantine architectural style. After a century of exposure, the white marble has begun to show its age with noticeable dark weathering. Behind the church is a quiet garden with few tourists. At the end of the path, a long set of stairs descends to the streets below, often called “Montmartre’s Milky Way.” I’ve seen many photos of these steps glowing under night lights; they are a classic Parisian sight. The scene in Midnight in Paris where Gil tells Adriana about his obsession with the city at night was filmed right here.

The rear view of Sacré-Cœur and the Campanile, Paris

The Stairway on Rue de Chevalier de la Barre behind Sacré-Cœur, Paris

Retracing our steps along the cobblestone paths, the commercial buzz of Montmartre returns just a block away from the basilica. The route is lined with portrait artists, and plenty of tourists are happy to participate. Montmartre is, after all, a place of artistic legend, once home to the likes of Dalí, Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh.

Artists and tourists at Rue de Chevalier de la Barre near Sacré-Cœur, Montmartre, Paris

Further ahead is the famous Place du Tertre. Roughly the size of two or three basketball courts, this square is often called the heart of Montmartre and a sanctuary of modern art. Famous painters worked and lived here in the early 20th century. Today, dozens of artists still set up easels and stalls to sell their work. To me, however, it felt little different from a standard urban art festival; some even say many of the paintings aren’t actually done by the people standing there, so it’s worth being cautious if you plan to buy.

Painters at Place du Tertre, Montmartre, Paris

Rue Norvins near Place du Tertre, Montmartre, Paris

There’s plenty to discover on the hill—unique bistros, small boutiques, and the Dalí Museum around the corner make it a walker’s paradise. The most charming features are the long stone staircases; whether covered in autumn leaves or snow, they must be a romantic sight.

A restaurant sign on Rue Poulbot, Montmartre, Paris

Restaurants at Montmartre, Paris

The Stairway on Rue Chappe viewed from Rue André Barsacq, Montmartre, Paris

Pressed for time due to the OpenStack event, we grabbed a quick pasta lunch at a local restaurant. We didn’t have time for the Moulin Rouge or several other landmarks.

Restaurants at Montmartre, Paris

Returning from the meeting in the evening, we decided to visit La Défense. As Paris’s modern business district, it offers a space for contemporary commerce without disrupting the traditional character of the old city. The Grande Arche sits on the historical axis that extends from Versailles through the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées—a perfect dialogue between the old and the new. Public transport is convenient; a single metro ride from Place de la Concorde takes you straight there. As a commercial hub, it feels safe at night. We climbed the high steps beneath the Grande Arche, though the square was unfortunately filled with tents—perhaps for a holiday event—which didn’t make for the best photos.

La Défense at night, Paris

2014.11.3The sky was heavily overcast in the morning. A rainfall seemed inevitable. Skipping breakfast, I slipped out for a quick stroll first. The streets were still quiet. Just around the corner stood the Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption. It’s a tiny church; the entrance was covered in fresh flowers and candles, the door was open, but no one was inside yet. Across the small square, the fashion stores were fully lit, though clearly not yet open; perhaps the lights stay on all night.

Église Notre-Dame-de-l\'Assomption, Paris

Shops near Place Maurice Barrès, Paris

Walking past Rue Cambon, I reached the Tuileries Garden and Place de la Concorde. During the French Revolution, this was known as the Place de la Révolution; Louis XVI, Lavoisier, Danton, and Robespierre were all sent to the guillotine here. After the Revolution, it was renamed Place de la Concorde, likely to draw a line under that bloody history. At the center of the square stands the Obelisk, a gift from the Viceroy of Egypt. Flanking the Obelisk to the north and south are two fountains. The outer ring of each features six statues holding goldfish, their spouting water converging on a two-tiered central platform. Below the platform sit four statues: the northern La Fontaine des Fleuves symbolizes rivers and harvest; the southern La Fontaine des Mers symbolizes the ocean and fishing. The fountains’ details are intricate, and the gloomy weather made the carved nuances stand out sharply in the lens.

La Fontaine des Fleuves at Place de la Concorde with Jardin des Tuileries in the background, Paris

La Fontaine des Mers, Place de la Concorde, Paris

I walked back toward the hotel along one side of the Tuileries Garden. The garden displays numerous statues, mostly classical works, but there are also modern sculptures like this one.

