The Armour Archive

I have one day to spend in Paris. As a 14th century enthusiast what will I want to see?

Musée de Cluny, AKA Musée National du Moyen Âge.

-Derian.

When will you be in Paris??

I'm heading there the end of next month hopefully, if it's after that i should be able to recommend some good places

St. Denis Basilica.
If you happen to go and it is possible, could you please get pictures of Betrand du Guesclins' tomb and effigy? I would be happy to reimburse you for the cost of film.
Thank you.

ANYTHING Bertrand.

Musee d'Armee

Cluny is going to give you the most medieval bang for your euro. Not that much armour, but tapestries, chests, chairs, effigies, combs, boxes oh my!

Also, if you have the time the church of St Chapelle and of course Notre Dame. Finished before the 14C but the churches were part of daily life in Paris during that time.

The Cluny is very nice. It should take you under 4 hours. Notre Dame is nearby. The Lourve has a medieval collection. Let me know your experience as I am planning on going for a few days in the Fall.

I said Cluny over the Louvre because spending only one day in the Louvre will cause you infinite amounts of pain.

-Derian.

I will be there tomorrow Cluny sounds good, and is the Basilica in the city? As long as pictures are allowed I will be taking many. The day after is my trip to Chartres, any recommendations there besides the Cathedral and the museum where the Jupon is housed?

The Sainte-Chapelle is absolutely stunning, but full of tourists. However, if you arrive there early in the morning, you might stand in line for less than an hour, and it´s definately worth the waiting. Climbing a narrow, dark spiral stair case and arriving in a hall full of light and colour is breath taking.

Cluny is the best place to go. There´s a ware house on the other side of the big street that sells pre-packed snacks, so you can have lunch in the beautiful medieval garden right next to the museum.

Another medieval museum is the Tour Jean sans Peur from the early 15. century. They have rebuilt the living rooms of the Duke of Burgundy and have a current exhibition on the Grand Dukes of Burgundy right now. Not really 14. century, but maybe inspiring for SCA, in case you´re playing.
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/tourjeansanspeur/

In Chartes, when you come from the cathedral, there´s a street with no cars. On the right side, there´s a building from the 14th century that houses a clothes shop (?) today in the souterrain vaults.
And if you follow that street, there will be a sweets shop on the left side in a house at a corner that sells macarons in all varieties. Not very medieval, I know, but I was excited to find cookies with violet and rose flavour.

I don't know why no one has mentioned theMusee de l'Armee (in Les Invalides), which contains a nice selection of pig-faced bacinets and some other late 14th c. armour. I'd do that and the Cluny, which last few times I was there had one nice piggy and a few other bits on display.

Thanks! Cluny and L´Armee sound like hits and the basilica as well. Will probably go to some of the traditional paris tourist spots if I have time. Thanks for the macaroon info, I love macaroons!

Bleddyn De Caldicot wrote:Thanks! Cluny and L´Armee sound like hits and the basilica as well. Will probably go to some of the traditional paris tourist spots if I have time. Thanks for the macaroon info, I love macaroons!

Good choices.

Don’t let all of the Napoleon nonsense distract you, there is a lot of good stuff at Les Invalides.

As for a snack in the Jardin at the Cluny, there are Panini and crèpe stands by the dozen around there. And fondue for dinner all over the latin quarter! Mmmm. (Just don't eat in a place with holes in the ceiling. You expect roaches in 500 year old buildings. Falling out of the ceiling onto your table is another things.)

Damn. This just reminds me how very much I just want to LIVE in Paris (roaches aside).

The best thing to do at Les Invalides is to go straight to the door that lets you into the section with the armour.

Charlotte J wrote:

Bleddyn De Caldicot wrote:Thanks! Cluny and L´Armee sound like hits and the basilica as well. Will probably go to some of the traditional paris tourist spots if I have time. Thanks for the macaroon info, I love macaroons!

Good choices.

Don’t let all of the Napoleon nonsense distract you, there is a lot of good stuff at Les Invalides.

