Gare de Lyon - l'heure bleue

Gare de Lyon

The transparent windows

cast a sapphire light across the station

l'heure bleue

Gare de Lyon

place Louis Armand

75012, Paris 

Aux Champs-Élysées

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

The avenue has many looks and 

is always well-dressed whether at Christmas,

for Quatorze juillet, or anytime in between.

Aux Champs-Élysées

Aux Champs-Élysées

Au soleil, sous la pluie

À midi ou à minuit

Il y a tout ce que vous voulez

Aux Champs-Élysées ♪♫

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

75008, Paris

Le Perchoir

Le Perchoir

Such a lovely place and quiet view...

taken about an hour before the world changed

A night to remember

Le Perchoir - 13 novembre 2015

14, rue Crespin du Gast

75011, Paris

Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde

Statues and fountains, an Egyptian obelisk, a view of the Eiffel Tower,

 the Grand Palais and the constant circulation of traffic...

Oh, and lest one forget, this largest square in Paris 

was the scene of many executions.

Place de la Concorde

75008, Paris

Le Perchoir - mes amis

Le Perchoir

(the rooftop bar)

There were only three of us that evening, 

plus the family of one of the workers, two or three others.

We enjoyed a sunset and drinks, 

chatted with these two who were pouring the beverages, 

a wonderful evening in this magical place.

When I returned to Le Perchoir a few months ago,

 there were hundreds of people in the space, 

most of whom were twenty-somethings.  

It had lost a bit of the mystique but still worth it for the view.

To see what it looked like last November, click here. 

Le Perchoir

14, rue Crespin du Gast

75011, Paris

la Pleine Lune

The Full Moon over Paris

I have seen the rising full moon a few times in Paris,

and it always makes me realize how small the world is.

I hope that you will have clear skies and can enjoy the full moon tonight. 

 I will be watching it seven hours later than the Paris full moon from my city.

If you miss the rising, you can always watch it set in the early pre-dawn hours.

 Just as magnificent setting in the western sky.

Hôtel de Ville et Église Saint Gervais

75004, Paris

 

Église Saint-Joseph-des-Nations et la Basilique du Sacré Coeur de Montmartre

This view from Le Perchoir in the 11ième, 

looking northwest,

shows at least two churches on the horizon:  

Église Saint-Joseph-des-Nations

which is about four blocks away 

and the recognizable Sacré Coeur in the distance.

bon dimanche

a view of churches from Le Perchoir

14, rue Crespin du Gast

75011, Paris

 

L'heure bleu - Jardin des Tuileries

Jardin des Tuileries

The perfect blue-tinted light of Paris 

on a June evening

bon weekend

Jardin des Tuileries

75001, Paris

Pyramide du Louvre - City Daily Photo Theme Day: triangles

Pyramide du Louvre

The first day of the month is Theme Day for the City Daily Photo community, and the theme for April is "triangles."  In Paris there are two obvious and very large architectural structures which would pass the test:  La Tour Eiffel and I M Pei's Pyramide du Louvre, seen here.  

Taken in spring at dusk with the last glow of daylight, it takes on the watercolor hues of l'heure bleue.  The "blue hour" is a magical time of day when the softness of the fading light of day creates the colors only seen in artists' palettes and then dances across the Pyramide.

Pyramide du Louvre

Musée du Louvre

75001, Paris

See "triangles" from cities around the world here

from my friends of CDP

Le Perchoir - a rooftop bar

Le Perchoir

(the perch)

This stunning rooftop bar is 7 flights up with a view from each corner.  It is found on an unlikely industrial office street with no sign or indication of what could be found inside.  Feeling certain that I had the correct address, it still made me a bit uneasy that I had led Peter (Peter's Paris) and Virginia (Paris Through My Lens) on a wild goose-chase.  We walked through large (open) industrial doors into an open space and found an open winding staircase.  


When we reached the top of the building (by the elevator) we found a delightful 360° view of Paris.  Looking at the bar, it made me think of a Moorish tent in the middle of the desert.  We enjoyed beverages and took many photos before leaving this oasis in the 11ième arrondissement.  


Do not miss this and get there early as the rooftop is limited to 110 persons.  There is a wonderful restaurant on the floor below for which you will need reservations.

Le Perchoir

14, rue Crespin du Gast

75011, Paris

L'heure bleue - Jardins du Trocadéro

Fountain of Warsaw

fontaine de Varsovie

Not as many fountains as seen in the gardens of Versailles, 

but still a perfect seat to enjoy the water show 

during l'heure bleue (the blue hour).

As the sky darkens one simply turns to the southeast 

to watch the lights of la Tour Eiffel just across the Seine.  

What a festival!

every day of the week!

Fountain of Warsaw

Jardins du Trocadéro

75016, Paris

Métro Trocadéro

L'heure bleue - musée du Louvre

L'heure bleue

(The blue hour)

It is a magical time in Paris when the sun goes down 

and the sky becomes a palette of soft watercolors

 in shades of blue and violet and pink.

bon weekend

Musée du Louvre, I M Pei's Pyramid

75001, Paris

Le carrousel - XXVI

As the blue skies of this April evening turned the multi-hued shades known only in Paris, we waited for the first "twinkling" of La Tour Eiffel. 

The lights on that iron beauty twinkle for about 5 minutes every hour until 1am. 

They start on the first hour after the Paris street lights come on.

Little did we know that we would enjoy a show before the main event...

soft streetlights, sculptures, a reflecting pool, fountains. 

It was all set off by a delightful carousel (rotating counter-clockwise) 

with its calliope music playing. 

The police vans? 

Manpower to catch the people selling Eiffel Tower keychains - not so magical

Carrousel de Trocadero

Place du Trocadéro

75016, Paris

L'heure bleue

As I was waiting (somewhat) patiently for the full moon,

I looked over my shoulder to find these shades of pinks, purples and blues.

My Paris is always full of surprises and treasures. 

I know... she is not just mine, but alone this evening it felt like she was all mine.

Pont d'Arcole

(looking to Pont Notre Dame

and Pont au Change)

 

Jardin des Tuilleries -- Sunset

From the plateau of the west end of Jardin des Tuileries, the fading light displays in silhouette some memorable landmarks of Paris.