Many Small Cubes by Sou Fujimoto in the Tuileries Garden, Paris

The morning was reserved for visiting the Musée de l’Orangerie. It sits in the southwest corner of the Tuileries, close to the Seine. Perhaps because it wasn’t the weekend, the crowd was sparse, and buying tickets in advance was unnecessary.

Musée de l\'Orangerie, Paris

The Musée de l’Orangerie isn’t large, nor does it share the fame of the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay, but its collection is highly specialized. The main draw, undoubtedly, is Monet’s massive Water Lilies. There are eight of them, split across two specialized exhibition halls. This is also one of the spots in Midnight in Paris where “the pedantic one” gets to show off. Photography isn’t allowed in the Water Lilies halls; the image below is from the internet.

musc3a9e-de-le28099orangerie

The lower-level exhibition halls also display many masterpieces, including works by Renoir, Cézanne, Picasso, and Matisse.

A painting by Paul Cézanne, Musée de l\'Orangerie, Paris

A painting by Henri Matisse, Musée de l\'Orangerie, Paris

Stepping out of the museum, the autumn wind felt even more piercing, the chill setting in. Both sides of the Tuileries Garden’s west gate are flanked by Pegasus statues, but these are mere copies; the originals are preserved in the Louvre. Directly facing the Tuileries, centered in Place de la Concorde, is the Obelisk, a gift to King Louis-Philippe in 1831 from the Viceroy of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha. A truly grand gesture, the Obelisk dates back over three thousand years to the reign of Ramesses II and originally stood before the Luxor Temple. No wonder only one obelisk remained at the temple entrance when we visited Luxor.

The statue of Renommée riding Pegasus at the west entrance of the Tuileries Garden and the Luxor Obelisk at the Place de la Concorde, Paris

Luxor Temple

La Seine at la Marne by Nicolas Coustou at Tuileries Garden, Paris

We had lunch at Ladurée, right by our hotel. Their large macarons are excellent.

Macarons in Laduree at Rue Royale, Paris

While we rested at the hotel, a brief shower passed through. We headed out again after 3:00 PM, aiming north toward the Opera House. The small square before Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption was covered by a thin layer of water, reflecting the building; in a black-and-white photo, it has a certain resonance.

Place Maurice Barrès in the early morning rain, Paris

At the northern end of Rue Royale is the Église de la Madeleine. Its patron saint, Mary Magdalene, is a dramatic figure in both biblical stories and popular culture. The church looks like an ancient Roman temple from the outside; inside, it’s richly decorated with carved beams and plenty of gilding. It features three circular domes, each with a skylight. Unlike other churches, the Madeleine has no stained-glass mosaics; its only natural light comes from these three circular openings, leaving the interior rather dim.

Interior of the Église de la Madeleine, Paris

The statue by Charles Marochetti on the altar of the Église de la Madeleine, Paris

Reliefs on the bronze doors of the Église de la Madeleine deplicting the Ten Commandments, Paris

Overlook Place de la Concorde through Rue Royale from L\'église de la Madeleine, Paris

Boulevard des Capucines, Claude Monet, 1873-74

“The plane trees add to the fine drizzle, drop by drop, until dusk.（梧桐更兼细雨，到黄昏、点点滴滴。）”

The Boulevard des Capucines, connecting the Madeleine to the Opera House, divides the 2nd and 9th arrondissements. It’s not exceptionally wide, lined with sycamore trees and classical buildings housing modern businesses. This is the heart of Paris, and the Boulevard des Capucines is one of its core avenues; Monet has an Impressionist work by the same name depicting this very street.

Boulevard des Capucines, Paris

A small square stands before the Palais Garnier, a hub where metro lines and surface traffic converge. Located in a commercial district, the pedestrian traffic is intense. I had only a small camera with a fixed prime lens and couldn’t manage to capture the entire facade. The Palais Garnier is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and has been one of the world’s premier opera houses since its completion. The fact that the plot of The Phantom of the Opera unfolds here has only added to its fame. We arrived during a scheduled evening performance, so it wasn’t open for tours, but the foyer’s luxury was already apparent: vivid red curtains, gleaming gilded decorations, and massive columns and vaults covered in paintings and sculptures—a scene of pure magnificence.

