My soup - posts tagged '01st'

Pont Neuf ornaments

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:00:05 GMT

Cool, isn't? I took this photo on the Pont Neuf (Paris experts will have recognized the stunning Henri the IVth statue in the background) yesterday, on my way to the left bank. I searched the Web and apparently these candelabres (street lamps) were installed by Victor Baltard in 1854. They show sea gods and dolphins. Beautiful...

Pure beauty!

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:01:45 GMT

Thanks a million for all your birthday messages yesterday, I did not have the time to comment yet (I had a very busy Saturday!) but I will tomorrow. Last evening I passed by the Art Club gallery near the Louvre and saw this stunning sculpture. I thought it was perfect for a peaceful Sunday...

Fancy sales

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:00:01 GMT

It's the winter sales again and like every year there are many interesting windows to photograph. I found this one at Conforama (a department store dedicated to house equipment), on the river banks, near the Pont neuf and quite liked it. Of course, this year, due to our economical problems, I doubt the sales will be very successful, but it won't prevent me from photographing them - at least this is free!

Place de la Concorde

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:00:00 GMT

The big Ferris wheel will also disappear soon and since I passed by it yesterday evening, I thought I'd photograph it... I don't know how I managed, but the thing is that the blurry effect only affects the Ferris wheel and its surrounding and not the Obelisque! Sometimes you just get lucky ;-)

From the Alexander III bridge

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:00:05 GMT

Yesterday I watched an excellent documentary about the guys who created tow of the most famous car brands in France: Louis Renault and André Citroën (watch it in catch up TV if you can in your country). Not only was the story interesting (especially for us French), but on top of that you could see some footage from the beginning of the century (the last one!). They even showed the inauguration of the Alexander III bridge at the time of the 1900 world exhibition, when the economy of France - and of the Western world in general - was really booming. One of the most fascinating aspects of this bridge, was that it was fully lit by stunning art deco street lamp. One of which you can see in this photo that I took early in the morning....

Taxi lane, really?

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:02:00 GMT

Here is an unusual photo for today... I took it near le Louvre, a couple of days ago, while these two gendarmes (gendarmes are actually police who belong to the army, if I'm not mistaken) were going back to their barracks. I thought it's funny to see that even nowadays taxis have to share their lane with horses! Have a nice Friday everyone!

Another sunset over Paris...

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:31:23 GMT

I've had a hard day I deserve to go to bed early like the sun did over Paris yesterday... I'm not sure what the bridge in the background is - probably the Pont aux Changes. The road on the right is a sort of highway that crosses Paris from the west to the east; the Paris mayor wants to close it by the end of his "reign". Car owners disagree, pedestrians love the idea...

Winter in one month, really?

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:45:29 GMT

I can hear you from here: "I wish so much I'd be in this guy's shoes right now..." I bet you would LOL. Not only is he enjoying a nice baguette sandwich (OK, I'm making up the baguette part...), but on top of that, it's almost like spring in Paris at the moment. Today is November 24 and the forecast says it'll be 14°c (57° F) in the afternoon (+5° compare to a "normal" November)! A-ma-zing! I took this photo near Notre Dame BTW, where they are currently installing the big Christmas tree - which I will show you eventually of course ;-) BTW(2) Happy Thanksgiving to all my American visitors - Go easy on the Turkey LOL!

On high horses...

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:02:00 GMT

If you visited Paris, here is a scene that will probably remind you of something. It shows La Samaritaine in the background - a department store that was named after a water pump located right by the Pont Neuf - and the statue of King Henri the IVth (of France, not Henry the IVth of England), a king that all French pupils remember for he is said to have made sure that all French households would eat at least a chicken a week (there was no KFC at that time LOL). The Samaritaine is currently closed and is being turned into a hotel and shops, which is a shame because from the rooftop you could enjoy one of the most beautiful views in Paris.

Sunset on the Ponts des Arts

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:00:01 GMT

The light was really beautiful when I passed Le Pont de Arts towards 4 o'clock this afternoon and I could not help, but stopping and taking a photo. It's an easy picture I know, but who cares! FYI le Pont des arts (the original one) was completed in 1804 and it was the first metal bridge in Paris. There was a toll to cross it originally, but I don't know when they stopped it (it would be very odd today if we had to pay to cross the river...). It has been totally renovated between 1981 and 1984 after a péniche hit it.

