The Paris Apartment

03/09/2026

Been there.

There’s something inside Saint Étienne du Mont that you won’t find in any other church in Paris. Its incredible 16th century rood screen, known as a jubé, is the only surviving one in the city. And considering how many historic churches Paris has, that’s quite a claim to fame.

Construction of the church we see today began in 1492 and took more than a century, which explains why the architecture is such an interesting mix. Look up and you’ll see Gothic ribbed vaults, but then there are Renaissance columns, decoration and details appearing alongside them. It’s one of those places where you can actually see architectural tastes changing as the building went up.

But it’s the jubé that I’d head straight for. Built around 1530, it stretches across the church between the nave and choir, with two beautiful stone staircases curling up either side. Rood screens were once common in French churches, but many disappeared over the centuries, particularly as church interiors changed.

You’ll find Saint Étienne du Mont beside the Panthéon in the 5th arrondissement, yet I think it’s very easy to walk straight past when you’re concentrating on its much more famous neighbor. Next time you’re in the Latin Quarter, pop inside and take a look at that screen. Have you been inside this one?

📍 5th Arrondissement, Paris

02/09/2026

Came across it on a walk one afternoon.

At 57 rue de Turbigo in Paris, an enormous stone angel has stretched across the corner of a building since 1860. Rising three stories high, with her wings spread across the façade, she's surprisingly easy to miss if you don't think to look up.

The figure is actually a caryatid, a sculpted female figure used as an architectural support. She was designed by Émile-Auguste Delange, who had sketched a similar angel for a student lighthouse competition in the early 1850s.

The lighthouse was never built, but the idea eventually found a home here. The angel wasn't purely decorative, either. Rue de Turbigo bends at this corner, and architect Eugène Demangeat used the figure to help resolve the unusual angle, with her outstretched wings concealing the supports for the balcony above.

You'll find the so-called Secret Angel of Rue de Turbigo in the 3rd arrondissement, just around the corner from the Musée des Arts et Métiers. It's a fun detail to look for if you're already exploring the neighborhood.

01/09/2026

We visited just a few days ago.

Paris has a version most visitors never find, and it costs nothing to get in.

The Petit Palais. Free, every day. One of the great collections in Europe, and half the tourists walk right past it hunting for the Louvre.

What's your best accidental Paris discovery?

Link in comments 👇

31/08/2026

You bet!

31/08/2026

Christine has been taking care of folks for the past 20 years.

30/08/2026

Behind Paris's Hôtel de Ville, between the city hall and Église Saint-Gervais, is a new garden created in memory of the victims of the November 13, 2015 terrorist attacks.

The Jardin du 13-Novembre-2015 is both a memorial and a peaceful green space in the heart of the Marais. Its layout reflects the different locations where the attacks took place, with pathways corresponding to nearby streets and stone elements bearing the names of the sites and victims.

After dark, another part of the design becomes visible. Lights throughout the garden recreate the arrangement of the night sky over Paris on the night of the attacks. It's a beautiful garden and moving memorial where almost every detail has been given a specific meaning.

28/08/2026

Inside Notre-Dame de Paris, the renovation is quiet but unmistakable. The stone looks lighter, the lines feel sharper, and the space breathes again. Nothing flashy was added. What you are seeing is centuries old architecture cleaned, stabilized, and put back into working order.

After the 2019 fire, this interior became a construction site. Scaffolding replaced pews. Craftspeople studied medieval methods, rebuilt damaged vaults, and cleaned soot from walls that had not been touched in generations. The goal was not to modernize, but to restore what was already there as faithfully as possible.

What stands out now is clarity. Light moves more cleanly through the nave. Details that were once hidden by smoke and grime are visible again. The building feels calmer, not because it changed, but because it was allowed to reset.

When people talk about Notre Dame reopening, this is the real story. Not the exterior photos, but this interior working again as a place for quiet, gathering, and continuity. The renovation did not erase the past. It made it legible.

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27/08/2026

Great place for both sunrise and sunset.

Sacré-Cœur sits at the highest point in Paris, and it has a way of pulling you in before you even reach the top. The basilica was completed in 1914, built after the Franco-Prussian War, and its white travertine stone keeps its color because it naturally releases a mineral that cleans the façade each time it rains. It gives the whole structure that bright glow people always remember.

Inside, the huge mosaic of Christ in Glory is one of the largest in Europe. It feels even more impressive when you stand beneath it and notice how quiet the space becomes, even with a steady flow of visitors. Climbing the dome is worth the effort. The views stretch across the entire city, including landmarks that feel close enough to touch.

Montmartre has a different rhythm compared to central Paris. Early mornings are the best time to wander because the artists are just setting up around Place du Tertre and the steps below the basilica are calm. It is one of those spots where you can stay a little longer than planned and watch the city wake up.

📍 Paris, Île-de-France

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26/08/2026

They need our support…each donation is tripled this week!

I just donated to the National Park Foundation. When you donate to the National Park Foundation your gift will help protect the over 400 national parks that preserve more than 84 million acres of the world's most treasured landscapes, ecosystems, and historical sites.

25/08/2026

Interesting site.

Mont Saint Michel attracts around three million visitors a year, and summer crowds can make those narrow streets very busy. Arriving early or later in the afternoon, checking the tides, and knowing what that climb to the Abbey is really like can make a big difference. These are my practical tips for planning your visit and avoiding some common mistakes. Check Comment 👇