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Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte: High Crimes & Misdemeanours – Part 2
The notorious history of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte continued to reveal itself as we roamed its historic halls. For in the basement, not only did we find the kitchens and servants’ dining room, we also came upon an unexpected character. The Man in the Iron Mask There before us, sitting in a small staircase, was a likeness of The Man in the Iron Mask. Our guide informed us that this iconic figure had two connections to Vaux-le-Vicomte. For he too had been confined at Pignerol prison at the same time as Nicolas Fouquet, the high flying creator of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. In fact, he served as Fouquet’s valet for a time.…
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Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte: High Crimes & Misdemeanours – Part 1
When I departed Paris early one autumn morning on a bus tour of two of France’s most famous châteaux, little did I know that I would soon be immersed in the high crimes and misdemeanours of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. This was the first of the châteaux that we visited that day. And the drama began to reveal itself to us immediately upon our arrival. Burglary at Dawn We approached this magnificent château on foot, passing its imposing gate and crossing the bridge over its moat. No sooner had we passed over the threshold beneath the grand façade, than our guide informed us that the current owners had been burgled early…
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Les Catacombes de Paris: An Homage to the Dead
As the days grow shorter and crisper, and the time to honour our dead fast approaches, I am reminded of my tour of les Catacombes de Paris last fall. This highly unusual Parisian site had been on my list of spots to visit for a while. However, I must admit that I viewed it with a high degree of hesitation. I wasn’t sure that I was up to descending into the bowels of the city that I love so much and walking among the bones of its long dead. You see, I’ve never been one for horror movies. My tolerance for frights is pretty low. Even when watching a streamed…
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Saving Notre Dame: An Epic Endeavour – Part 2
I continued my return visit to Notre Dame by crossing le Pont de l’Archevêché and making my way down to the riverbank. I wanted to recreate the scene I had discovered two years earlier while passing under le Pont de la Tournelle. And while the spot remained a place for youthful gatherings, the view from it had changed drastically. And I was to get a little closer look a few days later when I had the privilege of rowing ‘La Traversée de Paris‘. The Treasures of Notre Dame In the meantime though, my mind went to recalling my visit to the Treasury of Notre Dame three years earlier. And I…
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Saving Notre Dame: An Epic Endeavour – Part 1
We are currently living through a distressing period of history. And as April 15th approaches, I am reminded of another heart-wrenching episode that made the world stand still a year ago. I recall being glued to the TV that afternoon, unable to take my eyes off the flames engulfing the much loved cathedral of Paris. I remember too, the relief I felt when I awoke the next morning to see that the heroic efforts the firefighters had put into saving Notre Dame had paid off. Our Lady was still standing, although severely damaged. Revisiting Our Lady I was further relieved when I had the opportunity to revisit Notre Dame during…
