In front of the French Senate with Daniel and Wils

Daniel, Wils - Le Sénat

9:06 AM - With Daniel and Wils of New York (USA), we ran largely on the left bank: the garden of plants, the arena of Lutecia, the Pantheon, street Saint Jacques...

On our road, having gone down the Mountain Sainte Geneviève, we crossed the garden of the Luxembourg and met the Senate. The Senate with the National Assembly are the two chambers which represent the French legislative power.
The French Senate is also called Palace of the Luxembourg, place where sit the senators since the revolution. This palace was ordered in 1615 by the regent Marie de Medici, the widow of king Henri IV and mother of Louis XIII.

On our route, we noticed on the ground curious medallions:

These medallions, among 135, were put in Paris in 1994, on the line of the meridian of Paris (today, we use the meridian of Greenwich). They indicate the North-south virtual line of the meridian with letters "N" and "S".
The Dutch artist Jan Dibbets so realized the tribute to François Arago (1786-1853), scientist and French politician.
The meridian of Paris was established to allow the creation of the Astronomical Observatory of Paris created in 1667 (Arago was in particular the director of the Paris Observatory).
Moreover, by running in the garden of the Luxembourg, near the Senate, Daniel pointed out to us the Observatory far off by looking at the South of the garden.

How many "points Arago" will you find going through Paris? Follow the meridian!

Merci Daniel, merci Wils !

The route of the tour:

Near a man of the "Enlightment" with Elisa

Elisa - Thomas Jefferson - Far off, the "Sacré-Coeur"

9:09 AM - Elisa, from Atlanta (USA), takes back the running having ended the New-York Marathon. On this Sunday of December, we chose a tour along the river Seine. On our road, we crossed Thomas Jefferson, a great friend of France, who liked Paris very much. He was in the same way as his French counterparts, a man of the "Enlightment" and succeeded Benjamin Franklin as Ambassador of United States in France.

Thomas Jefferson enjoyed a lot the Architecture. Thomas Jefferson's statue is, besides, situated just next to a building which he admired very much, the hotel of Salm, otherwise known under the name of the Legion of Honor Palace. This palace was often imitated. You can see, for example, a copy in the Lincoln Park, in San Francisco (USA).

If you look closely at the photo with Elisa, quite at the bottom, you will see the "Sacré Coeur", the very visible church because at the top of Montmartre, in the North of Paris.

By running along the river, we may be under the impression to go straight on. By going East by the left bank (for example), at the level of the Bir Hakeim bridge, we can be surprised seeing the "Sacré Coeur" in front of us, while at the another moment, next to Thomas Jefferson for example, we will see it on our left. In Paris, the river Seine is a curve!

Join the right bank by the Bir-Hakeim bridge, the "Sacré Coeur" will be on your right. By the footbridge Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, it will be in front of you. At the level of the towers of Notre-Dame, you will see it on your left. 

In Paris, the Seine is a curve!

A little later, we joined the square of Notre-Dame. Have you already noticed on the ground, the point Zero of the roads of France?

Elisa next to the point Zero of the roads of France

Yes, indeed, Paris is a big city and it is necessary to have a precise point in Paris which serves as reference for the distances with the other cities.
What is the distance between Versailles and Paris by road, for example? Not the one who meets a limit of Paris but the one who finishes in the point Zero:

Between Versailles (the Castle) and the limit of Paris: approximately 14 km (in red), between Versailles (the Castle) and the zero point: approximately 23 km (in yellow)

What about you? Where is the "point zero" of your city?
Merci Elisa !

The route of the tour :

By way of the bridge of "l'Archevêché" with Ellen

Ellen - Pont de l'Archevêché - Notre Dame

7:58 AM - Ellen, from Antwerp (Belgium), runs regularly very early in the morning. On Saturday, we ran a little later to take advantage of the light which offered us the sun of December. 