The façade of the Palais Garnier opera house, Paris

Statues at the eastern wall of the Palais Garnier opera house, Paris

Circling the Opera House, we drew closer to Galeries Lafayette. Inside a typically classical Parisian building on the roadside, we found an Apple Store. What’s more, its banner sign was a white Apple logo on a pure black background, a slightly uncanny sight.

Street view near Galeries Lafayette, Paris

Despite their massive fame, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps are, in essence, not much different from typical large department stores. Yet their Byzantine-style architecture and decor are truly dazzling. The sounds of Mandarin-speaking customers and sales staff were everywhere. Stepping in from the slightly chilly exterior, the crush of people and the stuffy heat made us quite uncomfortable. We only had a passable Chinese meal at the top-floor restaurant.

Galeries Lafayette interior, Paris

Stepping out of Lafayette, the rain finally began, and the umbrella I’d carried since leaving the hotel was finally put to use. Crossing Place Vendôme, I saw that several hotels and the central bronze column were undergoing renovation. When these classical Parisian buildings are being repaired, they are concealed behind banners matching the building’s color and pattern; the scaffolding isn’t exposed, and you might not even notice unless you look closely. The amber lights reflected in the water made the cobblestone street shimmer; a fine, misty rain fell softly, and the Parisian scene grew even more delicate and elegant in the autumn shower.

Palais Garnier (Opéra) in the rain, Paris

Place Vendôme in the rain, Paris

2014.11.2自从我们到达巴黎以来的好天气，今天终于晴转多云，开始阴沉下来。上午的时间准备去参观荣军院和罗丹博物馆，下午我们要搬到协和广场附近的另一家酒店。

乘坐C线地铁到荣军院只有两站。我们出发的比较早，地铁上乘客不多，和我们一起出站的只有我们两个和后面两三个人。快到出站楼梯的时候，我似乎觉得后面的几个人跟的很近。开始的时候也没有在意，毕竟这几天在巴黎都没有碰到什么情况。走在楼梯上的时候，我无意中回了一下头，发现其中一个女的已经无声无息地紧紧跟在我们后面，她的手已经搭在老婆背在身后的包上。我意识到碰到小偷了，赶忙拉着老婆加快了脚步。随行的几个人看到已经被我觉察，装做问路的样子，我没有搭理，几步之间就走出了站台。

旅游中最重要的就是不要为小的不愉快影响游玩的心情。亚历山大三世桥两侧的荣军院和大、小皇宫之间视野开阔，大气而不失优雅。紧邻塞纳河的右岸是两排绿树成行的绿地，靠河一侧的小路叫Port des Champs-Élysées。沿着小路前行，一侧是塞纳河边停泊靠岸的游船，另一侧是洒满金黄树叶的草地，没有了阳光灿烂，这样一个秋日似乎更适合体会巴黎的浪漫。不过此处也常有三五成群的游民活动，我在后面几天也曾碰到，最好结伴而行。

Port des Champs-Élysées, Paris

天空虽然阴沉，但桥塔顶部的四座女神像依旧金光闪闪，分外夺目。

Pont Alexandre III and Les Invalides, Paris

亚历山大三世桥于1900年巴黎世博会之前完工。为了不影响桥两岸的视野，特地把桥拱压低。除了桥塔上的神像，桥面上的浮雕、灯柱和天使雕像无不细腻精美。亚历山大三世桥常被认为是巴黎最优雅华丽的桥梁。

Lamp posts and statues on Pont Alexandre III, Paris

我们穿过亚历山大三世桥向荣军院走过去。道路两旁是宽阔的草坪，看起来相当的气派。从草坪这端向回望去，大、小皇宫和亚历山大三世桥头上的女神像一览无余。

Esplanade des Invalides, Paris

Overlook Grand Palais through Pont Alexandre III from Left Bank, Paris

向前一直走到荣军院，这里始建时是路易十四时期的军队医院，后来拿破仑的灵柩搬到此处。巨大的圆顶既能震慑荣军院庞大的建筑群，从北面望去，又与正面的门洞相得益彰。夜晚圆顶的灯火点亮的时候，灯光一路延伸到亚历山大三世桥，生动地诠释着巴黎“city of light”的美名。

