Saturday, April 16, 2011

Fontaine Saint-Michel


I already posted a photo of the Fontaine Saint-Michel here a few years ago, mentioning that it's a very common meeting point in Paris (especially for students), but I never posted a close up. Recently I went back there (yes, to meet someone!) and took this photo (not easy to take actually, because of the light - the fountain being always in the shade). For the record, this fountain was completed around 1860, it was made by Gabriel Davioud, a pretty famous architect who lived under the reign of Napoleon the 3rd, and its main purpose is... to hide a facade! More on Wikipedia, of course!

12 comments:

  1. Lovely shot, Eric! I have always loved this fountain because of it's use of coloured stone. The rose columns are beautiful.

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  2. Red marble?! If I'd known of this before I visited last year, it certainly would have been on my list. Beautiful! Thank you for the photo!

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  3. I've only just realised, thanks to your reminding me, that I should know who the winged guy is: it's.. Saint Michel, would you believe (duh!), tramping a snarling Satan underfoot. Haussmann would apparently like Satan to have been bigger...

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  4. I was there on Thursday evening ;-)à

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  5. I've met people here lots of times. Love the angle of this shot and the way it shows off those colorful columns.

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  6. Wow! Love those rose columns. They are gorgeous. It is a beautiful fountain and I hope to see it sooner rather than later!

    Were you the one Eric was meeting, Thib? :)

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  7. Beautiful colors in the photo. We didn't see this fountain when I was in Paris. If I didn't plan to return I'd regret that.

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  8. I've been stood up there before ;) A good thing I had brought a book. I remember, I spent the entire afternoon reading the book and didn't realize the date didn't show until ... 4 hours later LOL!! Oh well, the book was way more interesting than the date. I still remember the book very well, but I really can't remember who the dude was anymore, although every time I see a photo of the place I remember being stood up there... Hehehe ;)

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  9. @Petrea, do put it on your list. The fountain itself is OK, interesting but not to die for IMO. But it's the entire neighborhood that you must go see.

    I remember getting into an argument with a poster on this board who had quoted Rick Steeves and was adamant that the 5th was a ghetto for tourist and had to be avoided at all cost... I happen to disagree. Once you pass the couple of highly touristic streets along the quais (you should still see it because of their small size and their age, IMO) then the 5th is all kinds of historical buildings, all the great schools are there and the little school I used to go to is there too ... not that you'd care about that one, but if you keep going then you'll run into Arenes de Luteces... You must go back and see the area for yourself.

    I lived a couple blocks away from the fountain (in the 6th actually) and would also recommend you walk out towards St. Germain through the small streets as well.

    Point de depart et point de rendez-vous, la Fontaine St. Michel devant la librairie Gibert ! ;)

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  10. Thanks for the info, Tomate. Good to know!

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  11. One of the most beautiful fountains of Paris, a landmark for sure.

    As a meeting point it´s perfect. Even more perfect when the ones you´re supposed to meet are Eric and Guille.

    Oh yes I did it!!

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