Category Archives: France

The Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France

ARC Next to the Eiffel Tower the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile is one of the must see places when visiting Paris, France. This highly visited monument stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées and is a sight to behold. However make sure you do actually see this arch as it is not the only one in the city. Continue reading →

The Love Lock Bridge – Paris, France

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ACR-lockbridge_paris

One of the ‘must see’ places on our trip to Paris, France for our anniverasry was the Love Lock Bridge. I had only heard about this in recent times and had since been wanting to see it in person. In fact there is not just this one love lock bridge in Paris, but many all over the world. They love lock bridges started popping up in the 2000s and lovers worldwide come to leave a token. Basically you come and leave a padlock locked onto the bridge, gate, or fence and throw away the key into the water below. Many of hte locks are engraved or inscribed with intials and hearts.

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Caveau des Oubliettes in Paris

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While we were in Paris my husband took us to a jazz club on the night of our 9th wedding anniversary. It became the best club experience I have to memory and today still holds that that title. Caveau des Oubliettes is a 12th century prison located in the Latin Quarter across the river from Notre-Dame. Beneath the subterranean vaults it was linked many centuries ago with the fortress prison of Petit Chatelet. The description of its history includes ‘complete with dungeons, spine-tingling passages, and scattered skulls, where prisoners were tortured and sometimes pushed through portholes to drown in the Seine’. As an Audrey Hepburn fan it made me feel like I was in her film, Funny Face.

When we arrived I was not exactly sure what to expect and followed my husband through the ground floor entrance to a windy stone stair case to the basement level. The passages were narrow and people were not confined to just the tables and chairs set before the stage. Some where at the bar and others standing or sitting on the stairway, listening and watching from around the wall. The cost of the drinks were a little pricey but not having to pay a cover charge for that experience leveled it out in my mind. If you love music I highly recommend checking out this scene.

While our 8th Wedding Anniversary that we spent at Pelham House in Lewes had topped all the rest, this night topped them all. Caveau des Oubliettes will most definitely be on our list of places to visit when we next return to Paris.

52 Rue Galande 75005 Paris France‎

Travel: Père Lachaise Cemetery

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On my return trip to France there was one place I had marked down on my list of ‘must see places’ in Paris: Père Lachaise Cemetery. As the largest cemetery within the city of Paris it is thought to be one of the most visited cemeteries in the world. When the eternally resting occupants include Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Moliere, and Chopin it is no wonder that hundreds of thousands visitors pay their respects every year. Though I named a few, many more are buried here that enriched the country of France over the past two hundred years. Edith Piaf, the popular French singer who died in 1963, was at the top of my list as my favourite ‘La Vie en Rose’ played in my head. While it only boasted about a dozen graves when it opened in 1804 it became popular as a final resting place with the first few celebrities.

Now a days it is very hard to be buried here with restrictions to having lived and died in Paris. With very few plots available the waiting list I have heard is quite long. Together with the famous Whose Who’ of France are not one but three World War I memorials. Suffice to say that you cannot walk the cobbled stone paths without feeling you are being immersed lifetimes of history, culture and life. I will say that it can be quite easy to get lost. My advice before you arrive is to research online and if you want to be really prepared bring with you a map noting the different graves you would like to see. Alongside the most famous celebrities there are also many notable people whose headstones are like art and they mark not just history but interesting stories.

That is my visit to the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France.

We actually stayed at a place via https://www.airbnb.co.uk/

which was only a short walk away and in a beautiful and quiet neighbourhood

if you are looking for a place to stay in Paris.

Have you been to this cemetery?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Make sure to also check out the other travel posts for

Travel Tuesday with this link below:

I am linking up with ‘Travel Tuesdays’ and you should too!

* For information regarding the use of photography by Bonnie Rose and photographic services contact bonnie[at]bonnie-rose[dot]co[dot]uk

Travel: Crossing the Channel

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We left the island of Hawaii to live on the island of Great Britain. While I thought I would never us the term ‘mainland’ again (when referring to the mainland of the USA), I sometimes do revert to that label when I refer to Europe. While England may be set off in the ocean, just like Japan is off of Asia, it is quite easy to travel to the ‘continental Europe’. We traveled back home this way from Paris last Summer. We took a ferry from Calais, France across to Dover, England where you can see the beautiful white cliffs. We would really like to return here with our boys to explore the beauty and the history of those symbolic white cliffs.

