ParisDailyPhoto

Pont Neuf ornaments

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000+01:00

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...

Difficult times...

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000+01:00

France is not exactly doing too well at the moment (highest unemployment rate since 1999, a 2012 yearly budget short of 81,7 billion €, terrible perspectives...). It's very unlikely that President Sarkozy will be reelected in May, when we're going to have new elections. Who will be in his shoes in May? It's hard to tell for sure, but most likely François Hollande, the former head of the Socialist party. The extreme right or left parties may also play a large role as people don't know who to turn to to escape this very grey times that we're going through...

Spooky!

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000+01:00

I had to quickly go to Lille this morning (a large city in the North of France) and took the train to go there. Prior to taking the train (which was delayed because of a copper cable robbery along the line, a pretty common robbery these days...) I noticed these weird poles, around which people would stick together! Why, well quite simply, because, as you probably guessed, these are heaters! No very eco friendly I must say, but interesting for a photographer!

农历新年 (nónglì xinnián)

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000+01:00

So it's the Chinese new year... and it's the year of the water dragon apparently, a symbol of strength and power. Since I've started learning Chinese (with a wonderful - and very patient! - teacher), about a year ago, I learned a lot about the Chinese culture and language differences (and God knows they are numerous!). FYI, marches and celebrations will mostly take place during next weekend, but I won't be in Paris, so I'm posting this photo that I took during a previous new year celebration at Hotel de Ville.

Busy crossing

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000+01:00

Technically it's far from being a perfect photo; it's blurry and dark... And though I love it! It allows to "feel" what a busy crossing in the middle of rainy Paris feels like. Not to mention the typical Parisienne on her bike in the middle! Bonne semaine everyone... Paris will be rainy this week, but still as beautiful ;-)

Pure beauty!

2012-01-22T01:01:00.000+01:00

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...

Birthday dinner

2012-01-21T01:36:00.000+01:00

One good thing about winter is that the seasonal food changes. Last night I was able to share a typical meal from the Franche-Comté region called La Boîte Chaude with some very good friends (including PDP ones): Lynn aka PHX-CDG, Eric (aka Mr PHX!), Roniece, Heather, Jane, Patricia and Michael.
Made by scooping out the middle of Mont d'Or cheese, inserting a few cloves of garlic and some Jura wine from the region, you cook this cheese in it’s “box” for 20 minutes in the oven until it’snice and gooey! Then you eat it with potatoes and charcuterie, not forgetting the saucisse de Morteau. Of course, the meal would not be complete without a desert, which turned out to be... a surprise birthday cake! Now I let you guess who the "chéri" on the cake may be ;-))

Fancy sales

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000+01:00

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!

Paris, the city of Love

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000+01:00

Sweet graffito today... I found it at rue Monge and thought it was cute. They I thought of the common saying "Paris, ville de l'amour" (Paris, the city of love) and I started wondering why? I even searched on the web! And did not find anything relevant really. Why on earth would Paris be anymore the city of love than any of these cities?! I wonder...

Christmas is definitely over...

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000+01:00

Like every year people get rid of their tree (I got rid of mine yesterday!). I already explained here that a lot of people simply throw them out of the window after, they've checked that nobody is at risk (hopefully). All this to avoid putting needles everywhere in the staircase and even though you're supposed to bring it to a recycling spot.! Walking down the streets of Paris after Christmas can be dangerous LOL. And before you ask I did like everyone ;-)

Galerie des glaces

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000+01:00

Once again, I haven't been able to go out today, so I dug into my treasure box and found a photo I apparently never showed you. I took it at the Chateau de Versailles in 2010, during a private visit I was fortunate enough to take part in. Those of you who visited the castle will naturally have recognizes Les Galerie des glaces (the hall of mirrors), a stunning hall that is 239.5 ft long and 35 ft wide! An amazing place, that France could surely not afford nowadays ;-)

Change of lighting?

