Just the thought of Paris unleashes the magical cavalcade of high fashion, cinema, epicurean delights, history and culture. Reminiscent of Pixar and Walt Disney’s endearing character Remy in the animated film Ratatouille, I nibble my favorite crispy Roquefort crêpes and Perrier Menthe (Perrier water with mint syrup) as I view the magnificent Eiffel Tower at sunrise and rediscover the beauty of the vicinity.
It is a welcome respite to leave the “City of Lights” yet not feel as though the lights have actually gone out. The capital city is the heart of the industrial, transportation, educational, cultural treasures of France but the suburbs also gleam with history, charm and a special kind of intimacy that I prefer. Perhaps, the provincial lass in me embraces exploration of the serene sanctuaries that beckon.
I took the green line on the Metro to visit the Chateau de Malmaison, a quaint chateaux just outside Paris. It was a sentimental journey down lovers’ lane for it was in this historic haven that Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte once resided. You must visit the Van Gogh mansion, which was converted into a museum after his demise following his wishes. Other towns that echo the inn-timacy of country living are Every Village, Bondoufle, Lisses and Essonne. The highlights of these rustic settings include their fresh produce market where the sweetest fruits and jams, freshest breads, cheeses, meats, wines, handicrafts and other merchant wares from Provence are peddled.
Aboard the commuter train that traverses the charming countryside peppered with quaint farms, sprawling grassy carpets and greenhouses en route to Rouen, I am amazed at how this country is an amalgam of the very old and the very new. From the bygone days of vivid paintings of prehistoric animals in the Lascaux caves in the Southwest to the era of the Celts, there are huge stone monuments like those at Stonehenge in England. Even French royalty — like Dagobert who died in AD 639 to Louis XVIII who died in 1824 — is buried in the church of Saint Denis, a suburb in Paris. The work of Gislebertus, one of the great sculptors of the Middle Ages, can be seen in the Cathedral of Autun Chartes, one of the most beautiful churches in France.
Time seems to stand still and one can slice the nostalgia in the air. The ambiance commands the old soul in me to become introspective. The beauty of exploration always brings us back to the very beginning. Life’s real treasures are measured by the way they are preserved. I look at every nook and cranny, an old bench or tree and I can only begin to imagine what has transpired here. How blessed I am to be able to savor such priceless wealth; I thank the good Lord for such intoxicating experiences. My heart, mind and soul are content.
Exploring Normandy reveals a verdant, pastoral landscape. Well-fed cows graze on lime-hued pastures where apple orchards line postcard-perfect half-timbered houses. To the eastern terrain, coastal stretches of chalky cliffs provide a dramatic backdrop. Among the attractions of this peaceful setting are the scenic port of Honfleur, Deauville, Trouville, Entretat, Bayeux (home of the famous 11th–century tapestry) and the ruins of Chateau Gaillard. Normandy’s distinctive light has inspired Impressionist artists like Claude Monet who painted “Impression: Soleil Levant” (Impression Sunrise) at Le Havre.
I proceed to the market square in Rouen where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. Rouen is a medieval city rebuilt from the ashes of war. Dubbed “The City of A Hundred Spires,” it has many beautiful churches like the Cathedral Notre Dame that gloriously rises beside medieval buildings.
I meet up with a childhood friend, Reesa Tesoro-Guerrero, and Cara Veale-Cornillos, her classmate from the American University in Paris. Together, we explore the breathtaking beauty of the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, magnificently built on a rock in the bay of St. Michel. Riding on the causeway towards the Mont at dawn, before the tourists arrive, is breathtaking, and the night illuminations of the abbey are stunning. In 708 A.D. the Archangel Michael appeared to the bishop of Avranches and instructed him to build an oratory on the island. In 966 Richard I, Duke of Normandy, gave Mont St. Michel to the Benedictines, who turned it into an important center of learning and, in the 11th century, replaced the oratory with an abbey. Further enhancement over the centuries resulted in the magnificent Gothic abbey, which was named in honor of the Archangel. Mont St. Michel is also famous for its extraordinary high tides — the highest in Europe. The difference in the water level between low and high tides can reach 15 meters. However, the causeway is never under water, thus one never gets stranded.
Around the base are the ancient ramparts and the 15th- and 16th-century buildings. The Mont’s single, narrow and very steep street, Grande Rue, is lined with charming restaurants, a few hotels and souvenir shops. It leads to the abbey and views of the bay.
We return to Paris to take our Thai Airways flight back to Manila. Aboard the Royal Silk Class where we are pampered like royalty, we continue to dream about the glorious places we visited — from the crooked streets of the oldest part of Paris, the Ile de la Cite to the modern UNESCO buildings, Francois Mitterand bibliotech and our favorite Ladure café in Champs Elysees. The city is brimming with museums, churches and monuments. Visitors can view skilled artisans creating tapestries and a boat ride along the River Seine will showcase astounding views.
As for me, perhaps time has taught me to appreciate the beauty in simplicity and the intimacy of rediscovery. Sharing with a friend a wheat baguette of turkey ham and provolone cheese with a bottle of chardonnay wine under the shade of a centuries-old tree in the plaza, witnessing the leaves as they gracefully fall, appreciating a flowing fountain as many toss coins into the waters wishing for their dreams to come true. I snack again on my crispy Roquefort crêpes thinking of the significant people who continue to bless my life; no matter how far away we are at that moment in time, there’s a connection that draws us closer to each other’s hearts. Destiny belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and have the courage to pursue it.
After all, no matter where you are, home is where the heart is. In this home, one is assured, whether the lights are on or off, the radiance continues to shine through.
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Thai Airways flies Smooth as Silk to Paris daily. For more information please contact Malu Dueñas District Sales Manager at 812-4744 or e-mail sales@thaiairways.com.ph or visit their website www.thaiairways.com
E-mail the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.