Je suis de retour, France!

The French Riviera has been so romanticized in art, literature and cinema, that I was almost afraid that the sheer weight of expectations would lead to disappointment. Fortunately, Cote d'Azur, or the Turquoise coast not only met, but surpassed my hopes. One only needs to take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais (the beach) to realize the beauty of the azure waters, the clear blue skies and to revel in the spirit of the Riviera. Little wonder then, that Englishmen of yore would jump at an opportunity to holiday in this blissful haven, away from the incessant drizzles and gruff coldness of the English weather. The cheerful locals, ever willing to help a confused tourist, the lively restaurant district and the pretty-as-a picture shores of the Mediterranean sea were just a few of the things that made Nice a fantastic destination. We walked along the Promenade on to Place Garibaldi, the square dedicated to the architect of Italy's unification. A native of Nice, Garibaldi  was unable to claim Nice for Italy, with the Sardinian king ceding it to France in return for aid in the unification wars.

We set out north along the Cote d'Azur the following morning, taking a bus to Monaco. Looking out of the window from the bus, one is treated to a succession of visual delights that make the landscape of southern France picture postcard-perfect. We reached Monaco around noon, did a quick walking tour of the main sights: the shopping area, parks and the Monte Carlo casino, before retracing to the village of Eze.

If Nice is the Queen of the Riviera, Eze is the crown jewel!  Eze stretched out from the Mediterranean sea, up a hill to a fortress-like village, topped off by a unique garden of giant cacti, appropriately named "Jardin Exotique" or Exotic Garden, for the exotic nature of its flora, as well as the breath-taking views from the cliff.  Walking up the village to the hilltop was a fantastic experience, with each trail leading up to a art gallery or a restaurant or craft boutique. Close to the summit was a church, believed to be on the site of an Egyptian temple dedicated to Isis. The garden was everything it was promised to be.

A garden in the sky

The panoramic views of the mountainside amidst the clear blue skies made this garden a window to the Riviera.  Abstract sculptures of ancient goddesses rubbed shoulders with giant cacti , lending an ethereal quality to the environs. The turquoise waters met the bright blue of the heavens in a horizon that seemed close enough to touch, giving one the heady feeling that one was walking on a garden in the very sky. A truly wonderful place in which to spend one's birthday!

We set out for Paris the next day, to complete our circuit of the world's most chic city. The first evening of Round 2 was spent aboard a cruise boat that took us along the River Seine, revealing the monuments of Paris by night. The commentary on the cruise was informative and enjoyable, explaining Paris as seen by the Seine herself.

After the narrative so far, it would be hard to believe that the highlight of the trip was yet to come; but so it was, for, on the cards for the next day was a trip to the Musee de Louvre.

The Louvre used to a palace of the French kings, and was used to house their collection of Greek and Roman sculpture once the king shifted base to Versailles. Between kings and curators, a magnificent collection has been built over the centuries, making the Louvre a lesson in art, history and culture. From ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, to classical Greece and Rome, from Gothic ages to Renaissance, spanning regional, religious and cultural boundaries, almost every conceivable form of artistic expression known to mankind finds representation at the Louvre. The excellent tour itineraries and comprehensive audio guide commentaries helped us appreciate the splendour of the art, artifacts and sculpture on display.

Apart from the usual suspects such as Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, winged bulls of Mesopotamia, Code of Hammurabi, Venus de Milo and the Seated Scribe of Egypt, there were several others of note on display.

Volterra's two-sided painting, The Battle of David and Goliath, was rather unique, representing two views of the same scene, separated slightly in time, to represent the interval it takes to walk around the canvas to view the second scene.

Al-Mughira pyxis, an ivory box dating back to the Islamic period of Cordoba was unusual for its depiction of messages to prince Al Mughira, in the form of intricately crafted relief referencing Andalusian poetry.

French sculpture at Musee de Louvre

The French sculpture section was quite a revelation. While Renaissance sculptors (primarily from Italy) such as Michalangelo and Donatello are well-known, little is know of sculptors from France. Yet, French kings' love of classical Greece and Rome led them to patronize sculptors, who recreated heroes and gods of the ancient times in their work. Foremost among these sculptors were Puget and Marly. Two courtyards, named after these two sculptors, are filled with French sculpture, mainly of scenes from antiquity, and some of the French kings themselves.

Another revelation was Spanish painting, by masters such as Murillo and Goya.

After spending the entire day at the Louvre, starry-eyed with painting-gazing and weak-kneed from walking, we dragged ourselves out of its splendid halls, however unwillingly. It would take weeks, nay months, to do justice to the Louvre!

The Chateau d' Versailles was our next destination. The biggest draw in this impressive palace  was the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, to end World War I. Walking into the large chamber, with mirrors on the left and windows overlooking the beautiful gardens in the right, one feels close to a piece of modern history.  

Would the triumphant allies,  looking out at the beautiful gardens, have sensed that peace with Germany was to be fleeting, and that another, mind-numbingly destructive war was less than twenty years away? Did the vanquished seethe at the punitive terms of the Treaty, and see nothing but humiliation on the ornate ceilings, on the famed mirrors, on everything they looked at?

Having drunk our fill of history, we headed back to Paris, in search of the less-frequented shopping locales. After this brief break into the contemporary, we headed back further down the lanes of history, to the site of Bastille, the infamous prison, the storming of which heralded the French Revolution, giving to France the slogan of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.

How the opulence of the Versailles Palace would have contrasted with the penury of the masses! What a downfall to the proud monarchy, for Louis XVI to be dragged in to what is now Place Concorde, to be guillotined as Citizen Capet! Those were the turbulent times that spawned timeless classics such as A Tale of Two Cities and The Scarlet Pimpernel.

All that remains of the Bastille are three foundation stones, which can be seen in the platform of the underground metro line 5. There is of course, the Bastille monument, with a winged angel holding the Torch of Liberty.

We came full circle on our cathedral trail by visiting St Germaine des Pres, the oldest church in Paris, predating Notre Dame, as well as  Cathdreal St. Sulpice, made famous by Dan Brown in Da Vinci Code. Place Sulpice with its beautiful fountain leading to the row of columns of the church was quite magnificent, as were the interiors and stained glass paintings of the church. A painting by Eugene Delacroix of a Biblical scene representing our struggle between our better selves (God) and baser tendencies was the last of the thousands of paintings that I had the pleasure of viewing on this journey.

As our trip hastened to a close, we spent the late morning soaking up Parisien life at Jardin Luxembourg. Paris has a profusion of parks, and this one is the most special of them all. That Friday afternoon, agile seniors rallied hard on the tennis court, with some relaxing around the octagonal pond, even as wizened old Frenchmen matched wits over rapid fire chess. School kids enjoying an afternoon off seemed to be having a good time, even as two bemused tourists revelled in the sights, over a picnic lunch of croissants and pain buerre. The afternoon was spent browsing though stores around the Jardin, followed by an evening stroll in the central islands and Hotel de Ville. To round off a typical Parisien day, we wound up at Moulin Rouge late evening, fitting into a crowd of tourists and locals celebrating in TGIF style.

With that, our fortnight-long vacation drew to a close. As I stepped out of the Liege metro station and headed towards the hotel one last time that still summer night, I bid Au revoir to France...until we meet again.

So long... And thanks for all the cheese!