Here and There Blog

Chateau Vincennes dates back to the 12th century and is easily reached from the Metro. It's not on the main tourist stops and as a result, not crowded.The complex has a castle and a chapel that both offer plenty of stairs to climb and it's a fun wander when you are on culture and history overload from the rest of Paris.  Above - stained glass in the chapel and below, prisoner graffiti from the castle dungeon.  Sainte -Chapple  Chateau de Vincennes  Overlooking the moat. Website click here.

The Pantheon Paris has the usual vaulted ceiling and great dome but also a large underground crypt where contributors to France and the world are buried.  View from the entrance  Time Keeper  Stained glass in the crypt  The crypt has many side rooms. Visit Madam Curie, Victor Hugo and Louis Braille. A short profile is on their website at http://www.pantheonparis.com/

The Museum of the Middle Ages has a collection of textile artifacts, with a series of The Lady and the Unicorn from the 15th century.  The museum is inside part of the Cluny Abbey hotel. The hotel has samples of everyday life, such as decorative grill work.  Gothic Sculptures that have lost their heads  Heads that never had bodies  The tapestry room was pretty cool. No flash photos allowed since the color needs to be preserved.  More grill work. The Cluny makes a nice stop with your museum pass once you've hit all the "must sees" of Paris. For more info click here.