Our road led us on the bridge of  "l'Archevêché" which is on the East point of the island of "La Cité", behind Notre-Dame. As on the Pont des Arts, situated in front of the West point of the island, the padlocks prosper in abundance. Padlocks?
Yes, indeed! Padlocks of love! As formerly on trees, the lovers register their both names on a padlock, hang on it to one of the most beautiful places of Paris and throw the key in the river Seine... 

This fashion would have begun in the 80s in Eastern Europe and appeared on the "Pont des Arts" in 2008 (see the photos of the "Pont des Arts" in this blog).
Sometimes, all the padlocks disappear at one go without that we know why, the services of the city of Paris being not at all responsible for these disappearances. Thieves of metals? Padlocks quickly return however. Even the "bouquinistes" (secondhand booksellers along the Seine) adapted themselves and sell, besides the usual books, padlocks!

A little earlier on our route, Montaigne:

Rue des Ecoles - Montaigne

In front of the university of "La Sorbonne", is the statue of Montaigne, philosopher and writer of the Renaissance. Originally, it was a white marble statue, created in 1933 by Paul Landowski and offered to Paris in 1934. The stony sculpture was so manhandled by the students and vandalized that it was replaced in 1989 by a more resistant, bronze version.
Its right foot would give luck. By touching it, the pronounced wish would come true.
In marble, the foot, highly sought, was numerous times broken. In bronze, it resists but loses its patina and becomes golden!

Merci Ellen !

The route of the tour :

Discovery of Paris history by running with Felicity

Felicity - The Louvre and the garden of the Tuileries
Click on the picture for a larger view

7:58 AM -  With Felicity from Melbourne (Australia), we rediscovered the city at a good pace while admiring tracks left by the history on the scene, monuments and buildings of Paris.
We crossed The Louvre which made us go back up to 16th century, period when the king François the 1st replaced the ancient fortress by a luxurious residence. Since, during the centuries, the Louvre grew rich of numerous extensions.

Of the Louvre, we went through the Garden of the Tuileries, Italian-style garden, begun in the same period by Catherine de Medici. It is an ideal place to run.
Look at these trees sized as balls on the photo above. Their shape is created by a probably old technique and still used, as we can see here: 

We then ran on the Alexandre III bridge, who sent us in 1900, year of its creation:

Alexandre III bridge
Click on the picture for a larger view

Back in the past, at first in Notre-Dame, the construction of which begins in 1163,

Notre Dame (and its new Christmas tree)
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then in "Le Marais" district, where we found the most ancient houses of Paris, two medieval "buildings", doubtless built in the XIVth century and having undergone some renovations (originally, they probably had to possess corbelled constructions as many houses of the Middle Ages):

François Miron street
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Merci Felicity !

The route of the tour :

In front of the Opéra Garnier with Lourdes

Lourdes - Opéra Garnier Paris
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8:17 AM -  Lourdes, from Mexico, ended its stay in Europe with a short stage in Paris. How to take advantage of Paris when we have not a lot of time? A fast morning run before taking back the plane? Why not?! How lucky! The weather was very beautiful on this Saturday morning.
From the North of Paris, we thus ran to join the Louvre and the Tuileries by benefiting of the Palais Royal, the place Vendôme and the Opera Garnier.

We made a small break to be able to admire the Opera.
If you look on the right of the Opera, in the left of the porch, you perceive a statue, the Dance :

Click on the picture for a larger view

"La Danse ", representing the genius of the Dance, was realized by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux for the Opéra Garnier. It is here a copy. You can see the original statue at the Museum of Orsay.

During its implementation in 1869, the work made scandal! "What?! Naked women enjoying life!"

The architect Charles Garnier, creator of the opera, even received a famous letter: " I have a woman, Sir, and girls fascinated by music who often go to the opera. It will be impossible for them henceforth because I shall never grant to lead them in a monument the sign of which is the one of a bad place. "!

Some even threw ink on the statue:

Under the pressure of the public opinion, Napoleon III was ready to remove the work, but the war of 1870 burst and saved the statue. To find the original statue (cleaned!), go to the Musée d'Orsay. Take advantage of it, the museum was completely renewed in 2011.

