Saturday, November 30, 2013

Avenue du Président Wilson - une fille française?



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Along Avenue du Président Wilson, 
she walked with long strides in front of the gates of Palais Galliera.  


She was dressed head to toe in shades of gray 
offset by tresses of deep auburn.


Yes, definitely...
must be a French girl



Avenue du Président Wilson
75016, Paris


Joyeux anniversaire, Renée


Friday, November 29, 2013

La Tour Eiffel - la réflexion



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A familiar reflection...


How could a puddle on Champ de Mars be a pleasing sight?


When it reflects the golden lights of la Tour Eiffel.



la Tour Eiffel
Allée Adrienne Lecouvreur
Parc du Champ de Mars
75007, Paris



Thursday, November 28, 2013

Pont Notre Dame - l'automne



Pont Notre Dame



The late afternoon sun drenched the trees 
along the Quai de Gesvres giving them a golden orange glow.  


If you look under the arch of the bridge, 
you can see their reflections in the Seine.






Pont Notre Dame
75004, Paris

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Feuilles orange de l'automne



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Orange autumn leaves


The window shades on this quiet street in the 5ième 
match perfectly the autumn leaves.


Paris was dressed in her colorful finery last week 
and the leaves held on through our sojourn.



Rue de Lantran et Rue de Beauvais
Métro Maubert-Mutualité
75005, Paris

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Des tours, des flèches, des clochers


Towers, steeples, spires...


Can you name these famous Paris landmarks?


Seen from rooftop level.




Mystery location
75004, Paris

Monday, November 25, 2013

Métro Cité - l'escalier



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Cité Métro Station


The exit at this metro station had more stairs than we could count 
and seemed to be even more than the circular ascent at Abesses.  


As great as the exercise was for counteracting 
the effects of French butter and baguettes, 
we found the elevator for our subsequent stops at Cité.



Métro Cité
75004, Paris


Sunday, November 24, 2013

Église de la Madeleine - les cierges


Église de la Madeleine


This magnificent church is well-attended
by the parishioners and visitors.


The corners of the church are bright with candlelight
and often with the music of concerts.




bon dimanche


Église de la Madeleine
Place de la Madeleine
75008, Paris
Métro Madeleine  

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Sainte Geneviève des Bois - le cimetière russe



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Sainte Geneviève des Bois


The Russian Orthodox Cemetery is not highly regarded by the locals of this small town and many do not even know of its existence.  I made the trip to see the tombstone of Rudolph Nureuev and found the carpet of fallen ginko leaves as a bonus.  


Wherever I have traveled in the world, I visit and photograph the cemeteries.  Although this cemetery is not well-maintained, there was a quiet beauty of the season, silent and colorful with autumn leaves.




Russian Orthodox Cemetery
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois

Friday, November 22, 2013

Bouillon Chartier III



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Bouillon Chartier
une brasserie


In 1896, the Bouillon Chartier was born on a simple idea: 

offer a meal worthy of the name at a modest price, 
respect the customer to gain their loyalty. 
Fifty million meals and only four owners later, 
the idea is still good ...


This is an enormous dining room.  
As you sit at your table, your eyes wander over the famous bureau 
where locals stored their napkins 
or to the painting by an artist of 1929 to repay his debt.




Bouillon Chartier
7, rue du Faubourg Montmartre
75009, Paris

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Ladurée - un petit déjeuner parfait



Ladurée
a perfect breakfast


After buying a selection of macarons, 
I peeked into the adjacent dining area for a quick look.


You probably notice the ample servings of breads.  
Do not worry as you will walk it off in Paris.


Ladurée
Rue Jacob
75006, Paris

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Une cour privée



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a private courtyard


I hesitate to call this a courtyard as it should qualify as a full park.  
The beautiful wrought iron gates were open 
and I only stayed a few minutes.  


There are small private courtyards all over Paris 
but this one could not be seen from the street 
and was revealed to be larger than I could imagine.






Avenue du Général Leclerc
74014, Paris
 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Place Pierre Lafue - Alfred Dreyfus



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Alfred Dreyfus


In the midst of a small square (Place Pierre Lafue) on Boulevard Raspail we stopped our Vélibs and took several photos of this Giacometti-style porous bronze with a pigeon on its head.


What seemed an interesting sculpture in an inauspicious location proved to have an intriguing story which played out over a century ago, the Dreyfus Affair.  This sculpture was created in 1986 by Louis Mitelberg (TIM) and shows "Captain Dreyfus" with his broken sword.  To read more about the story, click here.



Place Pierre Lafue
116, boulevard Raspail
75006, Paris

Monday, November 18, 2013

Cours du Commerce Saint-André



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Cours du Commerce Saint-André


This charming passage was opened in the mid-1700s 
linking the rue Saint-André des Arts and the Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie. 
 It houses the Procope café, a meeting place for writers and intellectuals of that era.


 In a granary here, M. Guillotin tried out his "philanthropic decapitating machine"
on sheep (1790).  I do not believe that there is a marker or any evidence of such in this gallery.  (thankfully!)



Cours du Commerce Saint-André
75006, Paris

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Église Saint-Severin - l'horloge



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Église Saint-Severin
The Clock


Just beneath the pipes of the Jean Ferrand organ (1748) 
is the church clock which on this day was right on time.  


In a church that dates back to the 13th century, 
I would think that the clock has been updated 
and reworked many times.  


Do you think that the inner workings are digital?



bon dimanche




Église Saint-Séverin
3, rue des Prêtres Saint-Séverin
75005, Paris

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Décomposition et désespoir



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Decay and despair


Overturned tombstones, doors ajar, unkempt grounds...


