A few parks and a café along the way

Deep shade in the Parc Saint Lambert, named for Bishop Lambert
 of Maastricht who was murdered in about 705 because he denounced King Childeric II's adultery.

The sun was just strong enough that we wanted to sit in the shade while we soaked in the ambiance of the Parc Saint Lambert -- a lovely place created on the site of a former gas-works.  On the park bench next to ours sat an older gentleman who was doing the same.  He was alone, but not for long.

The short, dark middle-aged guardienne of the park passed by; she exchanged friendly greetings with the gentleman and went on her way.  Next, a tall, blonde, athletic young woman who had been walking briskly stopped to have a long, animated conversation with the man.  While they were talking, a man in a wheelchair and his wife came along and joined in the conversation.  Then another man joined the group.

Parc Saint Lambert

The older man remained seated on his bench while the others formed a deferential circle around him.  As far as I could tell, they were talking about local issues, and people wanted very much to know what this wise gentleman thought about these issues.  Maybe he was a popular mayor of the 15th arrondissement before Philippe Goujon . . . .

The 15th arrondissement's town hall is near Parc Saint Lambert.  That was our next stop -- the vast, open plaza in front of that stately building.  To get there, we passed through the petite Rue Léon Séché, which is no longer a street.  Bollards now block cars from the tiny street, planters have been installed and cobblestones restored.  The Rue is now a Place, and it is for pedestrians only.  The Armandie seafood restaurant facing the Place was hosting a wedding party dinner on its terrace.

Town hall of the 15th arrondissement of Paris.

We paused in the open plaza in front of the town hall to photograph a beautiful statue by Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) of fellow sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875) at work.  Bourdelle's workshop is now a museum, on Rue Antoine Bourdelle in the 15th arrondissement.  (Also see http://www.bjoycooley.com/7-21-14.htm.)

Statue of Carpeaux by Bourdelle (1909).

On the opposite side of this plaza is one of the frequently spotted Wallace Fountains.  These were some of the earliest water-bottle-refilling fountains installed anywhere, but they originated in 1872, before plastic water bottles existed (the introduction of high-density polyethylene was in the 1950s).
Richard Wallace, an Englishman who had inherited a large fortune, decided that all the people of Paris should benefit from it.  So he financed these fountains (photo below), which were designed by Charles Auguste Lebourg .

Wallace Fountain in the plaza in front of the 15th arrondissement town hall.

The fountains were desperately needed because many aqueducts and other public water supply lines had been destroyed in 1870 and 1871.  Potable water was expensive, and so the poor often drank alcohol instead.  That was a public health crisis.

We crossed Rue Blomet to visit the next park, Square Adolphe Cherioux.  Two fine sculptures grace this park:  Histoire inscrivant le centenaire, and Maternity.  The newer, pesticide free and less water-intensive style of gardening in Paris parks has given a softer feel to the formerly more formal parks like this one.

The new-style flowerbeds give parks like Square Adolphe Cherioux a softer look. 

From Rue Blomet, the park leads uphill (the great hill of Montparnasse) to Rue Vaugirard.  There we turned left, and turned right on the Rue de la Procession, so we could visit another park, Square Necker.

[We did not pause in Square Necker because a man in a white van was playing loud music which permeated the entire area.  Tom could not tolerate the sort-of rap-like music.  The simplistic, mechanical, unchanging beat bothers him, and often the vulgarity of the lyrics do as well.  Similar music had driven him out of a dry goods shop on the Rue du Commerce earlier in the day.  Somehow, I block out this music, as though I don't hear it at all.  It is so non-musical that it is like loud white noise to me.  I stayed in the shop so I could buy a couple of beautiful pillowcases for just 4 euros.]

After circling Square Necker, we walked down to Rue de la Convention and headed back toward our neighborhood.  We stopped for refreshments at La Source, near Rue Alain Chartier.  A cluster of charming cafés in that triangular intersection face a plaza gobbled up by café tables and chairs, and by a children's carrousel.  Here we are surrounded by Parisians; we are far from any tourist attractions, including the Eiffel Tower.

Feeling refreshed, we bought newspapers and magazines at a news kiosque.  We walked up the Rue des Freres Morane, passing by another Wallace Fountain in the Place du Comtat Venaissin, named for a part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France.  Here in Paris, this Place is home to Les Trois Garcons brasserie and Indien Villa restaurant.

When we were home, we realized that we'd almost completed our 5-mile goal for the day.  So we rested and then headed out for a good dinner at Pietro Commerce, an Italian restaurant across from the St. John the Baptist of Grenelle church.  5 miles, done!

Square Adolphe Cherioux, named for a former elected official of the 15th arrondissement.