Un petit garçon en rouge

Just before walking into the Basilique de Notre-Dame des Victoires,

I sensed a movement out of the corner of my eye. 

Looking up to the left in this premier étage window,

I saw this little child actually licking the window. 

By the time I could swing my lens his way,

he was looking wistfully down at the street

to the older children in the Place des Petits-Pères. 

The church façade is reflected in the large windows.

Basilique Notre-Dame des Victoires

6, rue Notre-Dame des Victoires

(Rue de Banque et Rue des Petits-Pères)

Place des Petits-Pères

75002 Paris

Place de la Contrescarpe

With all the active fountains in January,

I wonder how many are flowing in the frigid temperatures of February.

The bright winter sun illuminated the fountain in Place de la Contrescarpe,

offset by a background of rouge.

Place de la Contrescarpe

75005 Paris



Room with a view...

Our apartment in Paris last month had this lovely view from the tall kitchen window. 

The lace curtain filtered the early morning sun on the Haussmanian building

across Rue la Feuillades from our apartment. 

Having un café et un croissant while admiring this view,

we almost felt like Parisiennes.

Rue la Feuillades

75002 Paris



L'amour dans le jardin

In the center of  Jardin du Palais Royal is a bench. 

Except in freezing weather or during a rainstorm,

you will likely see a couple clenched in an embrace,

nothing too racy, but l'amour à Paris.

May you give a hug today and receive one in turn.

----------------------------

I have a treat for you...

a tray of Valentine cookies made to share (virtually) with my blog readers. 

Who will bring the Champagne?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Jardin du Palais Royal
75001 Paris

Mobile in South Alabama, USA

Saint-Valentin?

Seen in a shop window in the Marais,

this would make a great dress for a Valentine's Day party.

It will be a bit too much for my Valentine's Day plans!

Do you have anything special planned for tomorrow,

 and do you give a Valentine or two?

Do you remember passing out Valentines to classmates,

maybe even decorating a box for yours?

Une vitrine en rouge

75004 Paris



Église St. Gervais et St. Protais

With a storied history of musicians and composers, this Gothic church is filled with light.  

 The bright January sun doubled the beauty of this stained glass window.

bon dimanche 

Église St. Gervais et St. Protais
Place Saint Gervais
75004 Paris

Souvenirs?

One of my favorite markets is at Place d'Aligre, a daily market about which I have posted many times.  On a recent Sunday I spied two large boxes with an assortment of plastic toys and trinkets. In looking at the photos I took, it seems that I might have wanted a single souvenir to perch at home among my little collection of Pez dispensers.  I would not have wanted a dozen but just one, the right one, of course.

Certainly, I have bought my share of Paris souvenirs and have towels, hats, aprons from many cities around the world, but in recent years have been most happy with small little remembrances:  an old key bought from a Paris friend in the Marais, an antique handkerchief with a hand-embroidered initial for my husband, fêves (bien sûr), old post cards and photographs, a Champagne glass, a grocery tote from the Monoprix, second-hand children's books, etc.

What about you? 

Not counting edible items (macarons, fromage, baguettes), what do you buy as a reminder of your trip to Paris or any other place in the world, near or far?

Marché d'Aligre
Place d'Aligre
Métro Ledru-Rollin
75012 Paris

Au Panetier - boulangerie de tradition

Au Panetier

On each trip to Paris, my "check list" includes two new boulangeries/pâtisseries.  Sometimes I have a specific name (Moulin de la Vierge) but often I just stumble into one. 

Au Panetier has been in the same place on places des Petits-Pères facing Basilique Notre-Dame-des-Victoires since 1896.  The prices were extraordinarily inexpensive for 2 cafés and 2 pains au chocolat, enjoyed in the ambiance of the Art Nouveau surroundings.  In the fifteen minutes we were here (on the first day) there was a revolving line of people making their selections.  The extra treat is that this was just around the corner from our apartment!  While you are there you can pick up a sourdough baguette hot from the wood-fired oven to take with you.

I just wished for a small taste of pain au chocolat this morning and un café served in a Cafés Richard cup.  I hope that my friend Mary will enjoy one for all of us today!

bon weekend!

