Is Sainte Chapelle.
It was started in 1239 by Louis IX to house his collection of Passion relics, including the Crown of Thorns. Two thirds of the stained glass are original. Though the relics and the glass that was lost happened during the French Revolution.
The ceilings are weightless, despite the heavily encrusted decorations. They soar.
Every square inch is covered in glorious hand painting, gilt and glass.
The cathedral is actually two chapels, on placed on top of the other. You enter through the lower, more intimate chapel and take a winding staircase up to the larger grand chapel above. The one with the glorious stained glass.
Hud was agog. Gobsmacked. Googly eyed.
The windows were undergoing a painstakingly tedious cleaning and restoration.
Giddy with beauty, we exited at long last and headed for the Palais de la Cite, now known as the Conciergerie. It's the Palaceof Justice. Robespierre jailed hudreds there during the Reign of Terror. Final home for the likes of Marie-Antoinette and Madame du Barry. Robespierre himself spent some time there before his own death. It was known as the antechamber to the guillotine.
And of course, I had to strike a pose.
I know what you're thinking. Is her scarf bacon and eggs? Yes. Yes, it is. All across Paris, we heard, "Bacon et oeufs! Bacon et oeufs!" I wore it to Gatlinburg to visit my friend, Vicky and we heard it there, too. Only the french were too polite to stop and ask me about it. Mostly. In Gatlinburg, we could barely get five feet without being stopped. Actually, anywhere I wear it that happens. So before you ask. It's by a San Francisco artist, named Twinkie Chan. She does food based crochet items like cupcake hats, ice cream hair bows and slice of pizza scarves. But only wear them if you want attention. Lots of it!
The best item in the palace was a miniature of the Ile de la Cite. Made of gold. Perhaps Sainte Chapelle has ruined me.
But it is a rather understated regal builing in and of itself.
And I've decided that right after I remodel our bedroom after Sainte Chapelle, we're having the gates for the Palace of Justice made for Schyterbolle.
For their understated elegance, of course.