This desolate cemetery pairs well with the expression on this caryatid

(not Père Lachaise)




Friday, November 15, 2013

Jardin des Tuileries - des parapluies


Jardin des Tuileries


The autumn leaves can be seen down this alley.  
The trees, many still green, provide some shelter from the rain.


I do not bring an umbrella to Paris 
as I cannot hold an umbrella and my camera at the same time.



I am like a wet dog, but a rainy day in Paris...




Jardin des Tuileries
75001, Paris

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Fontaine Wallace - Place des Droits de l'Enfant



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Sunday Paris Market


Families and neighbors gather just off Rue d'Alésia 
in a tiny square of shade trees and a spot of grass on Sunday mornings. 
Dogs, children, and musicians play 
around the centerpiece of a Wallace Fountain.  


Although there are no closed streets, 
the only traffic seems to be the vendors and the shoppers.




Place des Droits de l'Enfant
88, rue de la Tombe Issoire,
75014, Paris


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Rue de Sèvres - une cour



Rue de Sèvres
courtyard


Taken with my snorkeling camera (wet from the rain) 
this courtyard has the hazy look of a pencil drawing.  


I almost deleted it but the "nested rectangles" of the doorways 
and the repeating glimpses of green appealed to me.  


The child's bike was safely parked out of the rain.



Courtyard
Rue de Sèvres
75006, Paris

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Leaving on a jet plane...



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Guess where I am going...
I am sure you know



PARIS!


I will still have a daily post and will have some on-site
updates of friends and places in Paris. À bientôt!


 

Monday, November 11, 2013

Cour d'Honneur - Hôtel des Invalides



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Cour d'Honneur


The patina of the cannons in the courtyard is stunning.
Some of them date from the reign of François 1er, 1515-1567.


Celebrating Veteran's Day in the USA



 
129, rue de Grenelle
75007, Paris
Métros Varenne ou École Militaire

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris - des détails



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Notre Dame


From this single spot, 
many of the treasures of this magnificent cathedral are revealed, 
from the rose window to the newly cleaned chandelier, 
and Gothic arches and columns.


Also, when you look up, 
you do not see any tourists.



bon dimanche



Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris
6 Parvis Notre Dame
Place Jean-Paul II
75004, Paris

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Printemps - des chaussures rouges



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Printemps
red shoes and polka dots


The use of mirrors and bold design 
with an abundance of rouge 
turn heads on Boulevard Haussmann



Printemps
Boulevard Haussmann
75009, Paris

Friday, November 8, 2013

Pétanque XXIII



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Pétanque

Jardin des Tuileries



I used to believe that this was only a game in Paris for men of a certain age, but have discovered that it is played by all ages, men and women.  Once you get away from Jardin des Tuileries and Jardin du Luxembourg you will see a greater variety in the players.


Do you see two groups of children?



Jardin des Tuileries
75001, Paris

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Rue Mouffetard - les danseurs du dimanche



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The Sunday dancers 
of Rue Mouffetard



To the familiar tunes of Christian Bassoul the regulars take center stage.


Always have a song in your heart 
and dance like no one is looking 




Rue Mouffetard at Rue Censier
75005, Paris
Métro Censier-Daubenton

 


Wednesday, November 6, 2013

La Tour Eiffel XXV



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La Tour Eiffel



The rays of sunlight add a special quality to this iron creation.


Given the choice of seeing the sun rays or snow from this spot, I would have a difficult time choosing.  Having seen both, I would have to add that with the snow, there are certainly fewer people at this famous landmark.



La Tour Eiffel
75007, Paris

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Jardin du Luxembourg - un moment de calme



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Jardin du Luxembourg
-a quiet moment-



A warm Sunday afternoon on a (mostly) green park bench...


Tuning out the rest of the world



Jardin du Luxembourg
75006, Paris

Monday, November 4, 2013

Parc de Monceau - zoom-zoom



Parc de Monceau


This large, family-friendly park has an elongated track 
for scooters, skates, bikes, and unicycles.  
Yes, I saw one.  


The pace is fast and furious.  
Parents linger along the outside rails 
enjoying a warm autumn Sunday afternoon.

zoom-zoom


Parc de Monceau
Boulevard des Courcelles
(five entrances around the park)
75008, Paris
Métro Monceau

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Église Saint-Séverin



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Église Saint-Séverin


Built and rebuilt over the centuries, this 13th-15th century Flamboyant Gothic church shows at its height the criss-crossed and ribbed vaulting which frame the stained glass windows of the same period.


Although I have been here four or five times, 
I discover another secret on each visit.  
The history of the church site began in the 5th century 
and continued through fires, wars, and an abundance of burials.  


The organ, seen in the background, was built by Jean Ferrand (1748) 
and has a history as rich as the church itself.


bon dimanche



Église Saint-Séverin
3, rue des Prêtres Saint-Séverin
75005, Paris

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Pont Louis-Philippe - Île Saint-Louis



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Pont Louis-Philippe


Yes, the rain was relentless, 
but Paris keeps moving without regard to the weather.


This stone arch-bridge connects the Quai de Bourbon 
on the Île Saint-Louis with the Saint-Gervais neighborhood on the right bank.  
It is decorated with stone laurel wreaths 
surrounding metallic rosettes which are best seen from the Seine.



Pont Louis-Philippe
Île Saint-Louis
75004, Paris
 

Friday, November 1, 2013

la Grande Arche de la Defense - "Height"



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"Height"
Theme for November 2013
City Daily Photo Blogs


Seen from the top of Arc de Triomphe the height 
of la Grande Arche de la Defense dwarfs the surrounding rooftops.  


The height restrictions for buildings 
have limited the number of towering structures and their locations.



See the other contributions to theme day here.


Avenue de la Grande-Armée
75008, Paris