Paris Werewolves

Garter snake on the Monument des Droits de l’Homme, Champ-de-Mars, 7th Arr. Snakes and lizards--and at least one two-headed turtle--are a recurring motif around Paris. In some cases, they are baffling symbols, such as the garter snakes that adorn the Monument des Droits de l’Homme ("rights of man"), above. Then again the entire Monument, installed at the Champ-de-Mars in 1989 for the 200th anniversary of the Revolution, is a confusing mix of Masonic and Masonic-adjacent symbols--including the ouroboros snake eating its own tail, an occult classic. So random obfuscation may be part of the monument's theme, which may or may not be a commentary on the rights of man. The ouroboros of the Monument des Droits de l’Homme. Reptile symbolism is a bit clearer when used in classical motifs. For example, snakes routinely appear on medical symbols such as the caduceus and the rod of Asclepius (the Greek god of medicine). The façade of the 1808 Fontaine de Mars (La Fontaine du Gros-Cai...

L'Île aux Cygnes (Isle of the Swans) is one of Sugar's regular walking spots. It's a kilometer-long, man-made island in the middle of the Seine between the 16th and 15th Arrondissements. The Isle's namesake Foraging along the shallow edge of the Isle Because there is no traffic, it's a great spot to unleash the dog for a bit, even if we have to be mindful of the other people strolling the allée --and especially the many joggers during the lunch hour. I've seen few places with more smokers than Paris has, and few with more joggers. I guess that's their idea of a healthy balance. At the south end of L'Île (where we start our walks) stands one of the original mockups of the Statue of Liberty--facing south, so you only see her backside from the Pont de Grenelle or the Isle itself. La derriere de la Femme de la Liberté At the north end of L'Île is the Pont de Bir-Hakim, commemorating one of the early Allied victories against Rommel in North Africa. Bir Ha...