I know you've been asking me for a snowy photo of the Eiffel Tower but last time I passed by it (two days ago) I swear I did not see a single flake of snow on it!! To make up for it, here is Le lion de Belfort, a famous sculpture located at Place Denfert-Rocherau, by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi whose workshop was located not far from there. Bartholdi is also the one who made La Statue de la Liberté... This lion is called the "Lion de Belfort" because it's a replica of the original one, located in the city of Belfort in the east of France. If you don't see the snow on it very well it's because of the particular light that we have at the moment in Paris (it's about 20 degrees Fahrenheit here, which is unusually cold). For a broader view, click here.
I'd be lyon to you if I didn't say that it's freezing cold here right now! A great photo Eric, but frankly, he looks a lot warmer than I do! Seems like you'll have plenty of opportunities to post more "ice sculptures" in the coming days as the temps aren't rising any time soon!
ReplyDeleteThat dusting really brings out the contours of the sculpture, and could almost be mistaken for sunlight.
ReplyDeleteI was in Europe about a dozen years ago, and there was a very hard storm over the holidays. I seem to recall hearing that Paris lost hundreds of trees in that one.
I can really see the snow after enlarging the photo. I especially love the way you cropped it. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteMan up, Michael! You've been complaining about the cold all over the internet. I'm beginning to think you were raised in Florida. ;^)
USelaine you hit the nail on the head. The snow really does look like sunlight in the smaller picture.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully...done.
ReplyDeleteIt's very attractive and a little scaring too, isn't it?!
Bartholdi is loved here in the US because of Lady Liberty
ReplyDeletehere is link about him on wikipedia (sorry, I don't know how to do the cool clickable links)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Bartholdi
That is my 'hood in Paris! I can even pronounce it badly--Don fair Rosher row!!!! I was given a lesson in pronouncement after hurting way too many ears.OK, I still kill the language.
ReplyDeleteRue Daguerre is right there and is a non touristy food street, not to mention the Catacombs right under the Lion.
Get thee to Lux. gardens, Eric for another great snowy picture, or will you be at the sales tomorrow???I know I will be at them Thursday!!
Lovely photo, Eric. I know this lion and you've made him look even more elegant than usual. Sorry you're so cold!
ReplyDeleteLois -- I'm a loyal native New Yorker who loves Bartholdi too. (BTW, Tall Gary taught me how to make a link, and I'm going to contact you via Facebook and pass on the lesson.)
Snowy lion! Very cool photo, Eric. I must say one of my favorites, even if it does have snow in it!! :)
ReplyDeleteThe sales??? Please do tell more! That is a phrase that I do so love!
Forgot to say -- Woo-hoo, Michael, you're GF!
ReplyDeleteWay to go Michael! (I guess you were coldly calculating how to get GF today!) ; }
ReplyDeleteI just learned that the neighborhood got its name when the square was named after a resistance fighter in the Franco-Prussian war named Denfert, but it was a cognate of the square's prior name - the Place de l'enfer! How it got that colorful name in the first place, I would love to learn!!
Eric, the photo is wonderful and the lion is menacing. I wish I were there to sit in his sh- sh- shadow and sh- sh- shiver.
20 degrees F is F-ing cold! This may be one time I'm actually glad not to be in Paris. But I love the picture, and USElaine put the snow-light into words so well.
ReplyDeleteSuzy, you made me laugh!
Thanks, Eric, I love this one.
congrats Michael on GF!
ReplyDeleteChristy:You need to arm yourself with a dirty look for the sales, as all the other little piggies will be there for the 2wice a yr. bargain hunt. Best to snag something of value as they put out a lot of junk.
Le Figero even gives a guide to the best of the sales.
Eric, this is lovely. The dusting of snow on this statue is just perfect. We saw a flurry when I was there in NOvember. We were in the Louvre and I tried to capture it out of the window, but NON! It didn't show up. Glad you all have had some wonderful photo ops with snow in the most perfect place to show it off!
ReplyDeleteV
Mercy Alexa, I'll check Facebook. La Statue de la Liberté is respected by all New Yorkers. The love they have for this statue really was obvious during her restoration.
ReplyDeleteThese black and white snow photos are excellent. The statue from January 3rd is among my all time PDP favorites. For the lion, I prefer the small version because one cannot tell where it is located, which adds mystery.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful capture...quite regal looking. The snow offers some nice texture and the shadows fall nicely on the face of de le lion. I echo Lois and Alexa's Bartholdi's comments.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Miguel!
How fortuitous that between the time of taking the shot of the "broader view" and posting the nicely cropped version a small snow flurry (I think that is spelled "photoshop" in French) obscured some pesky streetlights that were rudely imposing themselves on the scene. Way to go snow flurry.
ReplyDeletePHX-CDGH jostled some memory neurons. Not only is the entrance to the catacombs nigh but there is a square facing le roi des bêtes named for an architect of note: Claude Nicolas Ledoux.
I know this lion! We go through Place Denfert-Rochereau sometimes to get to our hotel in the 13th -- perhaps we'll pass you, Eric, one of these days/years.
ReplyDeleteRight now, on the west coast of Canada, we're embracing the rain and hoping it will wash away the several feet of snow and the accompanying cold that we've had for several weeks. One day, I'd love to spend part of this season in Paris which we've so far only seen in May or June. Meanwhile, I'll let you show me wintry Paris.