For more reflections go to James' Weekend Reflections

Au Panetier
10, places des Petits-Pères
75002 Paris

(I ignored the "no photos" sign, okay?)

Un landau

Un landau - a pram - a baby carriage - une voiture d'enfant

With the challenges of the Métro, busses, and steps in Paris, how do you manage to stroll your bébé in this fine carriage?  Holly has a very old one and I can vouch that they are as heavy as a car and bigger than some I have seen in Paris! 

This one sits in the foyer of a building and is only one step up from the street.  I have watched young mothers with two little children, three bags of groceries, and a portable stroller struggle in the Métro so I am assuming that this large model would only be for a jaunt to a nearby park or garden. 

I posted one here in which the grandmère strolled the little Parisienne princess in Jardins du Ranelagh (near Musée Marmottan).  The petite baby must have lived in the neighborhood.

Un landau

75001, Paris



Palais Royal

As one walks out of the north end of the Jardin du Palais Royal,

this cavalcade of columns presents a maze of light and shadows

marking the exit from the quiet garden onto the streets of Paris.

Palais Royal

75001 Paris

Cimetière du Montparnasse

Gone, but not forgotten by family and friends.

Cimetière du Montparnasse
75014, Paris

Expédition Polaire!

I saw the above billboard in a Métro stop during my November visit and quickly snapped a (poor) shot before the doors closed.  I even knew the station location but the billboard had been replaced before I could return for a better photo.

In January, Holly pointed it out on the side of a bus pulling away from the curb and I hastily "clicked."  If you have ever seen the fountains of Versailles you would understand the amazement of the snow and ice on this scene.  The Apollo fountain depicts Apollo the conqueror on his chariot pulled by four horses representing force and ardour.  He is getting out of the water among sea monsters to enlighten the Earth as he represents the rising Sun.  In Versailles all the statues of Apollo represent Louis XIV, the sun king.

This is the Apollo Fountain on a July day many years ago for contrast

To my Paris friends, take many snow photos to share with me. 

Wish I was there to see the snow again

 and would just die to see the Apollo Fountain in snow and ice!

Le Château de Versailles
78000 Versailles, France

Église Saint-Ephrem Le-Syriaque

This is as close as I could get to Église Saint-Ephren Le-Syriaque and had to shoot from behind the iron gates.

As you can see from the poster this church is often filled with music and is known for its classical concerts.  According to the signs, there is a regular Mass on Sundays.  The first church edifice was built here in 1334, the second in 1685, and the one standing on the site today is the third built in 1733.

Here is a link to the concert schedule for 2012.

bon dimanche

Église Saint-Ephrem Le-Syriaque

15, rue des Carmes

75005, Paris



Oskar at Longchamp

The shopping in Paris is "the cat's meow"

and Oskar enjoyed visiting the Longchamp boutique before he returned to the USA.

(Oskar is my travel kitty, given life by brattcat

and named for our first Paris apartment cat

and LaPouyette's Oskar who is recovering from an accident.)

   

French girl - reflecting

Sitting in the window of Fauchon on Place de la Madeleine,

this young woman was reviewing her journal,

perhaps waiting on a friend, reflecting in the winter Paris sun.

Definitely a French girl

bon weekend

(for more reflections see James' Weekend Reflections)

Fauchon

30, place de la Madeleine

75008, Paris

La Chandeleur -- le jour des crêpes

For this crêpe maker, every day is le jour des crêpes.

The Catholic feast day, La Chandeleur, celebrates the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple 40 days after Christmas, on February 2nd.  It is also referred to as "Candlemas" or Candle Mass for the blessing of beeswax candles used in the church all during the year.

In France the day is celebrated with crêpes which must be eaten only after 8:00pm.  If the cook can flip a crêpe while holding a coin in the other hand, the family is guaranteed a prosperous year.  The many rituals and superstitions surrounding this date include the Groundhog Day test of whether or not the little animal sees his shadow.

We always have crêpes (if I am not traveling), and Holly goes out for her crêpes with friends.  I think that my photo is going to give you two days of feasts in one as Sunday (February 5) is World Nutella Day!  I think that I will have my crêpes with bananas, Nutella, ice cream, and a little dollop of Chantilly cream.  It is after all a feast! 

Will you have savory or sweet crêpes?

