Bell towers, stained glass et conciergerie

Guess where we took this familiar shot? .. If I had photoshop there would be (Eye vs Bonaparte) beams in this photo..

(suspense)

...

Notre Dame! This Gothic church appears to be in contest with shopping, eating, (pixelation) and LOTR for the theme of our vacation..

We first did a nice tour of the inside, which was spacious (and apparently took 200 years to build, after starting in 1163.. so old..)

Then, we decided we could conquer the Bell Towers (all before a morning cafe.. bold). Here is shown Lorraine standing in an alcove somewhere along the 400 steps..

At the top, we went picture crazy!

Most people photographed the gargoyles and 'crockets'

Or perhaps the largest Bell in the towers (only used now for religious ceremonies)..

Or even the narrow, steep, sketchy stairs that lead up to the bells?

But others looked down, and noticed something strange about the prolific little dark splotches in Notre Dame's limestone..

Gastropods and brachiopods!!! Who needs priceless gothic architecture and 60+m in height of good Paris viewing, when there are 400 million year old fossils under your feet?

Then, some members of the party fled the rain for family souvenir shopping and economic cheeses, others went to Saint-Chapelle and were floored by stained glass windows.

A final stop to the Conciergerie ended the day with images of Marie Antoinette's prison cell, Europe's oldest medieval mess hall, and the final days of victims of terror from the French Revolution. All housed in a Parisian, and beau building.