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Post by goldenmama on Jul 6, 2008 7:54:07 GMT -5
Hi All-
We are just back from a wonderful stay in Paris! We got to do and try so many different things this time, and I love the city more than ever.
The one place that we went to that I'm not sure that I understand the hype, is Canal St. Martin. Could we have been at the wrong place or something?? It just seemed kind of dirty with a lot of questionable characters around. I had insisted that we go there, and my family just kept looking at me like I was nuts! I kept thinking if we walked further, something interesting would happen, but it never really got to an area that seemed to be charming or beautiful. Could we have stopped too soon?
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Post by GitteK on Jul 6, 2008 8:45:49 GMT -5
Sorry to hear that, goldenmama. What end of the canal did you start with ? I have never heard anyone being disappointed with it, if starting from the south end by Place de la République / Rue du Faubourg du Temple. Here there are tall chestnut trees leaning over the canal and you'll find all the lovely arched bridges and the locks. It is also here the young people come to picnic on the banks and play music in the evening. Isn't this the scenery which met you ? I have never experienced it any differently, so I wonder what could have happened ? And here you must see what it looks like on a clear, quiet night. I took a walk precisely like that in October 2006 around midnight and I can confirm that this is indeed how it looks and feels after dark. Pure magic. Scroll from left to right, as the panorama photo is bigger than your screen: CANAL AT NIGHT
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Post by suzanne on Jul 6, 2008 13:34:53 GMT -5
Several years ago we went to the Bassin De La Villette area. Wea were also disapointed. Then we discovered the area Gitte just posted pictures of and we were enchanted.
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Post by Anne on Jul 7, 2008 1:24:04 GMT -5
We walked some of the area just North of the rue des Récollets junction (Gitte's last picture) and little Parc Villemin, and it is true that this area looks more shabby than the Southern part of the canal . But I trust that it is only a matter of a few years before this Northern part gets all bobo-ed too ...
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Post by goldenmama on Jul 7, 2008 2:41:34 GMT -5
Gitte, the only area that looked familiar on your pictures was the last shot of the canal with the brightly painted buildings across the street. To the best of my recollection, I think we started at the Colonel Fabian stop? I was following the suggested itinerary from the Paris walks card deck. My son thinks that we gave up around the area of the Republique metro. I bet we stopped just as it started to get good! Oh, well...another reason to go back!
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