For us the experience of using the ferry was very easy and accommodating We were able to get through customs fairly easy and the waiting period to board was met with a nice waiting area with vending machines if needed. The prices would be as expected on the ferry for food and refreshments and I cannot comment more than that as we brought our own for the voyage. The trip seemed shorter than I expected or remembered as a child and we were able to just enjoy the trip and relax. We had traveled through Italy and France up to this point so just being able to kick our feet up was a great ending to our travels. While flying may be a lot easier or quicker, we really enjoyed taking the trains and ferry back. The view as we came in of the white cliffs were just breath taking. Whether you are traveling by train or car, I definitely recommend checking out crossing the English channel for the views and the experience.

Our view from the ferry of the white cliffs of Dover.

My husband chillin’ on the ferry as we enjoy our view.

Watching the sunset as we arrive back in England.

**Please get in contact with bonnie[at]bonnie-rose[dot]co[dot]uk for information on photographic services.

Romantic Getaway to Paris

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The infamous lock bridge in the Paris, France

Happy Valentines Day to all my readers! To celebrate the day for ‘Travel Thursday’ we will look at a romantic trip to Paris. Having grown up in Europe there are many places that I wish to return to now as an adult. Getting to return to Paris on the arm of my husband was the perfect beginning to a romantic two days in the city of love. While you do not necessarily need a reason to go, we went this past August for our 9th wedding anniversary.

“In French, you don’t really say ‘I miss you.’ ‘You say ‘tu me manques,’
which is closer to ‘you are missing from me.’ I love that. ‘You are missing from me.’
You are a part of me, you are essential to my being.
You are like a limb, or an organ, or blood.
I cannot function without you.”
– unknown

Using the website Airbnb we rented a studio flat in the Belleville, Ile-de-France. This beautiful neighborhood is about a twenty five minute commute by public transport to the Musée du Louvre. We really enjoyed in the parisian flat in lieu of a room at hotel because we felt like we were living in Paris and could not easily spot another tourist in the area. The neighborhood was peaceful and the view from our window was beautiful as it overlooked Parc des Buttes Chaumont. The nearest metro station was minutes away and we were able to purchase fresh bagettes and french cheeses at a nearby shop.

Parc des Buttes Chaumont includes the belvedere of Sybil, which sits atop of the 30 metre peak of the island in the park’s partially surrounded lake. The other sights include several English and Chinese gardens, a grotto with waterfall, and bridges.

We were recommended by the owner of the flat to check out the park at sundown to see the spectacular views from on top of the highest point. We enjoyed a dinner one evening doing just that and having a picnic together on the gentle sloping hill. I would also recommend taking photos at the belvedere of Sybil. It is a Corinthian-style monument, modeled after the ancient Roman Temple of Vestain Tivoli, Italy. I think it makes a beautiful backdrop and so I had my husband model for me.

I brought a pair of heels to wear for our anniversary. But to be fair I knew we would be doing quite a bit of walking on our anniversary and so I opted to wear flats. My husband and I love going out on walks together and walking around Paris taking photographs of the beauty around us was just heavenly.

Also I might add that we went to the famous cemetery in Paris where it seems everyone who is someone is buried. I will blog about this at a later time because I took quite a lot of photographs. It was a short walking distance from our flat.

After our walking tour to see the parisian sights we spent our 9th wedding anniversary having dinner at the Le Pre aux Clercs. I will say this was the most expensive meal we had on our trip but it is Paris and it was a special occasion. Besides the amazing service, nice atmosphere it was the food that won me over. To this day I had one of the best steaks I have ever eaten in Paris, France. It was a perfect place for us.

Le Pre aux Clercs 30 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France

How do you spend your anniversary in Paris fashion? Our answer was to channel Audrey Hepburn and go to a jazz club. We chose Caveau Des Oubliettes which is a jazz club underground in a dungeon. Epic. It was laid back and very chill. Next trip I plan we are definitely coming back. Perhaps a Jazz club hop?

We also made a detour to make sure to check out the Moulin Rouge for our photo album.

How do you end the perfect romantic trip to Paris? Definitely if you see the Eiffel tower during the day, make sure to see it at night time. The best part is when they turn the blinking lights on for the light show. C’est magnifique!