Mélodie & Nicolas!

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 23:02:00 GMT

I took this photo in front of La Comédie Française, a theater which facade they are currently redoing. On this facade someone wrote Mélodie & Nicolas (probably the names of two lovers who wanted claim their love to the world ;-)), but hen I took the photo, I caught these two kids on the my "film". It's very unlikely that they are called Mélodie & Nicolas, but I think it makes a real cool photo.

A drink by the Palais Royal

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:07:00 GMT

If you came to Paris, you probably went to the Palais Royal (Royal Palace), and you probably had a drink at this café called Le Nemours, right by the entrance of the Palace (facing the Place Colette, from where I took this photo) . It's a very nice location to sit and watch the people go by, as I did this morning while I was having breakfast (actually it looks empty in this photo because I took it very early, but it's generally very busy!).

Eglise Saint Roch

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:08:00 GMT

It's been a while since I've shown you a Paris Church... So here is Saint Roch, a beautiful church located at rue Saint Honoré. It was built between 1653 and 1722, it's one of the largest ones in Paris (even though it is hard to tell as it is surrounded with buildings) and it is known for being "the home of the artists" as many of them are buried there. It's also the place where Marquis de Sade got married, I just saw in Wikipedia!).

Pont des arts padlocks

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:02:00 GMT

I passed by the Pont des arts today on my way to La cité de la mode (I'll show you why later) and every time I go there, I'm amazed by the increasing number of padlocks that lovers from all over the world attach to the grids. I read that the Paris Town hall is not too happy about it, but that there is not much they can do - especially with the large padlocks! As you can see from the way people are dressed, it was pretty chilly today - but not as cold as I expected.

Tous au restaurant!

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 22:03:00 GMT

Interesting initiative that a lot of French restaurants have taken once again this year: between the 19th and today (September 25) you can go to a selected number of restaurants with your other half (or just anyone actually!) and pay only one meal instead of two! It's called "Tous au restaurant" (everyone should go to the restaurant) and it works in more than 1000 restaurants throughout France, including some haute cuisine ones, like Le Carré des Feuillants or la Maison de la truffe for instance... Check for yourself on the website!

Toyota takes over the Louvre!

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:04:00 GMT

Funny scene I came across this morning at rue de l'Amiral de Coligny (the one that leads to the PDP picnic location!) right by the Louvre; no less than 157 little Yaris Toyota exposed to the public. I don't know exactly what they planned to do with them though. Give them away after a giant sweepstakes?! Maybe I should have stayed! PS: this is NOT a sponsored post! There are NO sponsored posts on PDP!

The sun has returned

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 22:03:00 GMT

Let's start the week with a classic view, a bateau mouche under the Pont Neuf. Not very original, but always enjoyable. I took this photo around 8 pm, while the sun was on its way to the US! As you can see it's been a beautiful day today - very hot too. Have a nice Monday everyone, wherever you are in the world.

Summer dawn in Paris

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:02:00 GMT

Peaceful, lovely, charming... No need to pick one of these adjectives, they all apply. Like you can see the sun has returned over Paris and it helps shooting beautiful photos (easy ones too, I agree!). I won't add much except that the first brigdge you can see is Le pont des arts and that it is rare when the Seine is that calm. Simply gorgeous!

Ferris Wheel at dusk

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 22:01:00 GMT

It's a classic, but it's still nice to see, especially at dusk. During the summer time, this Ferris Wheel is part of a small amusement park located in the Tuileries gardens, on the Louvre side of rue de Rivoli. I went on it once (in the winter time, when it faces the Champs Elysées) - I don't know if you remember, I already mentioned it here - but I suffered from a terrible vertigo and did not enjoy it, at all! We're still on a long weekend here (Monday is the 15th of August, a day where the Catholics celebrate Vrigin Mary), so let me tell you, Paris is very very calm right now!

