Bonjour!
For our first Thursday Travels segment, we’re taking you to Paris! And our guide is none other than Arlo, the adorable armadillo from Julie Kraulis‘ picture book, An Armadillo in Paris! He was kind enough to share some of his favourite photos from his recent trip.
The first monument Arlo saw was the Arc de Triomphe, at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle. He was surprised at how fast the cars drove, but he was still able to catch a ride. Before he did, he made sure he visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the vault.
It wouldn’t be a trip to Paris without stopping at a French cafe! Cafe Gustave is on a street corner, so Arlo was able to observe the locals while eating a croissant fresh from the oven. This cafe is named after Gustave Eiffel, the architect who designed the – you guessed it – Eiffel Tower.
Even though macarons are considered a French delicacy, they get their name from the Italian word for meringue. The most famous place to get macarons in Paris is Ladurée, which was created in 1862. The recipe for Paris macarons dates from 1930, but it has its roots in a recipe that can be traced back as far as 791!
Arlo had to stand really far away to take a picture of Notre Dame de Paris – the towers are 226 ft tall! The entire cathedral took over 180 years to officially complete, but it was worth it: it’s one of the most well-known churches in the world.
Like all of us here, Arlo loves to read, so he popped into Shakespeare and Company. The original Shakespeare and Company bookstore was opened in 1919 and served as a gathering place for writers including Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. It closed down in 1940 during the German occupation and it never re-opened. This “newer” store has been around since 1951 and it specializes in English-language books.
Thanks for joining us on our Thursday Travels trip to Paris! You can read more about Arlo’s adventures in his book, An Armadillo in Paris, out now. It’s also our February pick for our Reading Club!
Thanks Arlo (and Julie) for the photos! Make sure you visit Julie’s website for more pictures and amazing art.
