L'Eglise Saint-Roch

Last Sunday I found myself alone with no plans (you know me, plans are scary). Sometimes when I realize that I can do whatever the heck I want, it becomes almost overwhelming - I could do...anything! 

Go to a movie

Visit a museum expo

See a friend

Read a book

Paint my nails

Write a blog

Go out for tea

Anything.

I decided to go the the Musée d'Orsay, which I am embarrassed to admit I have never visited.  I jumped on my Vélib and rode along the Seine, only to find myself face to face with about 200 people in line at the museum entrance. 

Scratch that. Move along. A three-hour wait was not on my "things I want to do today" list.

I continued to ride all the way to Concorde, made a right, and started to look for a parking spot for my bike. Finally, I found one - right across the street from l'Eglise Saint-Roch.

I figured I'd never visited the church before, and what else would my Sunday be good for if I wasn't taking in all that Paris had to offer. How many times do I just do the same ol' things? This would be a new discovery, so up the stairs I went...

I'm not what you'd call a big church person, but it was nice to escape the bustle of Paris into a place of quiet, calm and reflection.

I couldn't help but think about the number of people who had 

dipped their hands in here for a bit of holy water...

Or walked on these stones...

Or put money in this box for the poor...

Lit a candle for a loved one...

Made the sign of the cross while gazing up at this...

Cried for someone they lost in the war...

Felt comforted by a prayer...

Knelt in this confessional...

And felt hope when the sunlight streamed through this window...

As I rounded the corner of the nave, I heard a small voice over a microphone. I couldn't quite make out what was being said due to the funky church acoustics, but I quickened my step, worried that I was interrupting the beginning of mass.

Then, out of nowhere, music. 

I didn't know it, but an organ concert had been planned for that very moment - happy accident is what I call that.

I took a seat, and just listened...

I guess I missed this on the way in...

L'Eglise Saint-Roch reminded me of all of the other places in Paris I needed to see... but I still made room for an old standby for my afternoon gouter..

Tea and scones at A Priori Thé, is sometimes just what the doctor ordered on a lazy Sunday...