A Karen in Paris: Walking tour

I'm still not on the right sleep schedule here. Last night I took a nap from 7:30 PM-12:30 AM and then was awake until I crashed again at 5 AM, and got up for good around 12:30 PM. I have to get better sleep tonight; I start school tomorrow.

I got showered, dressed, ate and hit the metro to go on a free walking tour of the Opéra section of the city. It lasted an hour and a half, and it was wonderful. The weather was beautiful and the guide, Bertrand, was excellent.

We started with L'Opéra Garnier which Napoleon III commissioned. The architect's was very young, 36, when he designed this building, and his name was Garnier. The Empress asked him in what style the building was designed, and young Garnier said "In the style of Napoleon." So, he became the favorite architect of the Emperor and Empress.

The statue on the left of four naked women dancing around one naked man
drew a lot of negative reactions when first built.

From the opera, we went into a quiet square. A bit of Hollywood magic has come to Paris. Martin Scorsese is here in Paris and begins shooting tomorrow on a new film. So, parts of this square have been changed to look as they would have in the 1930s. The tops of the lanterns have been removed (I assume they will be digitally edited out later in the film editing process), and the store fronts have been changed. They also have large tarps hanging above the street that can be opened (I assume for the purpose of controlling lighting.)

Left side is current, right side is changed for film set

Tarps for Lighting

1930s Scorsese Film set

Film set

Shop on film set

From there, we went on to a quiet square built in homage to "Bertie," Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward VII of England. The French liked him a lot. During the 1880s and 1890s, he frequented an elite Brothel in Paris called "Le Chabanais." He actually had his own room that no one else could use; a penthouse suite that featured his coat of arms over the bed. The room was also unique because it contained a large copper tub with room for "friends" to join him. This was special because running water was relatively new, and no one really had their own tub. Funnily enough, Edward didn't use the water...he would fill the tub with champagne to bathe in with his "ladies of the night." The brothels in France were closed by the government in 1946, because the brothels had been "friendly" with German soldiers during WWII. After the closure of the Le Chabanais, Salvador Dalí bought the tub.

Modern restaurant called "Berties" in the square that was built in honor of Edward VII

Next, we went to visit where the first two, 20-second films were shown in 1895. The building now houses a Gap Kids.

Plaque commemorating first silent film showing

Site of silent film showing in 1895.

Back to school ad at Gap Kids

Then we went to Place Vendôme. This is where all the most elite jewelry is sold. It's also home to the Ministry of Justice, and the original Ritz hotel. The Ritz was the first hotel in Paris to offer full bathrooms in the room, and therefore it is one of 7 hotels here called "Palaces." Coco Chanel stayed in a 3 room suite in the Ritz hotel for 37 years from 1934-1971. You can stay there too...for 7000 euro (about $8,900) a night.