2012-01-16T00:30:00.000+01:00

I had a busy, tiresome weekend and I did not find a single minute to go out! Therefore here is a photo I meant to show you earlier and totally forgot about it. It's "an" Eiffel Tower - not THE Eiffel Tower - taken at the Christmas market they had in the lower part of the Champs Elysées. Also a one which lighting is probably not copyright protected, unlike the one of the original one - which I think is a real scandal, but don't get me started...

Peaceful moment

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000+01:00

L'Ecole nationale supérieure des beaux-arts (the National Fine arts school), is a school before all, and it's normally not a place to visit, but if you manage to sneak in, you'll see amazing things. Hence this Venus which original is apparently at the Vatican. The place is absolutely amazing, with lots of interesting buildings which history you can see here (in French only...).

Mole art...

2012-01-14T02:11:00.001+01:00

I took this photo at the Hotel de Sully, a stunning hôtel particulier (private mansion) that was built between 1625 and 1630 and is now the French historical monument center. It's worth a visit in general, but it's even more worth a visit right now, as they currently have an artist (Ghyslain Bertholon) performance in the gardens. What is it about? Moles... Yes, giant moles, like the one you can see in the foreground of this photo. It's odd, but pretty unexpected, therefore creative...

Yummy!

2012-01-13T00:08:00.000+01:00

Today I discovered what a Makowiec is! It's a traditional Christmas Polish cake that can also be found in the North of France (not surprising since the North of France is a former area of polish immigration) and... in Paris! Hence the one I bought today in a boulangerie. Pretty good actually, even though it's a little dry ;-)

Street sign thief!

2012-01-12T00:06:00.000+01:00

Yes it's a one way street sign. Yes it's pretty dirty. But look more closely... Something should put a smile on your face, like it did on mine... Yes, the little guy that looks like he's stealing the white rectangle inside this street sign! I have no idea who did this, but apparently there as several ones in Paris and I find it quite amusing. that's all for today ;-) Update: here is the Facebook page of the artist who makes these little guys.

Place de la Concorde

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000+01:00

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 ;-)

Last Christmas decorations...

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000+01:00

Pretty soon all Christmas decorations will be gone, so let me show you one last one. I found it at the Hotel de ville (town hall) - and not in the court yard of the Louvre Museum, where they also have pyramids! - Beautiful isn't? Nothing else to add - except that maybe I should think of taking down my Christmas tree now... ;-)

Parisian fireplace

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000+01:00

It's pretty rare that Parisians have a fireplace that actually works, and though, yesterday, I had a nice afternoon with friends who have, what we call a Poêle Prussien (I looked everywhere, I could not find their origin). Very cool! Most Parisians think it's forbidden to make fire in a fireplace in Paris, whereas it is allowed, under several conditions (you have to have you chimney pipe cleaned twice a year, you're not allowed to burn just anything, etc.). I have a couple of fireplaces in my apartment, now I'm tempted... (Of course the price of wood may put me off this idea, but that's another story).

Invalides in black and white

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000+01:00

I went to a Galette Party today (a galette is a cake that people eat to celebrate the Epihany (a Christian feast) after Christmas) and on the way back I passed by Les Invalides. It was a beautiful evening (it's still warm in Paris at the moment here) and I felt like taking a photo. I made a black and white one, for a change...

Louis the XIIIth

2012-01-07T00:53:00.000+01:00

I'm sure you will have recognized ;-) this is Louis the XIIIth - well a statue of Louis the XIIIth, as the real one dying some time ago (1643!). This statue was made by Dupaty and Cortot in 1829 in replacement for an old bronze statue from 1639 (I took this shot at Place des Vosges, BTW). If you look carefully, you will see a plane in the background (in the sky, obviously!); quite a historical hiatus, isn't?! Have a nice weekend everyone.

Look!

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000+01:00

My scooter broke down a few days ago and I had to take it to a garage... Last evening I went there to pick it up and on the way, I came across this stunning painted wall at rue Oberkampf. It was made by Mosko Associés, a group of street artists that actually started in the Moskowa area (hence their name), an old Paris quarter that has been renovated and completed in 2004. Check their website.

How to meet Parisians?

