Although Doug and I have been to Paris a number of times since our first trip in 2005, we never visited the Centre Pompidou, opened in February 1977 and now housing the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe.
On this recent trip, we decided to see some of the permanent collection and tour the building, striking for its glass and steel architecture, escalator running through a suspended glass tube and colored pipes - blue for air conditioning, green for water, red for passageways and yellow for electrical lines.
Friends back in Orillia also told us about the wonderful view of the Paris skyline from Level 6/Restaurant Georges.
We got an early start one morning; it was a short bus ride from our apartment in St. Germain des Pres.
There was no need to ask directions -within minutes, we saw the unique "inside-out" architecture of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers.
Spacious Level 0 museum shops, information desk and cafe.
View from Level 5 of the entrance piazza we crossed earlier and the Paris skyline.
Doug and I recognized a number of works in the "historic" collection on Level 5:
Matisse
La Corbusier
Kandinsky
Kupka
Picasso
During the summer tourist season, it would be impossible to walk in and hope to be seated at Georges; Doug and I, however, asked if a window table was available.
Not a problem - we followed the hostess and were seated 3 tables from the corner.
(central restaurant seating)
(window tables, main aisle from the entrance)
Yes, I was delighted with our table and the view!
Doug's soup.
My salad.
Doug's chicken.
My omelette.
Despite my limited French, the waiters were friendly.
It was also fun meeting the chef - could he possibly have thought I was a food critic from the U.S.???
(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)
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