Merci Lourdes !

The route of the tour :

From the Eiffel Tower toward Notre-Dame by the Louvre with Marnie

Marnie - Tour Eiffel - Notre Dame de Paris

7:31 AM -  It is with a good pace that we went through the banks of the Seine with Marnie, who lives in Washington (USA) and who did several marathons (including Boston). We ran westward to take advantage of the morning sight on the Eiffel Tower: nobody on the esplanade of the Trocadéro early in the morning! We then followed the Seine to join Notre-Dame, also for us only.

With no more difficulties, we finished our tour running by the Louvre.

Marnie - Le Louvre

What a pleasure to run in Paris while ways are clear!

The Louvre has a long history: it was at first a watchtower used by the Franks to attack the island of "la cité" in the 5th century, later the fort created by king Philippe Auguste in the 12th century, then the luxurious Royal residence and finally the public museum decided by the Revolution. 
Every period made its contribution to the construction and to the extensions of the Louvre, the quite last creation being the Louvre Pyramid of the architect Ming Pei in 1983 (Pyramid which replaced bushes and parking lot then in the center of the Louvre). We can admire numerous details of the facades of the Louvre and sometimes original ornaments as this small locomotive for example:

Le Louvre

Yes, this part was created during the extension of the railroad in the 19th century! 

Merci Marnie !

The route of the tour :

From the top of Montmartre to the Tuileries with Ai

Ai - Palais de l'Elysée (Elysee Palace)

7:02 AM -  On early Thursday morning, with Ai, who lives in Seattle (USA), we decided to begin our tour with a sports ascent towards the "butte Montmartre". Ai generally runs on hilly roads in the region of Seattle. In Paris, the running routes are relatively flat, except for some rare exceptions, as Montmartre.

The continuation was easier. At first, the descent led us towards the Elysée Palace, the French Republic president's residence, then, on the way back, we admired some of the numerous sculptures which decorate Paris, among which the General Lafayette's statue and his small curiosity, a tortoise who accompanies the steps of his horse...

General Lafayette and the little tortoise (click on the image to enlarge it)

By continuing our road, we crossed the garden of the Tuileries which abounds in works of art. New creations appear there from time to time, on the occasion of exhibitions temporary like the FIAC which is held from 20th till 23th October in various places of Paris.

We were entitled to some previews, of which "Earthlings" of the artist Adrian Villar Rojas, "fallen column" which provokes a funny effect when we meet it for the first time.

Earthlings - Adrian Villar Rojas (click on the image to enlarge it)

It does not however seem to disturb the sons of Caïn, Paul Landowski's work, which stands a little farther.

The sons of Cain - Paul Landowski (click on the image to enlarge it)

Merci Ai !

The route of the tour :

Two mornings in the discovery of Paris with Jason

Jason - Place de la Concorde

8:50 AM - Friday and Saturday - Jason, who lives in Brooklyn (NY - USA), chose to discover Paris by running two following mornings.

The first day, we explored the island of La Cité, the Louvre, the Palais-Royal, the place Vendôme, the place de la Concorde to return along the Seine. We finished our running in the Arenas of Lutetia; gladiators fought there when Paris was a part of the Roman Empire.  

The next day, we ran Left bank, crossed by the Pantheon, the garden of the Luxembourg, crossed the residence of the Prime Minister: Matignon, admired the Rodin museum since the street, and joined then the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower then returned by the boulevard Saint Germain.

Jason and a well-known tower in Paris

Our route brought us to cross the limits of Paris in the Middle Ages, the Louvre which was a fort intended to protect the western edge of the city and the surrounding wall of king Philippe Auguste some vestiges of which there are still in the current Paris, as the wall that we can see street Clovis (5th arrondissement):

In the 12th century, Paris represented a small portion of the present Paris, surrounded by Philippe Auguste's wall (in yellow on the image) and protected by the Louvre, a fort in the time (in blue): 

Click on the image to enlarge it

By getting closer, we can see some places where we can find the old and still visible wall nowadays: 

Click on the image to enlarge it

Merci Jason !