Rue Mouffetard

75005, Paris 

Bistrot Victoires avec mes amis

In our first hours in Paris, Holly and I met friends Peter,

Mary, and Virginia at Bistrot Victoires.

We plied our travel-weary selves with delicious tartines and Champagne.

As you can see from the menu, the tartines are made with Poilâne bread. 

It was delicious enough that Holly and I came back

later in the week with sweet friend, Isabelle.

They did not seem to mind the crazy people with cameras

snapping every corner, zinc bar, and cranny!

Bistrot Victoires

6, rue la Vrillière

75001, Paris

Une fontaine de larmes

In the warming light of a January afternoon,

this young woman was alone with her thoughts.

 

Jardin du Palais Royal

75001 Paris

Sempé at Hôtel de Ville

The Sempé retrospective exhibition runs through March 31st at Hôtel de Ville.  It is free and photos are permitted!  Mary (Mad about Paris), Virginia (Paris Through My Lens), Peter (Peter's Paris), my daughter Holly and I all enjoyed the more than 300 original drawings.  The soft light of the chandelier seen here is one of several projections on the walls of the exhibit hall.

If you have not been, there is still time.  It is not to be missed!

Hôtel de Ville

Salle Saint Jean

5, rue Lobeau

75004 Paris



Look to the sky

  Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont

bon dimanche

Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont

1 place Ste-Geneviève

75005, Paris

Les toits de Passy

The roofs, the shutters, the chimneys...

transformed by the magical afternoon light of winter

Rue de l'Annonciation

75016 Paris

When pigs fly...

When pigs fly, as these surely plan to do, are they circumnavigating the globe?

I was not sure of the interpretation but found this window amusing.

Rue Vivienne

75002, Paris

The commute

When I saw him coming in my direction,

I knew that I would only get one shot... He was FLYING!

So, would a Parisian say this is a scooter, a trottinette, or something else?

Il va travailler à trottinette?

Rue Saint Louis en l'Ile
Ile Saint Louis
75004, Paris

Photo shoot or wedding?

I wish that I had spared the time to hang around and solve this mystery.

What are they doing?  Is it a photographer and an artistic statement or a wedding shot?

Thoughts?

Passage Boiton
75013, Paris

Scouts Guides de France

As I headed out on a Sunday morning in November, I encountered a group of scouts selling Calendrier 2012.  After a long busy day with my camera, I encountered another group of the Scouts Guides de France wrapping up their day of calendar sales.  

The one I bought sits in my office

and reminds me of this group of enthusiastic young people.

(Joyeux anniversaire, Nanette!)

Boulevard Saint-Germain
75005 Paris

Les trois chevaux

The expressions on these carousel horses remind me that it is Monday. 

The two horses on the right may have a tough week ahead.

What about you?

Je vous souhaite une bonne semaine!

Carrousel Venitien
Place Saint-Pierre
Montmartre
75018 Paris

Église Notre Dame de Lorette II

Rich colors adorn every corner of this large church, much like a museum.

I would like to return for a concert on the Cavaille-Coll organ,

 and to see if there are any mistresses in attendance.

Bon dimanche 

Église Notre Dame de Lorette

18, bis rue de Chateaudun

75009 Paris

La Petite Rose

Days of wine and roses? 

Well, actually, it was a bottle of water and a single rose,

but the lighting in the salon de thé was enchanting.

La Petite Rose
11, boulevard de Courcelles
Métro Villiers
75008 Paris

Le Verger d'Aligre

Le Verger d'Aligre is a little shop within the covered market of Marché d'Aligre.

My camera loved the bright colors of nature found here. 

The constant line of people attest to its popularity and good produce.

Le Verger d'Aligre
Marché d'Aligre
75012, Paris

Le Pain au Naturel

On a Sunday morning, the lines for the most popular bread items are set on a table in front of Le Pain au Naturel.  Just ten minutes later the storefront was obscured with people in two lines, one leading into the store and one on the sidewalk for these delicious loaves and baguettes.  

If you ever find yourself alone in Paris, a street market is a great place to sit in a café and watch the Parisians enjoying la vie quotidienne. 

Le Pain au Naturel
5, place d'Aligre
75012 Paris