Sunny break at the pyramid

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:04:00 GMT

Hurrah, it's been at least 2 days in a row that the sun has been shining in Paris! Not for long, tough, when you read these lines, the rain will have returned ;-( Anyway, here is a view of today, from the inside of the Louvre Pyramid, a glass an metal pyramid located in the middle of the main courtyard of the Louvre Palace. Very controversial in its times, this very modern structure is now extremely popular and was even duplicated in other places, like the Museum of Science and industry in Chicago. A definite must see if you come to Paris...

More rain

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:06:00 GMT

I swear, I took this photo yesterday (Wednesday, on the Pont Royal, the one that leads to the Louvre) and not last November LOL! Not that I complain , I actually like the blurry effect of the drops on the lens ;-) Besides I have a lot of work on my plate, so I don't care too much about the weather... Anyway, just FYi Paris Plage opens today, I don't think it'll be too crowded ;-) I just feel really sorry for the tourists (I hear museums are full...).

Love!

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 22:10:00 GMT

I'm not in Paris today, but I know the sun sun is shining. And I know that there must be plenty of lovers by the Seine... Now tell me you would not like to be in their shoes! See here the next episode...

Cour Carrée du Louvre

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:03:00 GMT

Sorry, I've had a terrible day today and no time to go out and take a photo (nor to file the ones I took of the white dinner party, needless to say!). So in the meantime here is one the the Cour Carrée du Louvre, that I took when it was beginning to get dark. Sorry, no time to complete my caption with historic facts, now I have to rush out...

White dinner 2011

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 22:01:01 GMT

Here we go again! Like every year I found myself at the white dinner party (le dîner en blanc) last evening. Or should I say white dinnerS, as, for the first time, there were two; one in the square courtyard of the Louvre (la cour carrée du Louvre) and the other one at Notre Dame. I took a lot of photos, but I won't have time to select them before this weekend, so be patient! In the meantime, here is a pretty unexpected one: a chef (dressed in white, bien sûr...) cooking in front of Notre Dame ;-).

Sunset on Pont des Arts

Mon, 30 May 2011 22:07:00 GMT

No need to be a mind reader to know that you will probably love this photo ;-) It's actually another shot I took during the picnic - which, just for the records took place between the Pont Neuf and the Pont des Arts (precisely in this photo), a pedestrian bridge that was built at the beginning of the 19th century. I took it at 9 pm, just when the sun was going to bed...

It's a Seine world, after all!

Mon, 02 May 2011 22:06:00 GMT

Whereas the world has been preoccupied with recent events in Pakistan, this couple has other things on their mind... What could be more important in life than spending an afternoon with a loved one along the Seine?Let's leave it at that ;-)

April in Paris...

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:04:00 GMT

The weather is amazingly hot at the moment in Paris, especially for mid April (+9° centigrade - 48 Fahrenheit - compared to an average month of April!). Terraces are packed at lunch time and people have started invading public fountains. Hence what I saw today at Le Louvre, where it was so hot that people were using the ponds around the pyramid as pools! Looks like summer, really (not that I complain...). I really hope it will remain like this until the PDP picnic!

Inspiring moment

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:02:00 GMT

A few days ago, I was lucky enough to have been invited to "un aperitif" by Genie, an American citizen from Mobile, Alabama, who fell in love with Paris a long time ago and blogs about it whenever she comes here. I had a very nice time, with delightful people (I even ran into Julie from Sydney-Eye, that I met in Sydney 2 years ago (isn't the City Daily Photo family fun?!)) and took the opportunity of being near the Saint Roch church to take this photo. Stunning painting.

A tribute to the land down under

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 23:04:00 GMT

The Seine is overflowing at the moment (there are benches near the trees normally , I already told you before Christmas, but compared to the terrible images I saw today about Australia and the region of Brisbane in particular (see this video) it's really nothing. I exchanged emails with people who have family over there today and they really seemed devastated, so since I have a fair amount of visitors from "the land down under" I thought I pay my tribute to them by posting this photo.

Rain

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:05:00 GMT

It's raining a lot in Paris these days and since it's pretty "warm" (10°) there is no risk of ice, nor snow. FYI, like I already mentioned here once I think, it rains on average 171 days per year in Paris (including16 days of heavy rain), that is roughly once every other day... I took this photo from a balcony, where they still have Xmas decorations on. I kinda liked the two little figures in the background of this photo ;-) Have a nice week everyone, whether it's going to be raining, snowing, blowing, shining... in your area ;-)

Meeting at Place Vendôme

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:03:00 GMT

For my first real trip outside after my flu, I was lucky! I had a meeting at Place Vendôme in the 1st arrondissement. A really nice location, especially since the Christmas lights (the little yellow spots you can see in the background) are still on. I took several photos, but I chose to post this one which includes the nice window railing of this 18 century building I was in... Like I said, I was lucky!

