Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Alesia Metro Station


Sometimes, when I walk down the street in Paris, my eyes get caught by very common things. Hence this metro sign at Alesia in the 14th arrondissement (Alesia is the name of a square and a street and it refers to a famous siege that took place in Burgundy in 52 BC where the Romans won over the Gallic (Les Gaulois). This sign is different from the usual ones and I have been unable to find out why... All I know is that it was opened in 1909.

Put this photo on a card, mug, t-shirt, bag and more here!

33 comments:

  1. Very interesting sign...I've not seen any that look like that...sky is beautiful shade of blue as well.

    And thanks for the link. I learned something. Thanks Teacher Tenin!

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  2. trés sympathique tout ca, il me tarde d'etre sur panam...
    j'ai recu une invitation d'une pote a moi qui joue avec son groupe Pad Brapaud Moujika samedi 23 à 22h a la guinguette pirate sur le quai Francois Mauriac et il faut y aller...
    c'est de la méga bombe...

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  3. Its simplicity is its greatest appeal. Would love to see more metro signs, too.

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  4. Simplistic beauty! Adore this colour combination and the history is so interesting.

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  5. I am embarrased to say that I walked passed that sign many times (on my way to a language school)and never paid any attention to it:-(
    On the upside, I noticed that ever since I joined the DP family (which I affectionately call the DoPers), I've been more aware of my surroundings, always questioning myself "would that make an interesting post?"
    And for that I am forever grateful to Eric, et al.

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  6. Simple design, tall and loud, the sign says it all before the cloud.

    Love the pic, so authentic.
    Thanks Eric ;-)

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  7. Ah, le métro ... people love it, or hate it but few are indifferent to it. It must be part of the mystique of Paris ;)

    I love the sign. If I had to pick 5 "best of" PDP, I'm sure I'd include that picture in the lot. It's beautiful in it's simplicity. I'd love to see a print of that blown up, on a white wall. Beautiful! Almost made me homesick for a few seconds :-)

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  8. (Arrgghhh... new year's resolution for Tomate Farcie: to be able to post without typos!! Don't hold your breath, though...)

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  9. :)
    mm..different signs from those in shanghai.
    i think i like its dim light~~

    jing

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  10. Bientot pour moi, le metro. je serai a Paris du 6 au 12 janvier. J'espere te voir?

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  11. So, for someone on the other side of the world, what does a "usual" sign look like?

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  12. Excellent and simple shot Eric. Like Isabella, I think I've passed this station on the bus several times, but never took notice. Anonymous, I looked through Eric's blog and couldn't find a typical metro station, but here's another unsual one you might want to take a glance at.

    Am off to sunny Florida for some sun therapy this morning. So will check in when I can. For those of you celebrating Christmas, enjoy yourselves and see you all in 2007!

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  13. I really like this but don't know why...I've looked at it about a half-dozen times trying to think of something intelligent to say, but words fail me tonight. It's just classic, clean, and timeless. Thank you, Eric.

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  14. Michael can you tell me simply how to make those links that you do, on comment. SIMPLE instructions please ! i'm no techie. thanks!

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  15. I agree on the simplicity of this sign. I've passed it many times also and as simple as it is, it does draw the eye toward it. Love the colors you captured.
    One of my favorite Metro signs is the one at Abbesses in Montmartre....so "old world" and beautiful.

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  16. Hi Eric!
    I'm just so fascinated with your blog! you guys of dailyphotoblog community are such an inspiration for me!
    I'm thinking seriusly to go on with the madrid-daily photoblog...
    I hope next time see you on my madrid photoblog. While, i have this one with some pics, http://momentosdeundia.blogspot.com
    Au-revoir!

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  17. wonderful lighting....all the way through your composition.

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  18. The Metro signs and stations really are treasures. Maybe you Parisians take them for granted. I, too, love the Abbesses station, one of the original Art Nouveau stations. The floral designs are glazed into the individual bricks before construction. I like the Arts et Metiers station, also, with the Jules Verne submarine motif. The sign in this photo reminds me of the London signs. I think...

