Desperately Seeking Paris in New York
The Paris Traveler, that would be me, Kim, finds herself in New York. That is always a good thing, not as good as being in Paris, but I have decided that since I need to be here I am going to seek out all things French: restaurants, cafés and shopping and report my findings so in the event that you find yourself here, you too can seek out Paris without needing a passport.
The Statue of Liberty, certainly one of the most recognizable symbols for our nation, was in fact a gift of friendship from the people of France. As much as some of you may grumble about the French, we have them to thank for this beautiful symbol of our independence. Dedicated on October 28, 1886, in honor of America’s centennial, it stands on Liberty Island, welcoming all citizens and tourists alike. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the statue while Gustave Eiffel engineered the internal structure.
Two replicas exist in Paris: one stands in the Jardin du Luxembourg–a bronze model made by Bartholdi. A second, much larger replica is situated on Île des Cygnes(Island of Swans) located between the 15th and 16th arrondissement. Inaugurated on November 15, 1889, it is positioned facing west, looking towards it’s original in New York.
So, I will work to see what I can come up with in terms of “Paris”. As much as we love going over there, the French do enjoy traveling to the US and New York is the top destination for them. As a matter of fact, coming down for breakfast in the elevator I found myself with a mother and daughter from Paris here to take in the sights and shopping with a most favorable exchange rate for them.
Oh, my ricotta pancakes just arrived. Fuel for all my work!!
Photo credit: wikipedia , mcgillies@flickr
Tags: , Île des Cygnes, b5media, france, Frédéric Bartholdi, Gustave Eiffel, Jardin-du-Luxembourg, New-York, paris, Statue of Liberty, the paris traveler, travel, travel blogs
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Announcements
2 opinions for Desperately Seeking Paris in New York
la Reine
Jun 30, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Bonsoir Kim
I discovered you through the Antiques Diva blogspot. The statue in Paris in the Jardin is actually a model, not replicas, of the NYC Statue of Liberty. When I lived in Paris I was in the 16th, and could see the statue on the Allée des Cygnes, this one is a replica, from our balcone. When we moved to the 17th, we lived right around the corner from where the statue was assembled and crated from shipment to the US.
Now I live in NYC, and see less of the Statue of Liberty than when I lived in Paris!
bon vacance!
la Reine
Kim
Jun 30, 2008 at 7:52 pm
la Reine
Thank you for that information. I always like to get feedback from readers who have tidbits to pass along. It is a bit of a production to be sure to get to the “real” Statue of Liberty” as opposed to those in Paris. I am loving your city, by the way!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: