Tuesday, August 24, 2010

05. My Visit to France

August 21 to August 28, 1988 (8 days in France)

FRANCE: Republic on the western seaboard of Europe. It is the country's oldest state. The country enjoys all three European Climates: Maritime, Continental and the Mediterranean. Its richest resource is the soil. France is the world's second largest producer of wines after Italy. It is also heavily industrialized and tourism is a major industry.

Entered France through Monaco. Visited Monte Carlo Casino and played Poker. Visited City of Nice. Nice capital of departmental of Alps Maritime, France on the Mediterranean Sea.  It is a famous tourist resort and important as a commercial port and industrial city. In Nice, we visited Metropolis gallery -- Jeux American Casino in Hotel de Paris. Night halt in Le Cap Estel Hotel in Eze  Village at the top of the mountain. Left the hotel and arrived at Cap Ferrat and passed through Cannes and visited Yacht harbor.


Arrived Vienne (Venice)--beautiful city-- Visited Macon Church, Burgundy Wine Store, Abbey DeCluny, Auscere Church, and the Queen's Castle having several fountains and enormous statues, where Mary, wife of Louis XIV lived.  It is still amazing to view the beautiful and marvellous garden paintings on the walls of the Castle.


PARIS:- Capital of France. On the Seine River in the north of the country. It is the adminstrative, cultural and commercial center of France. Capital since 987, it has witnessed many revolutions, including the French Revolution of 1789. Its architecture included the churches of Notre Dame and Scree Coeur, the Eiffel Tower and the art galleries of Louvre, the Jen-de-Paume and the Pompidou center. In Paris wherever you turn you can find colorful fountains and statues.  Visited the League of Nations Buildings --the sewage system-- (Eiffel Tower, an iron tower on the left bank of the Seine in Paris, now standing 300 metres--984 feet--high designed by the French Engineer and Architect Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (1823-1923) and originally erected for the Paris Exhibition of 1889). Went to the top of the tower. There are no words to express the panaromic view from the top. Visited University of Paris & Luxemburg Park. We were lucky to witness the outdoor cinema filming going on in the park. Visited the Senate Bulding (from outside only); Flower and Flea Markets; Federal Courts; Pompibeu Museuml and Paris-Aride-Trompee Museum.


VERSAILLS:- visited Versaills City in north central France on the southwestern outskirts of Paris. It was village until Louis XIV built his palace and transferred his court in 1682. Louis XIV is also known as the "Sun King" (1638-1715) is the greatest of the Bourbon monarches. After the death of Cardinal Mazarin in 1616, Louis asserted his authority insisting on the divine right of Kings.

Visited Louis' brilliant court which he presided and his majestic Palace and the Queen's Palace. The thrones, crowns, weapons, beds, furnitures including the walls all are gold plated and engraved with precious stones,.  Visited Armory Museum where weapons used in World War I (1914 - 1918) and Workd War II (1939-1945) are exhibited, National Assembly Concord Memorial, Museum-de-Louvere-Neapolian Palace where he lived is now converted into a museum. Neapolian burial place and his tomb. Again in Paris visited Lafeyette Departmental Stores, one of the biggest stores in the world, built at the junction of 3 main cross streets connecting the 3 streets by bridges on upper levels. Visited Opera House Industrial Museum, exhibits from olden, modern and future times are displayed there. Visited Sacree Coeur Church at the top mountain--oldest one in the World-- and Caricature Market.

Leaving Paris for St Micheil de Mont Island  connected by a dike to the mainland. There we visited the Church and then proceeded to Cherburg harbor where we boarded the ship with our camper to ferry to Great Britain from France.

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