Day 12 - Sunny Day in Paris

Today was beautiful, mostly sunny day in Paris.  We made it a light sightseeing day by going to:

• Sainte Chapelle
• Pantheon
• Luxembourg Gardens

Before our trip, my Aunt Cathy told me that Sainte Chapelle was her favorite church in Paris.  Since we were too late to see it on Monday, we made a point to see it first thing this morning.

The security was very intense getting into Sainte Chapelle.  I didn't realize that it is the same entrance for the Palais de Justice, the location of the highest court in France.  My pocket knife and cutlery were confiscated, but I was able to retrieve them after our visit to Sainte Chapelle.  It was commissioned by King Louis IX in the 13th century to hold his collection of Christian relics, including the crown of thorns.  The stained glass around the chapel illustrate the New Testament.

Stained glass windows of Sainte Chapelle

The Rose stained glass depicts the end times in Revelations

Palais de Justice

Afterwards, we tried to find the American restaurant for the girls to enjoy a treat from home, however this restaurant was out of business--replaced by a Chinese place.  We then found a burger joint, De ClercQ, les Rois de la Frite, near the Pantheon.  Renae found nice lady to help us figure out how to order lunch.  We took our lunch and ate in the circle in front of the Pantheon.  The highlight of the girls' day was feeding french fries to a fat pigeon with a peg leg.

Inside of the burger joint near the Pantheon

De ClercQ, Les Rois de la Frite

Eating our lunch in front of the Pantheon

French beer served with a combo meal

The fat pigeon with a peg leg who liked french fries

Pantheon

Pendulum was added to honor science

Clovis, the first King of the Franks

The Pantheon was initiated by King Louis XV, but after the Revolution was changed to a mausoleum for great Frenchmen who died for their country.

Sarah wanted to buy something in Paris, so we took the Metro to the Galeries Lafayette, however, we soon realized these stores were quite out of our price range.

We made it a short day.  Tomorrow, we're going to Versailles and want to get a good night sleep.