Thursday, August 16, 2012

The backside of Paris


In Paris, the law normally requires that all facades be cleaned once every 10 years minimum, but it's rarely the case. You've noticed it if you came here, the city of light is not all about mint condition buildings and spotless Haussmanian facades! A lot of places need a good paint job, if not more... This is particularly true for the back side of apartment buildings, the part that you cannot see from the street and that generally overlook a little courtyard, like in this photo. Still, with a ray of sun, everything looks prettier ;-) 

20 comments:

  1. Spiffed up or a little shabby, j'adore Paris!
    V

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  2. Compared to the other places, this is indeed 'not-so-good looking'. But hey, it presents a 'not-always-the-glam' side of Paris! :) Good to have some variety on your daily photo blog too!

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  3. Okay, I see a bit of peeling paint, but overall—especially with the sunlight on it—this place looks pretty good to me!

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  4. Eric, when John and I were in Paris we agreed that even the dirt of Paris was more beautiful than the dirt of other cities.

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  5. Very neat photo. I find this still beautiful even though i see the peeling. Im glad I can comment now I wasnt able to before. Thats why i send you a message on facebook.

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  6. Is it the view from your window, Eric?

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  7. @Thib eh eh... ;-) Quel observateur !

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  8. I'm not surprised that many people don't clean every 10 years. If the prices are anything like my city it would cost a fortune!

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  9. Eric, this is a pretty picture indeed. You can see a reflection of the sky in the middle top window, too. The sun plays nicely against the color of the building. As for the peeling paint, it is telling a story, albeit about age, but nonetheless, a story. I like this photo a lot.

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  10. I love your blog and your pictures, keep it up ! Thanks for this vision of Paris that i didn't know.

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  11. @Red_Cardinal. " If the prices are anything like my city it would cost a fortune!" Yes, it's very expensive, that is why people don't do it. About 15 000 € for an average building in Paris...

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  12. How in the world would you ever pay for cleaning if you owned a building? Yikes! I have to admit, I have thought they look lovely no matter what their condition.

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  13. I'm a fan of shabby and a little peeling and fading facade doesn't bother me... charming and comfortable. :)

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  14. Who wants a city to be too spick and span anyway? I like the patina of old "lived in" buildings and I love this photo. It reminds me of the Hitchcock film Rear Window.
    Any interesting shenanigans going on across the courtyard BTW?

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  15. Eric

    tu écris un anglais excellent.

    Mais est-ce que tu te rends compte que "backside" = "fesses" en anglais britannique?

    Mes enfants (écossais) ont ri aux larmes le jour où un voisin hollandais au camping municipal en Bourgogne nous a dit "I found a path to the backside of the city".

    Je dirais "rear view of Paris" or "behind the façades of Paris" - yes, we have stolen that word!

    Merci pour les photos - j'espère revois Paris enfin en Octobre !

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  16. faute de frappe! - revoir Paris !

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  17. @Zannnie " Good to have some variety on your daily photo blog too!" Yes you're right, and I like it that way too;-)

    @Alexa and @Petra "especially with the sunlight on it—this place looks pretty good to me!" Like I said, everything looks nice with a ray of sun LOL!

    @Yazminc "Im glad I can comment now I wasnt able to before" Why couldn't you?

    @Sunshine ". I like this photo a lot." Thanks - I do too actually;-)

    @48SI "I love your blog and your pictures, keep it up !" I will, it's been 7 years already LOL! Thanks BTW...


    @Christie "How in the world would you ever pay for cleaning if you owned a building?" In Paris most buildings are co-op so you devide the price of the maintenance by the number of people. But still...

    @Drummond "Any interesting shenanigans going on across the courtyard BTW?" LOOOOOL. Sure... I have tapes. But I keep them for my other blog!

    @V "Mais est-ce que tu te rends compte que "backside" = "fesses" en anglais britannique?" Non, en fait pour moi c'est comme "derrière" ; ça veut dire fesses mais aussi à "l'arrière".
    Same in American English anyone? I'm often confused between, the two!!

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  18. Salut Eric - mais non, en anglais britannique "backside" = uniquement "fesses". J'en ai discuté avec d'autres francophones - on est d'accord pour "behind the façade (ou façades) of Paris" comme meilleure expression de ton idée.
    Quant à l'usage aux USA, je ne suis pas en mesure de te conseiller! Bon week-end! (Il pleut des cordes ici en Ėcosse!)

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