As for a snack in the Jardin at the Cluny, there are Panini and crèpe stands by the dozen around there. And fondue for dinner all over the latin quarter! Mmmm. (Just don't eat in a place with holes in the ceiling. You expect roaches in 500 year old buildings. Falling out of the ceiling onto your table is another things.)

Damn. This just reminds me how very much I just want to LIVE in Paris (roaches aside).

OOOH my hotel is in the Latin quarter! Excellent!!!

If you are married or have a friend along, ditch the history crap and spend the day wandering around a world class city looking for cool places to snog.

The history will still be there later, the chance to smooch for the first time in Paris wont be.

Assuming its your first time... and you have a partner... 'cause that could just get creepy as hell if you are alone.

Not that the French will notice... or care.

If you happen to see the 14th horn with legs while there take lots of pics for Nigel.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arcanamund ... 429275958/

Malachiuri wrote:If you are married or have a friend along, ditch the history crap and spend the day wandering around a world class city looking for cool places to snog.

The history will still be there later, the chance to smooch for the first time in Paris wont be.

Assuming its your first time... and you have a partner... 'cause that could just get creepy as hell if you are alone.

Not that the French will notice... or care.

I am taking my wife to Paris for her first time this fall so I will have to snog with her there. Hopefully our 3 year old will be looking the other way. I am noting down all this advice that is being given to our friend, thanks.

I have been to Paris once before (sans a partner) and the best I did was to dance in the Latin Quarter with the Head Mistress (her term not mine) of an Austrian High School who was there on a school trip.

James Arlen Gillaspie wrote:The best thing to do at Les Invalides is to go straight to the door that lets you into the section with the armour.

+ Tasha

Bleddyn De Caldicot wrote:OOOH my hotel is in the Latin quarter! Excellent!!!

If you're in the Latin quarter and you get a chance to go for drinks, go to the <a href="http://www.frogpubs.com/english-pub.php?pub=1">Frog & Princess</a> Pub. They have British exchange students manning the taps, so you can order in English.

Or, if you're a little more adventurous, get directions to the Pub Rivière, a little hole-in-the-wall within sight of the Notre Dame. Get the Oar Shots. Don't plan on doing anything for a few hours afterwards.

Adrielle Kerrec wrote:If you happen to see the 14th horn with legs while there take lots of pics for Nigel.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arcanamund ... 429275958/

Currently on the train from brussels and will be in Paris in one hour. Now your giving me a list of things to photograhp for you :-p
Know where the horn is?

My lady sadly is not on this trip with me, so no snogging, but lots of ogling...the history that is:-0. I am competent enoug in French to order food and drink so I may choose the second pub and incapacitate myself tonight. Thank you all for the great advice.

Sorry, the horn is at Cluny Travel safe and we'll see you here soon.
Btw Nigel says that if you're getting back Sunday he expects to see you at practice on Monday I did tell him your lady might have something to say about that.

Your Excellency if the young lad fails to get the pictures I can get them for you in the fall.

Adrielle Kerrec wrote:Sorry, the horn is at Cluny Travel safe and we'll see you here soon.
Btw Nigel says that if you're getting back Sunday he expects to see you at practice on Monday I did tell him your lady might have something to say about that.

Currently I am waiting in a net cafe for the Chartres museum to open. I spoke to the staff there right before they went for lunch (they close the entire museum for 2 hours to have a lunch break) and for some reason I am not allowed to photograph anything (I plan to argue as to why not). When Berend emailed them about 2 months ago they said photography without flash was permited. Hopefully I can get some photos.

I went to the Cluny yesterday and my camera battery died a few meters from the horn (which is quite silly looking). I plan to go back either this evening or tomorrow morning since there are other things I want to photograph still.

Got pictures of some of the effigies qt St. Denis, and pictures of armour at the Musee de L'Armee. I visited Notre Dame cathedral while mass was being sung and it was so beautiful that I wept, now only if you could get rid of the obnoxious tourists, well except for me that is . Thank you all for the suggestions.

I can try and make practice but I will be jetlagged and grumpy. On the otherhand I don't wish to endanger Sir Nigel's life because I can garuntee that Keren would not like me going away from her so soon after 2 months of seperation.