The Eiffel Tower? Notre Dame? Valjean and Cosette? Stohrer's macarons? The appalling abomination of a Mc.Donald's in the Louvre? Sydney Carton standing at the guillotine? The best bread and cheese in the known universe?
With me it's stairs … Paris is stairs, stairs and more stairs.
Friends' apartments are never on the lower floors; most are four or five floors up.
Elevators? Schmelevators!
This is why you so rarely see fat Parisians. Lumping your way down and then back up ninety-nine steps just to get a newspaper or a baguette (hi, Jacques-Arthur) keeps Paris slim and active.
I like to walk. A lot! But in Paris, after a good day's hike it's that last grunt up the final step before unlocking the apartment and falling into the sofa that's always the one I remember.
I can't wait to go back. My legs feel atrophied in England.
18 comments:
There's a McDonalds in the Louvre?
Aren't Europeans supposed to be cultured?
Oh steps ha ha you know what I am like with stairs.
There IS, Kate! There was a huge hoo-hah about it. It's down in the basement, pretty much hidden away. I think it might be a ploy to lure fat American tourists away from the exhibits for æsthetic reasons.
Mum, you would hate Paris. Your London mantra, "Oh, no! Not MORE stairs!" would be a hundred times worse there.
The basement? Isn't that where all the really cool stuff is kept?
I'm shaking my head wondering wtf and why???? Its Paris, home of french food, french chefs, foie gras. Macca's eaters just shouldn't be allowed in that country! Disgraceful.
Personally I love stairs. Houses just aren't complete without stairs, in fact I crave the damn things even though I have asthma. Stairs give you the idea that you're actually going somewhere.
The basement is where the coach park and the toilets are kept, Kate. Just right for Mc.D clientele. I think they let Mc.D in there because they were sick of the sight of American tourists fainting with hunger, unable to grasp the concept of an artisan baguette or a vegetable.
Hoo boy, am I going to get some flak when the Americans wake up …
I do love stairs, though Paris seems to take the concept to extremes
Bad enough we have McDonald's in America. No matter where you go in the world, when you see a fat person, 9 times out of 10 it's an American.
Don't worry, Dive, you're right about this one.
John and I climbed stairs all over Paris and loved it, especially the 400 some-odd stairs one must climb to get to the top of Notre Dame. Worth it! You want to be up there.
Subject change: Dive, have you seen this blog?
http://thebrimstonebutterfly.blogspot.com/
Love. As far as I know, I'm the only one who ever comments.
This is really just so sad, but all I could think of when looking at the photo was that I would hate to have to be the one who washed that window...
And keeping those stairs dust free would take some doing...
What the fuck is my problem?
This American is not offended. I cannot remember the last time I visited a McDonalds. I certainly would not be caught dead in one in Paris.
These are some beautiful stairs, and if living in the city alone does not keep one fit, the stairs will do the trick.
My daughter lost about 15 pounds after moving to the city (not that she needed to) between walking to classes, the grocery store, restaurants and twice a week fencing.
I am chubby despite my aversion to McD's and any other American fast fooderies. Blame it on country living. I can't get to anywhere unless I drive.
Isn't the Louvre basement also where you find the old remains of the medieval moat?
I love the art, but the building and its history interest me even more.
You got me curious, so I went and looked up the Louvre website. They have a section which mentions all of the places you can eat at the Louvre.
No listing for McDonalds. So it seems you can have your quater pounder of badly cooked fat at the Louvre but they won't promote it for you.
However they do promote Starbucks.
There's just something so wrong about Macca's and Starbucks being at The Louvre. Whats next, dreadful donuts that are neither Krispy nor Kreamy hawking their wares in St Mark's square?
Macca's express in a quiet corner of Westminster Abbey? Kentucky Fried in Pompeii?
Omg I'm almost ranty about it all. :)
And just to prove my point, the word verification for this says "sirtaco" !!!!
I've not heard "Macca's" before. Is that European? British? Derogatory?
I'm not offended either, even tho I live in the state of potatoes and French fries. McD's just doesn't belong in Paris.
Love your photo of the curving stairs and the window. Looks like a charming place. Is it a house or apartment?
I like the time travel aspect of Parisian stairs. They make me feel that as I go up in space, I also go back in time. ... The effect tends to wear off after the thirtieth step, when I begin to realise that my body is stuck in its unhealthy present.
Petrea, "Macca's" is Australian slang for McDonalds - home of neferiously bad burgers.
Petrea, thank you for not pounding me for my insulting generalisation.
I shall lug my camera up Notre Dame when I next visit. The steps in the Arc de Triomphe are pretty good, too.
Ah, a blog about the stately homes of Merrie England! I used to love visiting those when I was young. They certainly give a completely one-sided impression of the country.
Maria, I'm the same. Whenever I see a nice house that I'd love to live in the first thing that springs to mind is "think of all the housework!" I'm so glad I've just got the one bathroom … I hate cleaning bathrooms.
Neetzy, it's true: city life is healthier than lazing around in the "healthy" countryside. I'm way heftier than when I worked full time in London.
Petrea, you're right. That's the upper basement. There are so many levels to get lost in down there; simply finding the toilets is an adventure in itself.
Kate: they keep those things in a sort of mall beneath the front courtyard, so they're not really a part of the museum itself and you can avoid them if you wish.
Petrea, Macca must be Aussie slang; over here in England Macca just means Paul Mc.Cartney.
Ms.M. these are the stairs of a friend's apartment. That's the back courtyard you can see through the window.
Lucio, so much of Paris is a time machine. Knowing the history of the streets you walk enhances the pleasure of a good stroll immeasurably.
Kate, thanks for solving the mystery for us.
I only pound you if you're incorrect, or if I'm in a bad mood. You get to do the same. It's why we're friends.
Whew!
Oh my I adore the worn wood of those gorgeous stairs!
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