It was a chilly but beautiful morning. After having the usual croissants and coffee we headed out to Napoleon and Josephine’s chateau at Malmaison. We took the Metro (subway) for about 20 minutes to La Defense and then switched to a bus for the 5 mile trip to the chateau.
This was the home, with three hundred acres, Josephine bought for them while he was away fighting in Egypt. He brought back obelisks, but not the money she had expected.
We arrived at the property at noon to find that the house was closed for lunch. We had double-checked the hours of operation before leaving Paris but we were informed that our information was in error. No problem because it gave us time to walk around the grounds where Josephine had planted acres of roses and other flowering bushes.
It also gave me an opportunity to talk with David about his recent trip to the Scandinavian countries, something that is still on my “places-to-go” list.
At 1:30 we, and approximately 15 other history buffs, went in and wandered through the small three story chateau. The two most interesting rooms for us was Napoleon's small consul room and his study were he wrote the Napoleonic Code which still is the basic law in France and some areas of the law in New Orleans. After their divorce, due to his unfilled desire to have an heir with her, she lived at the chateau until her death in her formal bedroom, which still has the original, bed, furniture, etc. She died before he was defeated at Waterloo, but he chose to return to this small empty chateau to await what the British would do with him. They eventually decided he should be shipped to the island of Helena, where he died.
His bed is on the top and hers is the bottom.
After leaving the chateau we took the bus back the the La Defense area to switch to the Paris Metro. It was around 3:30 p.m. When we got to the terminal David insisted that we take the escalators up and out of the station. I didn’t know why, but what the hell, why not, thought I - if this is what “he” wants to do. Well, the reason he insisted became evident when I saw the awesome complex outside. No joke, it was breath-taking. The ultra-modern high-rise buildings that make up the complex of La Defense, where 150,000 work each day, is very very strikingly different from any other place in Paris, to say the least. This picture doesn’t do it justice.
When we got back to the ‘hood we went into a brasserie to hear one of David’s friends perform. The guy’s name is Jessie and he is an Apache Indian and is a very talented performer.
Headed back to the apartment, chilled a bit and then had dinner at a restaurant in the ‘hood.
This was an great day. I am certain that I would never have gone to the chateau on my own and I have David to thank for this excellent experience.
Monday I will be on my own again and I think that I am going to do Napoleon’s Tomb and then The Army War Museums.
Again, thanks roomie for your help in preparing this post.
Hum ... maybe I will start “A Moveable Feast” tomorrow.
Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com.
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