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000+01:00

In big cities people can easily be isolated. Nowadays you can go on line and make new "friends", but you can also take part in "real" social activities like a walk through Paris, visit a museum, attend a concert... you name it. That is exactly the purpose of grandparisorties.com, which address I found after photographing this advertisement on a public phone booth (I actually liked the "confetti effect" on the right end side). As far as I could see it's mostly in French, but precisely, it's a good way to mix with the locals! And for those of you who prefer going out in English, you can join my friend Sab's meetup group: Paris if you please...

Don't burst his bubble!

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000+01:00

They have a small amusement park at La Bastille at the moment and they have all sorts of attractions. One of them is a giant bubble game on water... And since it's pretty warm at the moment, there is no risk it gets icy. I would have loved to try, but it's not allowed for adults. Darn! ;-)

Winter scenary

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000+01:00

Scary? Yes, a little bit... But beautiful too - and typical of winter! I took this photo near le Champs de Mars, by the Eiffel tower, where they have little gardens where dogs are accepted - but only on a leash! - as the sign says. As you can see the weather is a little cloudy, but still partly sunny; we've had the warmest new year's night since 1883!

The morning after...

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000+01:00

Someone must have celebrated the new year and forgot something... My new year's eve celebration did not include much alcohol, but a ridiculous amount of food, whichI did not resist! No wonder I was not very energetic today... Enough to see your best wishes though. Thanks a million. Now is the time to reset whatever we want to reset and start fresh!

Best photo of the year

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000+01:00

Like each year it's difficult to chose and like each year I chose an consensual shot, showing one o my favorite spots in Paris: Le Pont des arts. But since I reviewed them all, I selected a few other ones, that you can see on the Making of. Again, have a wonderful year everyone, have some rest today and get ready for a brand new start! Love you all.

All aboard for 2012!

2011-12-31T00:00:00.000+01:00

Yes, another year has gone by... and a new one is just around the corner! Even though Europe is in the middle of a crisis there is still hope, and I thought this cute little scene (taken of a window at Les Galeries Lafayette) was ideal to send a rather festive and "moving forward" message! For me it'll be an important year: firstly, because there are going to be many developments with polltogo, and secondly, because I will celebrate the 7th anniversary of PDP in March! More than ever, I wish you a very, very happy new year, wherever you may be in the world.

Almost time...

2011-12-30T00:00:00.000+01:00

We have an expression in French that goes "se mettre sur son 31", which means to dress up for a special occasion. Nobody knows its origins, but some people believe it's linked to December 31, the day people usually dress up well to celebrate the end of the year... I don't buy this version, but this window made me think of it and I thought it was appropriate for new year's eve eve! Hold your breath everyone... only one day left!

White trees

2011-12-29T00:00:00.000+01:00

Here are some more Christmas decorations... You can see them almost everywhere in Paris at the moment and they look pretty cool and festive, especially towards the end of the day when it starts getting dark... And who had this "brilliant" idea? A chic clothing chain store? The Paris town hall? A plant store? All wrong! It's Mc Donald's of course LOL! For the record, I took this photo at lunch when... Yes, when I grabbed a Chicken Ceasar salad at a Mc Donal'ds restaurant near me!

Mini Karl

2011-12-28T00:02:00.000+01:00

Thank you very much for all nice words after yesterday's post, I wish they could lighten my friend's sorrow... The show must go on they say, so here is a view of one of the Christmas windows of Le Printemps (one of the main department stores in Paris) that I took last evening on the way back from a dinner with friends. It shows a bunch of mini Karl (Lagerfeld) in various situations. Really funny!

Life is not a bed of roses

2011-12-27T00:00:00.000+01:00

Sorry, after dealing with loneliness yesterday, I just learned about 15 minutes ago, that a friend of mine just lost his 21 year old son in a car accident, and I'm really devastated. Of course such accidents happen daily everywhere in the world, but it seems so unfair (as if death was fair, of course...) that tears can easily come to your eyes when it happens to someone you know. I remembered taking this photo a few weeks ago (at the Pont de l'Alma, just above the tunnel where Diana had a car accident) and, well, as ridiculous as it sounds, it's my way of thinking of my friend right now.