French Cuisine at Unesco!

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:08:00 GMT

You probably noticed it if you came to France, food plays a really large role in our culture. Everyone knows how to cook - at least a little - and when you go to any restaurant you expect the food to be good! Of course things have changed (a lot of restaurants use ready made dishes now), but the demand for quality is still there. So I guess it's no that surprising that, as you may have heard, Unesco officials just declared “French cuisine” as part of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity" (read more on the NYT)! It's probably a little far fetched, but it's good for our nation self esteem. And to illustrated this, here are some zucchini roulés. What's good, must also look good ;-)

Pavillon de Flore

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:03:00 GMT

The light was really wonderful last evening (well around 4:30 pm), when I came back home - and so was the sky. You know me: I stopped right in the middle of the street and took a photo ;-) This is Le Pavillon de Flore by the way, it's part of the Le Louvre and it was before part of the Tuileries Palace (its construction began in 1595). Really beautiful.

Classic view

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:06:00 GMT

It's been a while since I've shown you a classic Paris view, so here is one... I took it from the inside of Le Jardin des Tuileries, facing the Place de la Concorde. This statue was made by Antoine Coysevox in 1699, it shows Mercury on Pegasus. And let me disclose a little secret: this one is only a cast; the real one is in Le Louvre...

Last sunny days...

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:05:00 GMT

In Paris we have no sea, but we have ponds! And nice quiet areas around them to get some rest in the middle of the afternoon. I happened to be passing at Les Tuileries Garden today and took these photos (yes, for once, I'm breaking the holy rule of CDP and posted two photos, because I like both of them). FYI, these was a clay quarry for tiles there before a Palace and an Italian style garden were built by Catherine de Médicis at this location around 1560. It was opened to the public in 1667, and became a public park after the French Revolution in 1789.

Japonese Tourists

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 22:07:29 GMT

I often heard Americans "worrying" that Parisians may spot them right away because of their sneakers, caps, white socks... you name it. As if it mattered... Anyway. I thought of that when I saw these Japonese tourists at the Louvre the other day. No Parisians would ever consider using an umbrella to protect himself from the sun! Sunny days are much too scarce in Paris, we surely don't want to miss a single ray, when the sun is shining LOL!

The Mask!

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:03:00 GMT

I don't know if you remember, but I already showed you one of these masks last October and I know some of you find them scary, but I can't help being captivated by them. Unlike "simple" graffiti, they are strongly glued to walls, facades or, in the present case bridge (I took this photograph at Le Pont du Louvre). Like I already explained, they represent the face of Gregos, the artist who makes - and glue - them!

Soaking in culture!

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:04:00 GMT

I passed by the Louvre today and it was really hot - I'm talking hot!. The tourists are suffering too, so they found a nice way of admiring the Louvre and its pyramid, while refreshing themselves a little... I found it was cool - and I'm surprised they let them do that as a sign makes it clear that jumping into the water is strictly prohibited. As for me, I'll wait for Paris Plage which is due to open today (Tuesday 20th of July)!!

Sailing...

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:06:56 GMT

You may think that since there is no sea in Paris, it is difficult to sail... Well, it's not true! There are about 10 recreation centers around Paris where you can enjoy sailing, windsurfing, kayaking... One of them (located in Choisy-le-Roy) is only about 15 minutes away from the center of Paris (check the list - in French only - here). Of course, I did not not take this photo there... But at the Tuileries gardens, where they also offer sailing... but with toy boats that they rent by the hour (for 4 euros)! God did I love that when I was a child LOL!

White Balloons

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:15:13 GMT

What is this lady doing with these balloons in the middle of the bushes?! Sorry, I'm too tired right now to tell you the whole story... You will have to wait until tomorrow to find out! I know the suspense is probably unbearable (LOL) but that is the way it is. You can take a guess in the meantime...