Paris River Cruise (October 2023) Viking

 Exploring more of Paris Today we will do a walking tour  which inluded visiting: 1.   Le Marais (The Swamp) 2.  The Hotel Sully (located in Le Marais) 3.   Place des Vosges (also in Le Marais -  oldest planned square in the city Le Marais - The Swamp The Marais at one time was a marshy boggy area. To provide new agricultural needs, the marshy landscapes were turned into market gardening. The “Marais”, that originally indicated the swamp made by the old dead arm of the Seine, was used at the 14th century in its second sense : land devoted to market gardening.  Charles V (king of France from 1364 to his death) left his original palace, the Louvre, to take up residence in various newly built Hotels in Le Marais. So, the swamp turned from agriculture to land development.  But upon the the death of Henry ll (1547) : the Royal Family moved back to the Louvre.  Of course the wealthy and influential moved to Le Marais with the king(s)....

 Playing in Paris for a couple of Days Before the Cruise Portion Begins Saturday, September 30 - October 4th We arrived at Charles De Gaulle Airport.  This picture was taken at one spot in the airport...criss crossing covered moving sidewalks taking you up and down levels of the airport to get you to your gate ...or out of the airport.  Very futuristic. We stayed at the Pullman Paris very near the Eiffel Tower....this picture was taken upon arriving at the hotel outside the hotel entrance.  I was surprised at the size of the Eiffel Tower and how lacy and intricate and varied in patterns the iron work was. It is fun to see near and far, day and night.  This first picture helps give you perspective...see the people standing below the tower. Cars crossing under the Eiffel tower also give you size perspective Waiting for the hourly nighttime light show And of course, the trinkiets to remind you of your visit....