Medieval tour of le Marais

Today Brent led us on a medieval tour of le Marais using a Lonely Planet walking guide downloaded to his iPhone (tech savvy he is!) I had hoped he would perform like the Japanese tour guides with an open umbrella raised in the air (always a kitchy one with a face and ears on top!) so I could spot him in a crowd or if I wandered off the tour path, but he just would not take it that seriously!

We visited some locations we already know - some we especially love, such as Village Saint Paul and Place des Vosges - but also discovered new sights. A gorgeous park - the Square George Cain - the gardens and walls of which are home to relics of the original Hotel de Ville (town hall), and a fabulous lunch spot in the courtyard of the Institut Suedois (Swedish Institute). We wandered through the "Nordic Delight" exhibition - a mix of photography, drawing and miniature installations - and were delighted, even more because of the exquisitely restored Hotel de Marle that houses the Institut Suedois.
C'etait un jour parfait!

Tomorrow we have an early start (7.15 am train - ughhh) for a few days in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. If we don't take the laptop we'll be back Monday evening with more for the blog.

A bientot!