Walk 12: Time Travel, Tricks, and Treats around Saint-Sulpice

Yesterday we had a couple of hours between classes and FHE, so a group of us decided to do walk 12 “Time Travel, Tricks, and Treats around Saint-Sulpice.” We first saw the Hôtel Lutetitia, where Josephine Baker, Picasso, and other famous individuals have stayed. Then we walked through an interesting neighborhood with buildings from the 17th and 18^th centuries, but we were most excited to see Poilâne, a famous boulangerie. Although several people in the group purchased pain au chocolate, I was saving my pennies for an even better treat: Pierre Hermé, a fantastic patisserie best known for its macarons. This was my first true macaron experience (I wish I had taken a picture of it), but I have to say that I prefer cheap nutella crèpes from vendors around Paris. I had chosen the chuao flavor, which I thought would be entirely chocolate, but it had some kind of yummy fruit flavor as well. Tasty - just not what I was expecting.

We then went into Saint Sulpice, which you may have heard about from the Da Vinci Code. Although I really enjoy Dan Brown’s books, I realized at the church that I remember practically nothing about the Da Vinci Code, apart from that fact that it involved a crazy albino monk and a search for the Holy Grail. Oh well, I still took pictures next to the gnomon and rose line like any other tourist, and I’ll have to do a reread when we get back to the states.

We left Saint Sulpice and hurried past some shops I’d like to come back to visit when I have more time (namely a vintage clothing store and an Anglo-American bookstore) and made our way to the Abbaye Saint-Germain, which dates back to the 6^th century. Although the building was beautiful and had some interesting statues, I think some of these churches are starting to look pretty similar. I can’t believe I feel so blasé about these amazing sites! As we headed out to the metro, I was struck by the irony of a centuries-old abbey sitting among the chicest of boutiques – Louis-Vuitton, Cartier, Swarovski. I’m guessing the nuns didn’t have much use for $1500 bags, but I could be wrong.