Tuesday, May 08, 2018

Cité

The biggest of the two islands in the Seine in central Paris is the Ile de la Cité and is the site of one of the city's most famous monuments. The cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris rises high above the other buildings on the island and its two towers and steeple can be seen for miles around.

Notre Dame cathedral and the Ile de la Cité, seen from the right bank.

The island is also home to a bustling flower market, the 13th century gothic Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie where Marie Antoinette was held prior to her execution, and the intimate Place Dauphine on the island's western end.

I recently learned that France's justice department is moving from its centuries-old location in the Palais de Justice (also on the island) to a more spacious and modern facility on the northern edge of Paris. From what I understand, the vacated historical buildings will be renovated and opened to public and tourist uses.

6 comments:

  1. At medical center. Patient next to me in waiting room gasped when I brought up the foto and then she apologized for being nosy. “But it’s gorgeous!” She said. I guess I’ll forgive her prying eyes.

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  2. Wow, I didn't know about the justice department moving. Very interesting!

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  3. i didnt know it was moving either....my daughter's father-in-law was the "batonnier" of France when the kids first got together so we got to see the lovely inside of the Palais and were treated to an elegant dinner in a private dining room prepared by the chef there...wowza....and the view from his huge office overlooked the river...plus he had Marie Antoinette's fan framed in his office...

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  4. Walt,

    They have already moved to the new building - the anarchists who created havoc on May 1st are already being heard there. The old palais will be renovated to enable new technologies and from the latest news , some complementary/ancillarycourts will still occupy the building since the new one is not big enough ! to accommodate every single court ( cour d'----, cour de la XXX instance etc etc) .
    You get the drift :-)

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  5. Exceptionally lovely photo today. Things are always changing.

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  6. mitch, cool!

    judy, stuff is going on all around us!

    melinda, amazing!

    t.b., yup! Thanks!

    evelyn, and as they say in France, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose...

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