我们只是在荣军院稍做停留，倒是门口的青铜大炮和草地上的松柏更吸引的我们的注意。松柏被修剪成整齐的圆锥型，枝叶紧实，一个人靠上去不成问题。高矮不一的松柏零星点缀在荣军院门前的草坪上，便似一个个的哨兵，与荣军院的起源颇为相合。

The cannons of Les Invalides, Paris

Statue to the right side of the entrance to Les Invalides, Paris

Jardin des Invalides

绕过荣军院向东再向南，走一两个路口，不要10分钟，就到了罗丹博物馆。罗丹博物馆没有面向大路的入口，建筑上也与周围楼宇没什么区别，毫不显眼。进了门才发现今天免门票 – 每个月的第一个星期日，巴黎的博物馆都是免费开放。

罗丹博物馆最初是毕宏宅邸（Hôtel Biron），后来成为罗丹的工作室。一进门的建筑前方是一个月季和松树园，一侧陈列着罗丹最大型的作品之一《地狱之门》，另一侧的花园中是《思想者》和《巴尔扎克》。室内展出的多为小型作品或是模制品，比较有名的有《上帝之手》，《吻》，《青铜时代》等等。秋日的斜阳从落地窗照进来，映射在地板上，温暖而写意。

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罗丹博物馆中更为独特的是建筑后侧花园和草坪间的雕像展览。数十件雕塑或散落于树林之间，或矗立于水池中央，或以浓密的绿篱为背景。秋风中落叶姗然而下，厚重的雕塑掩映于落叶与树影里，满眼的秋凉和宁静。

Garden of Orpheus, the sculpture garden in Musée Rodin, Paris

Garden of Orpheus, the sculpture garden in Musée Rodin, Paris

The garden of the hôtel Biron, Musée Rodin, Paris

Le café du Musée Rodin, Paris

我们乘地铁回到酒店，结账出来，打的去新的旅馆。这家在协和广场边的旅馆叫Meliá Vendome，除了位于市中心，乘地铁去OpenStack的展会也非常方便。从左岸搬到右岸，旅馆周围的环境也从人声鼎沸的各色小店变成高档的时装店和餐馆。

住下后的第一件事还是熟悉周围环境。旅馆的街角就是另一个圣母教堂，圣母蒙召升天教堂（Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption）。在街角右转，沿圣奥诺雷街（Rue Saint-Honoré）向东，街道虽然狭窄凌乱，但一路都是时装名品店，据说是巴黎不逊于香榭丽舍和蒙田大道的时尚街道之一。中途经过凡登广场和圣洛克教堂（Église Saint-Roch），走到圣奥诺雷街与科莱特广场（Place Colette）。这里已经是卢浮宫的侧面，沿着歌剧院大街望去，可以远远看到巴黎歌剧院。

Avenue de l\'Opéra with the Place de l\'Opéra at its northwest end, Paris

回到旅馆和老婆一起出来在旅馆东北面的地方转了一圈。我们先是在圣奥诺雷街上的一家小面包店吃了一些午餐。走上皇家街（Rue Royale），一转角就看到一家Ladurée。从规模和装潢看，像是总店的样子。按说中国的蛇年已过，不知道为什么橱窗还装潢成蛇的图案。慕名而来的食客很多，门口还要排队。我们决定改天再来品尝。

Laduree at Rue Royale, Paris

皇家街很短，一端是玛德莲教堂，另一端是就是协和广场。两侧自然是名店荟萃，其中还有北京人熟知的马克西姆餐厅（Maxim’s）。

Rue Royale and L\'église de la Madeleine, Paris

Overlook Place de la Concorde through Rue Royale, Paris

香榭丽舍大道起于协和广场、终于凯旋门。我们在协和广场转了一圈，就径直走上这条巴黎最著名的大街。

Place de la Concorde at dusk, Paris

从协和广场到富兰克林·罗斯福大街之间的一段并没有什么商户，两侧是林荫道。每到岁末年初，香榭丽舍大道都会彩灯飞扬，庆祝节日。我们来的时间略早，只看到道路两旁摆放的一排排集装箱，大概是为了布置节日装饰用的。