Love how the snow creates a "fur" texture on the lion's coat. This shot reminds me of b&w movies. Sorry it's so cold there. This winter has been usually stormy and unpredictable in several parts of the world.
ReplyDeleteYour work is the reason I started my blog and pictures like this inspire me to keep going. Love it.
ReplyDelete'f I were king of the forreeessst,
ReplyDeleteNot prince, not duke, not earl.
Best I could do this late. Hope everyone is cozy. And, hey: 20 F sounds just fine to me right now!
Yes Jeff, I often think of you when I'm complaining of the polar temps here. How DO you guys who live through this every year put up with it?
ReplyDeletePHX! The Sales! Please avoid the big stores this year. How long will you be in Paris this time?
Well it has been in the low forties in SF...and we have been shivering. It has been a long time since I have experienced 20 degree F; wonder if I could handle it. It was 35 degrees when I was in Tahoe in October and that was COLD. I do love the Lion de Belfort and I must tell you that the only way to see Lady Liberty is from the deck of the Staten Island Ferry. Once you have done it you will never forget it!!
ReplyDeleteBy the way...did anyone get the "bean" in their slice of Galette today??? Or will the GF be enough of a crown?? ;-)
Thanks to Lois' link I just checked out the Lion of Belfort.
ReplyDeleteAs regal as Bartholdi's Paris lion is, if their respective roars were compared I'm afraid the Paris lion's roar would come off as little more than a kitten's mewling.
"Whose your daddy?" asks the monumental Lion of Belfort.
Tonton...you're right, galette season has started! I love it and collect the feves, so maybe this will be crown enough for the GF of the day (covered in snow of course!).
ReplyDeleteI've just come back from staying with friends at Denfert-Rocherau :)
ReplyDeleteEric,
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw photos of the snow in Paris on the U.S. CNN this morning, I was hoping that you would show such a photo on your site, and you did not disappoint.
I was in Paris for a week at New Year's in 2002-03 and we had snow. I have photos in my office of the Pantheon obscured by a blizzard, snow clinging to metro signs and snow covering some statues in a park near the Musee de Cluny. The hotel desk clerk told us it was the first snow since he had moved to Paris 12 years earlier.
The only drawback was that they closed Charles de Gaulle airport for the day because they do not have snow removal equipment at the airport, and the next day it took us 44 hours to travel from our hotel in Paris to our home in Arizona, USA.
Bon Appetit Michael!! I know there are two different types of Galette des Rois..one with frangipane and one with a confit of fruits. I was quite surprised to see them both at my SF "boulange"...yet I didn't get one. I'm still recovering from their incredible Buche de Noel. Perhaps I'll go back this weekend to get one. Hope you get la fève! We will need to add our own here I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteBlown up, it has just the right amount of snow on it. Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI've saluted USElaine on my blog today. Come on by.
ReplyDeleteI like your snow-covered crown today Michael! I can just see you enjoying your new status, lion around being fed grapes and waited upon, just enjoy it, that's the mane thing.
ReplyDeleteEric I forgive you for missing the ET snow. This is lovely. We still have the snow here in the UK, it came down worst in Gloucestershire, where I am. We were forecast -11 in the end last night but think it reached -9. Brr.
This is really interesting. I just read an excellent book, Metro Stop Paris by Gregor Dallas, in whose first chapter on Denfert-Rocherau, the Lion de Belfort is mentioned (and Carrie, this is what you want to read for an answer to your question). Then, a week later, I read about the lion again in an old issue of le Guide du routard. Prior to this I was not aware of the lion. And now a picture of it on PDP! Serendipity, I guess.
ReplyDeleteIn Belfort the lion is facing westwards, on account of the French having lost to the Germans in 1871. It's turning its back on Prussia. I wonder if the lion in Place Denfert-Rocherau is also facing west.
Wow, TG, that's some big cat!!! Thanks for the book info Luggi.
ReplyDeleteMichael - new crown, new photo, eh? ; )
ReplyDeleteMichael's trying to heat up the place with a red hot photo! I hope it works.
ReplyDeleteLuggi that is interesting - about the lion facing westward. Symbolism is everything.
Petrea, what a lovely and deserving tribute to USElaine! I don't have time (stop laughing) to visit all the DP blogs, so when one is pointed out, I appreciate it.
Anyone else having trouble posting tonight? Blogger won't let me, throwing error messages all over the place.
ReplyDeleteAfter mid-ni-ight, we gonna let it all hang dooooowwwwnnnn...
ReplyDeleteAfter mid-ni-ight, we gonna let it all hang doooowwwwnnn.
ReplyDelete(Apologies to John Mayall. Couldn't find you doing this one.)
At last Blogger let me in! Changed all my font colours but hey I'm in.
ReplyDeleteMichael
ReplyDeleteGet yourself a pair of gloves, a scarf, a warm jumper, some thermal underwear and stop moaning that is cold! lol
Coltrane
I agree with you the lion looks regal but then he is the King, isn't he?
To all bloggers
ReplyDeleteYou better have a look in the new voting system and agree to February theme photo.
Although wonderful, it is pretty unusual and it might require some thinking/prep.
Eric sorry to use your blog to ad that but I do think people need to know...
I mean all CDP Bloggers
ReplyDeleteand to look at the citydailyphoto.com site...
Sorry I was half asleep when I wrote that!