Time in The Arsenal

The Arsenal started its life in the seventeenth century as its name suggests as a secure harbour off the Seine River. It was a storage and supply point of weaponry and provisions to the Bastille Castle. Over time the Bastille Castle became a prison, then was destroyed during The Revolution and during Napoleonic times the harbour was used as an entry point for a Paris canal system.

Our entry into the port was difficult to say the least. The entry lock from the Seine is awkward and worked by the Captain of the port who also controls where boats moor and collects the mooring fees. The lock would not open for us so Peter moored Matilda at a waiting point and went to the captain's office to see what was happening. He was having a serious discussion with the English crews of three small boats regarding the fees he was charging. He could give Peter no time at all. Eventually they were let out of the harbour and Matilda was let in.    

At 25 metres Matilda is at the maximum length of boats mooring at The Arsenal. We gingerly entered the harbour and the captain directed us where to moor and took our lines. Now a very friendly chap. We were “rafted up” alongside a smaller boat which appeared to be almost a permanent resident.

So we were off to explore Paris. Peter’s daughter Erika was arriving in two days so we had a quick look around our environment. We found this interesting bronze sculpture dedicated to the French poet, Artur Rimbaud.

Wednesday morning, with a shock to all Peter's systems he was at Charles de Gaulle airport at 0620 to meet Erika. She arrived on time and they were back at Matilda about 0800. Erika, with qualifications in the fine arts, manages  Geraldton City Council’s arts and cultural department. She was exited and involved with what Paris had to offer.

To help her over jet lag and to acclimatise we took her on open bus tours for two days.  We saw all the tourist spots and she quickly got her feet and planned the galleries and other sites to visit.

We found a little church, St Severin on Rue St Jacques. Beautiful stained glass with a “tortured” column – one that is twisted top to bottom. Forlorn and forgotten from the street, absolutely beautiful inside.

Just to fill a little of Peter’s love of railways we killed two birds by visiting the Musee d’Orsay. This building was built at the turn of the 19^th / 20^th centuries as the terminus railway station of the Paris – Orleans Railway. It was built to a design by Victor Laloux and construction commenced in 1898. In two years it and an accompanying hotel were completed and were opened for the 1900 Paris Expo. (the one after the Eifel Tower.) The station closed in 1939 and remained derelict until 1977 when it was directed by President d’Estaing that it should become a museum. Voila, the beautiful building we see today! And of course a wonderful collection of works of art.

This is not a good photo but look past Erika at the sumptuousness of this dining room, the chandeliers, the painted ceiling, the exquisite mirror frames and wall treatments.

Of course we were there to see the exhibits and we did.

Unfortunately we are no longer allowed to take photos in the d’Orsay, these are just figments of your imagination. If you want to see more, - just come over here!

We will let you dwell on that thought.

We have more to tell, so keep in touch.

A small Post Script.

If you wish to see these pictures in more detail, just click your mouse on one and in a few seconds it will open full page with a series of thumbprints allowing you to scan them all. 
I learn something each time I open our own page.
PeterO