The routes of the tours:

Passing in front of the horses of Marly with Mary

Les Tuileries - Mary

8:00 AM - With Mary who lives near New York (USA), we chose the circuit of the most beautiful Parisian Palaces: the Ritz, the hotel Meurice, the Bristol, the George V, the Plaza Athénée... The Palaces tour also allowed us to run along one of the nicest routes of Paris, crossing by the "Ile de la Cité", the Louvre, the
Tuileries, Champs-Elysées...

On our road, we were able to admire the Horses of Marly* which are in the West entrance of the Tuileries:

Coysevox - La Renommée (The Fame) - Mercure (Mercury)

and at the Est entrance of the Champs-Elysées:

Coustou - Horses of Marly

Actually, these statues are copies, originals being in the Musée du Louvre in a gallery visible from the outside. We can see them through a window from the passage between the Louvre Pyramid and the street of Rivoli (passage we took during our running):

Le Louvre, cour Marly - Horses of Marly - Originals

Those who, children in the sixties, looked at the French television, know well one of these statues. In the time, the programs began only late in the afternoon and were preceded by a TV test card which showed the statue "La Renommée". The children in wait of emissions had all the leisure to admire it:

Merci Mary !

The route of the tour :

* Marly, where from come the statues, was one of the favorite residences of the king Louis XIV.

Running in the Champs-Elysées with Françoise and Benoît

Françoise and Benoît - Champs-Elysées

8:59 AM - With Françoise and Benoît of Belgium, we began our run on the Parisian western historic axis. This "royal" way begins in the Louvre with the equestrian statue of Louis XIV, crosses the garden of the Tuileries, continues by the Champs-Elysées, passes under the Arc de Triomphe and continues up to the business district of the La Defense to end at the Grande Arche.

We then continued our sports stroll along the Seine on the left bank.
In passing on the Pont des Arts, we saw the "beaches of Paris ": Paris-Plages.
Paris-Plages is an event which takes place in Paris in summer on the right bank automobile traffic lane: some sand, deckchairs, games, concerts, any sorts of activities and this year, a beautiful sand castle!

Paris-Plages

Merci Benoît et Françoise !

The route of the tour :

Running at dawn in Paris with Lou

Lou - Grand Palais

6:06 AM - Lou comes from Tasmania (Australia) where it is at present very cold (5 ° C). In Paris, it is summer. Early risers, we ran by taking advantage of the rising sun and the beautiful light which slowly spread on Paris.

In this Saturday of August 15th weekend, at 6 am, the city is deserted, Paris is an ideal route for the runners (the tourists will come numerous later during the day).
The glass roof of the Grand Palais exposed us its amazing transparency and its so light structure. Light seemingly, because the whole vault is constituted of about 8.500 tons of glass, steel and iron.
Pont Alexandre III, the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais were created for the Universal Exhibition of 1900 (We had spoken about it here).

Do you know that you can have a pleasant coffee break in the charming small garden of the Petit Palais (the entry is free)?

Petit Palais garden

Merci Lou !

The route of the tour :

Routes of a Running Tours guide

Routes of a Paris Running Tour guide (some GPS Garmin Forerunner 405 records, done since May 2008 - Training, competitions, Running tours, ...)

In Paris Running Tour, the runners-guides know perfectly their city, Paris. 
Crossing in great detail the capital almost every day, having created numerous beautiful routes, they can share Paris in a nice way with the visitors-runners who want to discover it.

During very early morning runs, some places are very privileged, enlightened axes as banks of the Seine or the Champ de Mars garden, the only park opened permanently:

Click to zoom

Numerous runners all over the world like sharing a moment of running by showing and by commenting on their city. Many big cities possess "Running Tours" companies.

We would like to greet a new one: Atlanta Running Tours 
Do you remember Kristy who ran with us? Kristy became Running Tour guide and shares her attractive city of with the sports visitors.
We wish her very beautiful races!