Paris. Sunday

This morning we decided to go up to the Butte for le petit déjeuner or breakfast. The French start their day much later than we do.  Breakfast is from nine until one in the afternoon and lunch is from two until five with dinner being taken any time between eight and midnight.  Not that this matters since you can usually get whatever you want, day or night.  Having a  petit déjeuner costs little more than a simple coffee and even the most basic of these breakfasts will consist of a glass of orange juice, a croissant, some bread, butter and conserve and a cup of coffee.

le petit déjeuner

After our leisurely breakfast, we hopped a bus down to avenue Montaigne. Though there are numerous "fashion neighbourhoods" around Paris none can rival this avenue.  With its aura of elegance it offers the finest in haute couture for young and old alike.  For the young, there is Baby Dior and for the older, there are too many names to mention.  Thank heavens it was Sunday and the shops were closed.

Baby Dior

Shoppers

We continued our walk along the banks of the Seine.  Because the weather was warm the river boats, les Bateaux Mouches (open excursion boats) were in constant movement up and down the river while at the embarkation point there were long queues of people waiting to board.

Waiting to board

On the River

Walking along the river means elegant views of the bridges

Pont Alexandre III

and of the Eiffel Tower.

La tour Eiffel

As we walked back toward the Champs Elysées we passed a number of monuments recalling the French influence in early North America.

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We returned home and as we prepared for dinner we heard what appeared to be an accordionist playing just outside our flat.  Looking down from our window we saw it was a street musician with an accordion which had a card rather like a pianola and which played as he cranked it.  It was a really joyous sound and one of those things that makes Paris such a wonderful place.  

The street musician