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  19. Anonymous and others who want to know and see more about the Parisian Metro, there is a comprehensive article at the US wikipedia site at :

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_metro

    If you scroll down half-way you'll see the turn of the century / art nouveau decor of the Abesses station Jeff is talking about (a classic, photographed by many!!), and the "traditional" metro station for many parisians of my generation is that red sign on top of a lamp post that you'll see a little bit further down if you keep scrolling.

    (I once saw one of these signs on e-bay fetching a few hundred dollars, but that's another story)

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  20. Bondetown said, "...I've looked at it about a half-dozen times trying to think of something intelligent to say" LOL...I can relate! If I waited until I thought of something intelligent to say on these blogs...I'd never comment at all! Mostly I just say whatever dumb thing pops into my head Gets me in trouble sometimes though :O

    Wave to Michael who has probably just landed in Florida! A neighboring state to me. So close but yet so far ;) I'll be heading north soon to the land of cornfields, frigid temperatures and probably some snow (Indiana).

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  21. I love that sign also...it is so funny, but when I return to San Francisco after a trip to Paris, I keep remembering the SMELL of the Metro...I think it is a type of antiseptic or something, but I really like it!! My friends think I'm crazy and laugh as they cannot stand the smell...and I'm...Ohhh Paris...sniff, sniff. Maybe Guerlain could bottle it..."Eau de Metro"...LOL!!

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  22. Eric, it seems many of us are doing night or low-light photography lately. I recommend you visit Kuala Lumpur and Alexandria. I have done some night photos of Central Park and the Cathedral of La Antigua Guatemala lately.

    I like the graphic design quality and the colors of this shot.

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  23. KPGALLant: ROFL!!!!! Eau de Metro, good one!!! Still laughing, here!!! :-D

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  24. I've heard about this selling air business lol what a con! Makes me laugh though. You can also buy soil from places ! How silly.

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  25. Haxo Station: I remember that!!! In fact, I saw one on ebay a couple of years ago. The poor guy only got $1 for it, though. I remember seeing them in the tourist shops years ago, too. I think I'll take a can of air de Paris anytime over a bottle of Eau de Metro!

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  26. This is a wonderful picture. I'd like to steal this sign and put it in my house somewhere!

    Ok guys, bear with me. Today has been such a busy day that I just have to post what I wrote on my LiveJournal:

    "Ok, so let's see...today at work we had our secret santa gift exchange and I got exactly what I wanted, 2 remote gloves for the Wii. Then we went out to lunch at Ryan's for an hour and a half, then our boss shit her pants (literally) when we got back (which was SOOOO funny!) and she stayed at work! I guess she cleaned herself off as best as she could. Oh yeah, and Dawn doesn't have to ship out to Iraq in March because she just found out like 10 minutes ago that she's pregnant!!! That is all."

    I'M SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU!!!

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  27. I like the low-key pastel, but still vivid, blue-orange (or is that purple-yellow?) complimentary color scheme. The overall design looks like pure art deco, with some nice air-brushing. Yeah, the perfect blue/purple—yellow/orange complimentary colors. Eric, you have had some art training, no?

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  28. hmm debatable isn't it. I go for lilac/gold. Shall we vote?

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  29. And was the wine flowing at this lunch too, Soosha? lol!

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  30. Well, Soosha, sounds like you're in a perfect holiday mood with all kinds of good news coming your way. Keep it up and double congratulations to your pregnant friend (once for the baby on the way, and the second time for not having to go to IraQ!)

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  31. Let me clarify what I was trying to say above.

    Blue and orange are complimentary colors, which is to say that they are found on opposite sides of a color wheel.

    Purple and yellow are complimentary (opposite) colors.

    Blue/purple and orange/yellow are complimentary colors.

    To attribute to the two basic hues in the photo the appellations of "lilac" and "gold" is elegant and literary but it distracts from what I was trying to convey as to one reason for the impact of the photo—the sky and sign are perfect opposites in hue.

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  32. Splendid picture! Have a happy holidays.

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