香榭丽舍大道的西段是巴黎最顶级的商业区，其热闹繁华无需多言。可惜我们不是血拼的风格，也就是Window Shopping一下，喝一两杯咖啡而已。

The Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe at night, Paris

走走停停快两个小时，我们终于来到凯旋门。凯旋门是拿破仑为了彰显自己的军功、迎接得胜回朝的法军凯旋而下令修建的。两面门墩上的四座雕塑和门上的六面浮雕记录的是法国大革命和拿破仑时期的重要事件，门墩和拱顶的内侧刻有得胜的战役和将领的名单。从一侧的门墩沿着螺旋的扶梯可以登上凯旋门的顶部。凯旋门高50米，从顶部可以清楚的看到从凯旋门所在的戴高乐广场辐射而出的12条大道和巴黎埃菲尔铁塔一侧的名胜。可惜的是这次出发时没想到会走这么远，没带着三角架，只能手持相机凑合拍一下夜景。

Paris as seen from the top of Arc de Triomphe, Paris

Eternal Flame at the Arc de Triomphe facing the Champs-Élysées, Paris

下了凯旋门已是晚上八点，做地铁回到协和广场。我们没有觉得有什么不安全，小心看好身上的东西是应当的。

回到酒店呆了一会儿感觉又饿了，于是快十点钟跑出去吃饭。隔一条街的一家法式餐馆叫L’Ardoise，人还是很满，但也是到了快打烊的时间。我们在这里小吃一餐。

L\'Ardoise, Paris

L\'Ardoise, Paris

2014.11.1今天上午的计划是登巴黎圣母院的钟楼。前一天在旅馆吃早饭的时候，墙上悬挂的照片吸引了我。那是西岱岛和圣路易岛在晨曦中的景象，清冷、安静，却令人神往，让我也忍不住想试一下。

早晨七点从旅馆出发，沿着塞纳河边一路上行，走过大主教桥，前方就是圣路易岛。圣路易岛上名胜不多，以住宅区为主。岛的西端面向左岸的一侧是一排临河的住宅楼，河畔是一列耸立的桦树，是一处常常出现在照片里的景致。这里河岸的人行道很宽，有几处可以驳船的码头。前一天是万圣节，大概也是有人庆祝的，河畔上很多酒瓶的碎片。我在这里照了几张照片，但是都不太满意。大概是取景角度太低，而且也没有那种清冷的感觉。

The southern side of Île Saint-Louis, Paris

Notre Dame on Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis, Paris

Notre-Dame and Pont de l\'Archevêché that connects Île de la Cité with the Left Bank, Paris

吃过早饭，我们于九点半赶到巴黎圣母院，排队等待登上钟楼。在我们前面大约有三十几个人。十点钟楼开门，一次大概放进十几个人；到十点二十左右，终于轮到我们。

Gallery of Notre Dame de Paris

从北钟楼的入口沿螺旋形的楼梯上行，就到达两座钟楼底部的走廊。这里距离地面46米，巴黎的全景尽收眼底。天空万里无云，虽然不适合摄影，但是正合适远眺。从左到右可以看到的著名景点有，圣叙尔比斯教堂、荣军院、埃菲尔铁塔、拉德方斯新区、圣礼拜堂、歌剧院、圣厄斯塔什教堂、圣心教堂和圣雅各伯塔。

Overlook Paris from the tower of Notre-Dame de Paris

这一条连接南北钟楼的走廊上最有名的要算是栏杆转角处的怪兽雕塑。它们栖息于钟楼之上，用最好的视角注视着千年来这座城市的事世变迁。由于早晨逆光的缘故，怪兽在照片里都比较暗，也许在傍晚或阴天的时候才更适合拍照。走廊很窄，上方有钢丝网保护。栏杆上雕刻的花饰、卷叶，以及探出的引水兽处处可见。

Chimera overlooking River Seine, Notre-Dame de Paris

Overlook Sacré-Cœur with Saint-Jacques Tower in the foreground from Notre-Dame de Paris

