This plastic bottle installation is part of an operation called “Paris Illuminates Paris”, which mixes the recycled green Sprite bottles and LED lights to create the Christmas lights down Rue Richelieu (near Palais Royal). This was the creation of Fabrice Peltier, a gallery designer, for 2009. I snapped this shot just last week so that answers my second question... Did they re-use the decorations? Yes, as you can see.
There are also four or five trees in Place André Malraux at the foot of Rue Richelieu. You can see a close-up of the construction below on the left.
Holly announced that she was going to be drinking a lot of Sprite this year to make her own! (The red ones are Badoit bottles.)
(Thank you, Peter (Peter's Paris) for pointing out these trees!)
Also, Anne featured this scene (in the daylight) at Just Another American in Paris here.
I've seen this done somewhere before and think it is such a good idea!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't like so much the decos you show in your first picture;they are a little too small for a street.
ReplyDeletebut I do love the tree below!and I like the idea in both cases!
It's very cool !!
ReplyDeleteGenie, thank you checking the book on Amazon. the books have been sent to Amazon but for some obscure reason they're still unavailable...arrgh...i'll let you know.
Have a great time in Paris !!
xo
Lala
Thanks for the shout out Genie.
ReplyDeleteLove the trees and think that Jack will be drinking the sprite (happily). All the shops down that street were also decorated in bottles, with little trees and one heart. What a great way to focus on recycling!
ReplyDeleteIt looks pretty cool, the plastic bottle tree that is.
ReplyDeleteWhat great creativity! The detail shot is terrific -- but it looks like the structure is custom made for the bottles. Hmmm -- guess I'll have to get my engineer to figure out a way to rig one up for us. Tres unique!
ReplyDeleteTres froid.
ReplyDeleteSomething like that, anyhows
Amazing and creative "green"idea, and the result is fabulous!
ReplyDelete*** I loved those balconies in your first composition, wonderful shot!
Léia
That Peter, doesn't miss a trick! HA
ReplyDeleteWHY did I have a good long look at this tree last January and NOT take a photo? Glad you did. I've been hoping I'd have another crack at it. You've answered my question!! :)
V
It looks so green, Genie, that I thought at first it might be Ireland. (Well, Ireland is a bit "beyond" Paris, n'est pas.)
ReplyDeleteAn artistic way of recycling for sure; such a creative plan. Trust an artist to come up with something like this!
Thanks for sharing cette photo unique.
Recycling at it's finest....surely America would love that! I like these trees and they would be weather resistant in my Oklahoma front yard. But, oh, how I hate Sprite! Bad memories of bad stomach flu from my childhood, LOL!
ReplyDeleteLiz
Well, this is just brilliant on several levels! Great shots too, Genie. (I guess Holly will have to run those bottles over with the car before constructing her tree.)
ReplyDeleteOne of these days I'm going to be in Paris during Chritmas time. These are wonderful shots. I love that zig zaging light in the top photo.
ReplyDeleteWhat delightful creations all made from recycled materials.
ReplyDeletei've just been savoring all your recent posts of holiday decorations......just scrumptious all of them!! as with everything they do, parisians bring holiday decorating to the highest level of style!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen anything like this.It's awesome!
ReplyDeleteYes, we have something similar here in Sydney during our Festival of light in June (our winter).
ReplyDeleteI love to see how different cities are lit for he holidays. This tree is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love it! Eco-creativity ~ wonderful to see. Hopefully they'll figure out how to fuel vehicles with Sprite one of these days.
ReplyDeleteBibi -- We need to do this in our towns and cities as a green alternative...
ReplyDeleteMalyss -- The trees are great, but the lights above need more bottles
Lala -- Merci! It was great (too short) but great!
Anne -- Je t'en pris
Holly -- I had forgotten about the heart but need to see if I took a photo of that (perhaps you did)?
Sam -- I would love to see a whole forest of these!
Marie -- I think that your engineer could easily construct this. In Paris, you can buy a kit to assembly your own with the proceeds going to environmental concerns.
JB -- Brrrrrrr!
Léia -- The architecture along this street is beautiful, almost overshadowed by the spectacle above
Virginia -- Maybe you will be able to shoot them surrounded by snow... It had all melted by the time I saw these.
Bear -- Maybe they will bring these out again in a shamrock shape for St Patrick's!
Liz -- I think that you could substitute other sodas... how about those red ones!
Alexa -- We'll see what Marie's husband can design and we can all create a tree next year...
James -- Well, I just looked at my notes from last year regarding Christmas, and the highlighted item on my list was, "Do not go to Paris in December for a few years" as it is too stressful to get ready for Christmas... Well, I forgot and it was totally worth it!
Loree -- Merci
Amanda -- So glad that you have been enjoying them as there are more to come. They are not as interesting to view in May so there will be an infusion of them now!
Tammy -- I agree and so creative!
Julie -- I need to go to Australia one day... you are just a travel ambassador with your photos!
Randy -- All of Paris is a treat for the eyes with the variety of lights and decorations.
Sara Louise -- Thanks for stopping by... I don't think you are getting snow in your area but you might when you travel for the holidays!
Shell -- I think if Holly gives her child Sprite for more than a day, she will be ready to convert to running her car with it!
I appreciate the idea, but it's not at all pretty.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this a great idea! Looks so beautiful and takes recycling to new heights. An artist has made bottle sculptures along the river in Brisbane (my city) with white bottles and lights. Tres chic!
ReplyDeletePichets in Paris
This tree was really quite creative.
ReplyDelete