Christianity and Existentialism

We wandered over to the Sorbonne this afternoon for a tour of churches and radical philosophers, starting with St. Germaine des Pres, the oldest church in Paris. 

The oldest parts of St. Germaine, the bell tower and the nave, date back to the 10th century. The site was originally consecrated in the 6th century, but twice Vikings razed whatever was there. Recently, the City of Paris carried out a major restoration of the interior. 

Looks like heaven

Literally across the street from this historic -- some would say sacred -- site are the two cafes where Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre hung out, squabbled, and changed the course of modern philosophy.

Cafe de Flore

Les Deux Magots
(les Magots are the oriental figures)

Sorbonne University where De Beauvoir studied, taught and seduced teenaged girls, is just down the street.

It's all very French.

Tomorrow, the Picasso Museum and the Carnavalet.

Thanks for reading!

Karen

All of the churches in Paris are open to the public;
it tells you something that this sign is in English