Rooftops of Left Bank and Église Saint-Sulpice, from Notre-Dame de Paris

我们在这一层停留了大约半个小时，然后从另一侧沿着南侧钟楼内的螺旋楼梯登上钟楼的最顶层。钟楼呈方形，中间是隆起的尖顶，四周可以供游人远眺。

Overlook River Seine to the east with the spire of Notre-Dame de Paris in the foreground

Apostles on the spire, Notre-Dame de Paris

Overlook River Seine and La Défense from the top of the bell tower of Notre-Dame de Paris

从早晨开始排队到游览完毕，大约花了两个小时的时间。我本来对地标建筑登高兴趣不大，但是有蜿蜒的塞纳河美景，又从不同的视角欣赏巴黎丰富的人文景观，登巴黎圣母院塔顶远眺绝对值得一游。

从巴黎圣母院出来，老婆回旅馆顺路购物，我先在圣母院广场又逗留了一会儿，然后准备去蓬皮杜文化中心那边转一圈。

The rose window of the west façade of Notre-Dame de Paris

The tympanum of the central portal, the Portal of the Last Judgement, Notre-Dame de Paris

穿过Pont d’Arcole，进入巴黎的第四区。巴黎的右岸一直为政府和贵族所占据。果不其然，过桥后右侧立刻就是巴黎市政厅（Hôtel de Ville）。巴黎市政府从1357年搬到这里，650多年来就再也没挪过地方。继续向北，又是巴黎典型的商业街道。路上行人不少，倒也不算很繁华。再走两个街区，就到了蓬皮杜中心。巴黎市中心的主要景点距离并不远。

Metro sign on Rue du Renard, Paris

蓬皮杜中心以暴露在建筑之外的彩色管线闻名。除了现代艺术博物馆，还包括一个图书馆和音乐声学研究中心。其建筑设计颠覆传统，与巴黎古式的风格毫不搭界，兴建初期争议很大。不过这样的例子在巴黎的建筑中并不少见，埃菲尔铁塔和卢浮宫前的金字塔都是明证，而且都已经成为经典。这一次我们没有计划参观现代艺术博物馆，我只是在外面转了一圈，反而觉得紧邻的斯特拉文斯基喷泉（Stravinsky Fountain）更有意思。

Le Centre Pompidou, Paris

斯特拉文斯基喷泉是蓬皮杜中心边的一个大水池，其中点缀着十几座色彩鲜艳的雕塑，或旋转或喷水，代表俄罗斯作曲家斯特拉文斯基（Igor Stravinsky）不同的作品。远处占满整面墙壁的是Jef Aérosol的街画作品，“Chuuuttt”。作者这幅画的意思是希望我们能够花几分钟的时间，透过城市工业的喧嚣，聆听人类自己生活的声音。喷泉后面另一侧是圣梅里教堂（Saint-Merri）。教堂看起来颇为老旧，后来才知道它最近还上了世界文化遗址基金会的濒危建筑名单。教堂外壁在绚丽的喷泉雕塑和诙谐的壁画映衬下显得更为晦暗。

Stravinsky Fountain by Le Centre Pompidou, Paris

走出蓬皮杜中心附近的小巷，Boulevard de Sébastopol是穿过巴黎市中心的南北向大路。它的起点是位于塞纳河边的沙特莱广场（Place du Châtelet）。其中央的棕榈喷泉（Fontaine du Palmier）和胜利纪念柱是由拿破仑下令修建，用以昭示他在法国对外战争中的赫赫战功。广场的斜对面是圣雅各伯塔，法国大革命前是周围屠户修建的教堂，在法国大革命中教堂被拆除，只留下雕饰精美的塔楼。

Rue Quincampoix near Le Centre Pompidou, Paris

La Place du Châtelet and La Fontaine du Palmier, Paris

与沙特莱广场隔河相望的是位于西岱岛上的巴黎古监狱（Conciergerie），连接两岸的是Pont au Change。早在12世纪，这座桥上就有珠宝商和货币兑换所的商店，桥也因此而得名。Conciergerie中世纪时是法国皇家的城堡，14世纪改用为监狱。作为巴黎最大的监狱，特别是在法国大革命时期，关押过不少大人物。建筑靠近塞纳河的一侧塔楼上，悬挂着一座金光闪闪、美奂美伦的大钟，这是巴黎最古老的公共时钟。

