Les Cafés - Le Café Maure de la Mosquée

This week: Les Cafés! What would a trip to Paris be without some time spent sipping espresso in some of the world's finest cafés?

Following on from last week, we start at Le Café Maure de la Mosquée, a North African café and tea room located within La Grande Mosquée de Paris. It serves wonderful traditional pastries and delicious mint tea.

La Grande Mosquée de Paris - Mosquée Comme Perchoir

A pigeon roosting in one of the outside walls of La Grande Mosquée de Paris.

La Grande Mosquée de Paris - Mosaic

One of many beautiful mosaics on the wall of La Grande Mosquée de Paris.

La Grande Mosquée de Paris - Hall d'Entrée II

An alternate view of the entrance hall of La Grande Mosquée de Paris.

La Grande Mosquée de Paris - Hall d'Entrée

The main entrance hall of La Grande Mosquée de Paris.

La Grande Mosquée de Paris - Entrée

Following on from the Architecture theme of last week, this week: La Grande Mosquée de Paris. Founded in 1926 as a token of gratitude to the Muslim infantry, some 100,000 of whom died fighting against the Germans in World War I, many portions of the Mosque are open to the public, including the traditional Turkish baths (hammam), gift shop (souk) and tea room (salon de thé).

Architecture - Pont Saint Michel

Pont Saint Michel is one of many bridges (ponts) across the Seine which you cross under while riding Les Bateaux Mouches, as I was when I snapped this picture. Pont Saint Michel links Place Saint-Michel on the left bank of the river to the Île de la Cité. It was named after the nearby chapel of Saint-Michel. Click here for a positively gorgeous shot of the whole bridge.