Winter in Paris

On Tuesday, when the weather was nice, I wanted to visit Napoleon's Malmaison because of the exhibit  Dans les Armoires d'Impératrice Joséphine, on display until March 6.  The museum turned out be be closed on Tuesdays, so I had to wait a day.  I was not disappointed with the modest exhibit, although parts of the house and gardens were closed. Malmaison, bought in 1799 as a run-down château in need of renovation by Joséphine, for Napoléon and herself, was under renovation.  The interior is much in the style of the period, but has been renovated various times so it wasn't as authentic as it could be. The exhibit, on the other hand, was quiet nicely done.  It featured many of the lovely gowns, trains, shawls, silk hose and slippers of the empress, along with hand-written registers documenting the expenses of her purchases.

Malmaison as seen from the entrance

Napoléon's library, however, was authentic

Joséphine's formal bedroom

The gardens, were somewhat sad in winter

The summer house

 

Bridge over a pond once filled with black swans from Australia

I was interested to learn what a voracious reader Napoléon was, and of Joséphine's botanical and horticultural interests, particularly her passion for roses and her rose garden. Although I did see the occasional stray rose in Paris, as it has been relatively mild this winter, there were none at Malmaison.

The following day, a gray and somewhat rather dreary one,  I met up with my friend Becky at Le Coupe-Gorge Restaurant ("The Cutthroat") which we chose because of its catchy title.  It is a typical bistro with a slightly wild-western style-decor à la française, and excellent, fresh food. It is also conveniently situated near BHV where I needed to check on a couple of household items.  Becky is a friend that dates back to when we took a long-running conversation class together at the Alliance Française in Washington, DC years ago.  She now lives outside of Paris, in Puteaux, and is married to a Frenchman.
 

Upstairs where we had lunch

 

Café gourmand--usually a good bet

I also visited the newest shopping arcade in Paris--Vill'Up.  Located adjacent to the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie at La Villette, this curious combination of boutiques, cafés, theatres, and entertainment has, as a major attraction, the iFly windtunnel for bodyflight. I watched a couple of groups of people try it out while I was there. 

Vill'Up

 

benefit from the seasonal sales

   

have pizza freshly made

  

 as you dine, enjoy light therapy

 

and, for the more daring, there is indoor bodyflight and skydiving

It has been a wonderful week here in the capital of France, where, as Hemingway once said, it is always "a moveable feast."  One commentary on his statement said that "moveable feast" usually refers to church holidays, like Easter, that fall on different dates based on lunar timing. The special enjoyment of Paris, then, is that it  moves through life with you not being bound by conventional rules of time and space like other cities. Or, as Janet Flanner described it, Paris is "a full body experience."  All I know is that there is always something happening here...

But my time has come to an end. So now on to Ouagadougou!  A few minutes ago I received an SMS from Air France saying that they expected the CDG airport to be exceptionally busy tomorrow when I leave, so I will be leaving early...