A walk in the park

Yesterday we managed to muster an impressive group of over 40 ladies for walk through the Tuileries park. This in itself is not such an extraordinary feat unless you consider we were representing probably over 25 nationalities. What is our common ground? Our kids, of course! And our love for Paris.

We started our Tuileries Garden tour at the lovely church of St Germain l’Auxerrois, where royalty worshipped. We learnt of the legend of Catherine de Medici's curse. We walked onto Pont des Arts to peak at the thousands of lovers' locks who have vowed their love forever by throwing the key of their locks into the river Seine.

We strolled through the Louvre courtyards listening to our superb guide revealing it’s history as a palace while including all kinds of juicy gossip.

We admired the Arch of Carrousel which had once been the entrance gateway to Napoleon’s palace. We contemplated on the site of the Tuileries palace, with it’s history (Catherine de Medici, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon and Josephine) and the fire that destroyed it during the Commune. We were taken in by anectodes of kings and princes who have enjoyed the gardens, and some wild parties. We relived many exciting episodes of the Revolution, the first hot air balloon ride, Thomas Jefferson who came here to admire the Hotel de Salm and the dramatic escape of Napoleon III.

At the end of the day, I was just happy to be strolling through a park in the beautiful sunshine given that we have been experiencing a very wet and dull spring in Paris. Have a seat and join me before it starts pouring again!