France

In 1987 we spent two weeks in France (including climbing up Notre-Dame and exploring the area where artists gather near the Sacre Coeur, going up the Eiffel Tower and going to the Château de Chenonceau). We flew to Paris, then drove over to Versailles and back, then took the TGV (high speed train) to Nice, . Then I drove all over the country. I went and gambled (they supplied a jacket for me) at Monte Carlo. We even stayed at Chateau Chambord, as well as 13 other castle hotels.
I found 557 photographs I took on the way. I am putting most of them here…unfortunately they are not in order and many I have no idea where they were taken. They are here just for a flavor of the country. I put a spacer between each roll of film for some kind of order. All photographs were taken without flash, so some are quite blurry.
I used to have a Cannon which let you verbally annotate each photo. I wish I had had that on this trip!

Map of the country from Paris to Nice.

While undergoing renovation and restoration, the roof of Notre-Dame caught fire on the evening of 15 April 2019. Burning for around 15 hours, the cathedral sustained serious damage, including the destruction of the flèche (the timber spirelet over the crossing) and most of the lead-covered wooden roof above the stone vaulted ceiling.[2] Following the fire, many proposals were made for modernizing the cathedral’s design. However, on 29 July 2019, the French National Assembly enacted a law requiring that the restoration must preserve the cathedral’s ‘historic, artistic and architectural interest’.[10] Stabilizing the structure against possible collapse was completed in November 2020, with reconstruction beginning in 2021. The government of France hopes the reconstruction can be completed by Spring 2024, in time for the opening of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

We climbed up the tower on the left.
When this was built the walls could not support themselves at the height they wanted, so they built flying buttresses to hold them up!
Looking up at the rain gutters.
Me up in the tower.
Up in the tower looking down.
The flying buttresses.
Spire that burned up.
The roof that burned up.

Sainte-Chapelle

Adjacent to Notre Dame.

Montmartre

Muslim style building – Montmartre
Artists at Montmartre


An interesting suspension, just like a modern day one, except made of wood!


Versailles

The queen’s cottage.
The bed for the king was short, they had him sleep sitting up thinking that laying down was bad. Medically, it does help with breathing and the lungs, something more necessary in an era of constant fire burning, dust, and other air issues.

Chateau Chambord

On the road to Chambord.
This is a huge place. They have not put furnishings in the rooms like other structures.
They had hot air balloons there!


relais de chambord hotel https://relaisdechambord.com/en/


A castle hotel where I stayed.
View from the bedroom window.
Door to my room.

Casino Monte Carlo

The Monte Carlo Casino is in the background.

View from our bedroom window here.


Views from the top.
Looking up inside!


Château de Chenonceau




Pull the chain to ring the bell (previous photo!)
John Deere tractors!
Purchase your tickets at this kiosk!
An electrical substation.
We at a lunch of bread (from the Bakerie), cheese (from the Cheeserie) and wine from a farmer along the road.
Winery we ran across and bought bottles of wine. Farmers wife sold them to us.
I drove up the mountain on a dirt road until the car stalled out, it could go no further, so we stopped and ate.
One of the castle hotels we stayed at.