Paris’s first public clock on Tour de I\'horloge, Conciergerie, Paris

Sainte-Chapelle, Paris

回到旅馆再出来吃午饭已经是下午两点。我们选了西岱岛上新桥边的一家小餐馆，La Taverne D’Henri IV。他家店面很小，走到门口我还不能确定是这一家。咸肉拼盘看起来很诱人，味道也很好。

La Taverne D'Henri IV, Paris

La Planche Charcuterie, La Taverne D'Henri IV, Paris

吃过饭的计划是乘BatoBus去埃菲尔铁塔。午饭时喝了点儿酒，在下午和煦的阳光下不禁有些微醺，也没多想就登上了新桥下出发的塞纳河游船。这也让我们有了一次计划之外又是意料之中的塞纳河之旅。

游船上有广播介绍经过的桥梁和岸边的名胜风景，但是一路并不停船靠岸。从新桥出发，游船先是顺流而下，一直到埃菲尔铁塔，在德比尔哈克姆桥（Pont de Bir-Hakeim）调头。

The Zouave statue at Pont de l\'Alma, Paris

Tourist boats on the Seine River against Musée de l\'Orangerie on the Right Bank, Paris

游船随塞纳河上行，到达新桥时，从西岱岛和圣路易岛的左岸一侧继续前行。我们在网上看到的塞纳河游船的视频，大多是天气阴霾，甚至淫雨霏霏，可见遇到个好天气并不容易。而我们在巴黎多雨的季节，却有个不可多得的晴天。两岸黃色亮眼的梧桐掩映着乳白色的古老建筑，游人在河边岸旁闲坐，船上船下的人都是无比的惬意。

Musée d\'Orsay from the Seine river, Paris

Pont des Arts and Pont Neuf, Paris

The southern side of Île Saint-Louis, Paris

到达奥斯特里茨桥，游船折返，再从西岱岛和圣路易岛的右岸一侧回到新桥终点。

Dancing on the banks of Port Saint-Bernard, Paris

Notre Dame on Île de la Cité and the eastern end of Île Saint-Louis, Paris

下了船，转头再去做BatoBus，原来BatoBus的登船地点是在右岸新桥下面的河边。BatoBus成人票一天16欧元，两天18欧元，比我们刚刚乘做的Vedettes du Pont Neuf游船还贵，坐的很满，完全不如地铁划算。如果乘船游览塞纳河是必须的旅游项目，建议乘坐专门的游船，再乘地铁去往各个游览点。

BatoBus的路线和Vedettes du Pont Neuf游船一致，但是全程有八个停靠码头，在埃菲尔铁塔脚下就有一站。时间已是下午五点，天色已暗，但是埃菲尔铁塔周围还是很热闹。

Pont d\'Iéna near Eiffel Tower at sunset, Paris

等待登塔的游人几乎把埃菲尔铁塔正下方的广场挤得满满当当，草坪上也是人满为患，再加上横七竖八的栏杆，我们走出很远也没有找到适合照相的机会。我们走到草坪一侧布尔多奈大道（L’avenue de La Bourdonnais）上的Le Dôme坐下来喝了一点儿咖啡，店员是一如既往的爱搭不理。休息片刻，再走回埃菲尔铁塔，仍然是灯火通明，人声鼎沸。埃菲尔铁塔登塔的时间一直到午夜，但是九、十点钟就会停止售票。

Under the Eiffel Tower, Paris

我们走过耶拿桥到夏乐宫的一侧，这里是远望埃菲尔铁塔最好的地点。每到整点，埃菲尔铁塔会在黄色灯光的背景下，闪烁起千万盏银白色的小灯，持续几分钟，为这个热闹的景点再增添几分活力。

Eiffel Tower and Pont d\'Iéna at night, Paris

我们沿着塞纳河走到德比利行人桥（Passerelle Debilly），又回到左岸。前面不远就是地铁C线在阿尔玛桥（Pont de l’Alma）的一站。地面上的站台只是一间小屋子，幸好有人指点，我们买了回程的地铁票。二十分钟时间就在圣米歇尔（Saint-Michel）站下车回到旅馆，每人只要1.7欧元，非常方便。