So, after leaving Savarin la Table, I decided to explore the ‘hood a bit. Lo and behold, one block over was the huge Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde, hidden away on a tiny street between rue Saint-Dominique and rue de Grenelle. A framed informational brochure was posted on the fence outside – the photos were enticing – I wanted to go inside but there were several men in black suits standing next to funeral cars near the entrance. I didn’t want to crash a funeral, so I hung out in the adjacent sweet little Square Samuel-Rousseau for a while and then went to have an Orangina at the corner café, but it was apparently a very long funeral, so I’ll have to go back some other day!
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| the rear of the Basilica |
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| Square Samuel-Rousseau |
Construction began on the Basilica in 1846, and its Aristide Cavaillé-Coll organ, built in 1859, has been played by some of the greats, including César Franck, Gabriel Pierné, Charles Tournemire and Jean Langlais. (Don’t you just love Wikipedia?) I must see if they have any organ recitals while I’m here!
The fifth century Clotilde was the wife of Clovis I, the first king of what would become France. She was instrumental in her husband’s conversion to Catholicism, and is credited with spreading Christianity to the Western world.
So, after leaving Savarin la Table, I decided to explore the ‘hood a bit. Lo and behold, one block over was the huge Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde, hidden away on a tiny street between rue Saint-Dominique and rue de Grenelle. A framed informational brochure was posted on the fence outside – the photos were enticing – I wanted to go inside but there were several men in black suits standing next to funeral cars near the entrance. I didn’t want to crash a funeral, so I hung out in the adjacent sweet little Square Samuel-Rousseau for a while and then went to have an Orangina at the corner café, but it was apparently a very long funeral, so I’ll have to go back some other day!
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