BASTILLE DAY

Or the day Jim said I should hold out till So Sam could have a notable birthday. Of course we all know that in time Sam's Birthday has the potential to outshine Bastille Day, so luckily, for the French, Sam came on his own schedule.
We made it to the Champs E. for the big "defile" as they call it. I was full of military exhibitionism. I wondered if I was back in 1950's Stalingrad?
                                                                                            
It ended with a  Helicopter fly over, sort of anticlimactic.
The streets remained cleared and the gendarmes kept their posts so it was odd that it was over without some triumphal finish.
We finally figured it out, and decided to make our way to Montmartre via the Metro.
We had a reasonable tour, but Erin wasn't her self.
Sacre Coeur had the obligatory outside chanteur

We found the Stain glass homage to Jean d'Arc inside and St Michel slaying the dragon, but I lost out on the effort to climb the dome. When Carrie and I had toured France in '85, everywhere we went she always had to go to the top on the highest structure. Now it's in my travel genes. Oh well.
We found the charming, but very touristy square Tertre with all the artistes many vying for portrait drawings on the spot. Luckily for Erin I had already commandeered that request a few summers ago on Nantucket so she had every right to say no, and I didn't even ask.

We then finished the tour, finding Le Moulin de la Galette, one of my very favorite Renoir paintings, as well as his residence, Van Gogh's flat and chez Toulouse Lautrec. We grabbed a bit at Moulin de la Galette, which was not to pricey and quite delicious. Mom had a sublime chilled pea soupe, and I had salmon (partially cooked) with vegetable salad, and Erin had the plat du fromage. We all shared and were stuffed at the finish. The wait staff were fabulous. We spied a second area labeled Moulin de la Galette further down the RS tour path. I can't figure out the relationship.

Renoir lived here

Moulin de la Galette

And Renoir lived here

Van Gogh lived here with his brother Theo

Toulouse Lautrec lived here

 By this time Erin was totally wiped out. We metroed home and went straight up to 1 etage, (but 2nd floor) of block H at 178.  She plopped on the bed and I am holed up in the entry way typing and downloading!
I climbed up to the highest floor to see if I could catch a glimpse of the fire works for tonight. but it doesn't seem so. They don't start till 11-ish according to the Juillet 14 website.
Mom laid down in her bedroom. I have a glass of wine but may have to run out to the Marche d'Artois...
Yes they are open. It is run by middle easterners.

A new era of Piaf

The man walking through Mont Martre

Where Jim and I had noshed 6 years ago

The ballroom at Moulin de la Galette