La Rentree, Les Paris Letters

 

Paris streets are filled with moms and dads taking kids back to l’ecole -> its La Rentrée.

Its La Rentrée/Return for me too. My ipad broke this time forever (RIP). I plunged headlong into a new ipad5 and steep learning curve. So happy to be back PBers!❤️

Meanwhile Bear 🐻 has been hanging out on Le Pont Neuf for the latest Paris letter and map. Admittedly we haven’t hung out there much but there’s tons of French history. The   bridge inaugurated in 1609, was a special project of Henri IV, who wanted to improve urban spaces for Parisians. It was the ‘Eiffel Tower’ of its day.  

You can catch a bateaux mouches downstairs, visit the swanky French mint, Monnaie de Paris and eat lunch on charming Place Dauphine, another Henri IV urban project.

Le Pont Neuf is the first all-stone, widest, longest bridge to connect the left and right banks. No buildings were allowed to upstruct views of the new Louvre.

These Neptune lampadaires/lampposts came later thanks to Les Halles architect, Victor Baltard. They light up the half-moon balconies where people sat to enjoy the Seine. Picnicking has a long tradition in Paris.

Bear 🐻 ate a nice lamb ragout at Basque, Ma Salle à Manger in Place Dauphine.

Bear 🐻 got a place of honor on the map.

For the letter I was inspired to find many artists painted🎨 the Pont Neuf in every kind of weather. Monet picked a rainy day. Albert Marquet painted it at night lit up spectacularly. Even Turner painted it from another bridge.

And of course Christo, after 8 years of petitions, wrapped it for 15 days. Et voila.

Both map and letter 💌 are in the post📮. Or you could subscribe on Etsy and get your own Pont Neuf till you get back to 🇫🇷 France. We’re thinking of you dear West Coast PBers ❤️🙏