Loneliness

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000+01:00

I know it's not the happiest photo to post after a rather festive weekend, but I was so moved by this elderly lady, that I could not help but taking a photo. She caught my attention because I first saw her digging into a public garbage can located at the entrance of the passage where I live. She then walked into the passage, where I took this shot and I found her to look very lonely.

Merry Christmas 2011!

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000+01:00

Original? Nope! Seasonal? After all traditions aren't that bad, are they?! While you see this photo I'll be filling my stomach with unnecessary fattening food and exchanging gifts with people who already have everything! But I'll also be surrounded with a lot of people I love, so it's well worth it! Again, have a great Christmas eve everyone (for those of you who celebrate), watch for your stockings (if you haven't been naughty of course...) and come here and let us know what Santa brought you;-) I will... BTW I took this photo at the entrance of my gym. If you notice, someone stuck a "Merro" on top of the "Merry" sign. I really wonder what that means...

Caught in the act!

2011-12-24T00:00:00.000+01:00

So I did have to go out today (to pick up my latest presents I ordered online!) and I could not resist grabbing one of these excellent crèpes that they sell everywhere at the moment. I had a chestnut one stuffed with crème de marron (only in French, I did not see any entry in English spread). Yummy! The woman was really wondering why I would take that many photos during her making the crèpe ;-) Anyway, I thought this would put a smile on your face to see how greedy I am (and why I have to go to the gym every other day LOL!) Have a wonderful Christmas eve tonight everyone, for those of you who celebrate Christmas of course.

One horse town (hall)!

2011-12-23T00:00:00.000+01:00

I'm so behind on my work right now, that I really did not have any minute to horse around today ;-) Except for a short visit to the gym at dawn this morning (yes, people!), I did not go out at all... Therefore I did not have the chance to take my photo du jour. So let me use this one, that I took about a month ago at the Paris Town hall and that I really like. I never posted it because I have no information what's so ever about this stunning sculpture.

Christmas market

2011-12-22T00:00:00.000+01:00

I think I have never shown that many times the Eiffel Tower on PDP than this past month! This time it's from the side of the Trocadero, where, on top of the ice rink, they also have a marché de noël (Christmas market) where you can find anything from Russian dolls to gluewein and French cheeses! Always a great success, and the presence of the iron lady in the background adds a little flavour to it. Last days to complete your Christmas shopping everyone... Mine's completed (99% online this year!)

Restaurant "Derrière"

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000+01:00

Today (well Tuesday) I had lunch with the communications manager of Fotolia, who took me to an amazing restaurant I never knew of. It's called Le Derrière and it's really a place you have to visit if you come to Paris. It's a 3 story building (pretty old - it's located in Le Marais, near the Pompidou Center) with many rooms that you can rent out for a party (like this one in the photo). The ground floor is more like a "classic" restaurant even though the decor is everything, but classic! Have a look at a few other shots on the Making of... And read a critic by La Fourchette.

Culture menu!

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000+01:00

Paris bridges and buildings offer a wide variety of photo opportunities I agree, but sometimes the most casual scenes you come across also make interesting photos. Hence this one, that I took last night at the Pompidou Center, where I attended Le Carrefour des Possibles, a very interesting event - in which they used polltogo, which, of course, made it even more interesting ;). On the way out, I saw this perfectly lit big panel which lists the Pompidou Center events of the month and pulled out my camera as quickly as I could!

From the Alexander III bridge

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I watched an excellent documentary about the guys who created two 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~~ art nouveau street lamps. One of which you can see in this photo that I took early in the morning....

Time for the Christmas tree...

2011-12-18T00:00:00.000+01:00

After several years of abstinence, I've decided to have a Christmas tree this year! Important decision: which kind (the one that is cheaper, but loses its needles after a week or the one that lasts until mid January?!), where (on line, delivered to your door or at the florist's around the corner), how sophisticated (fake snow, glowing candles, electric garlands...). God did I really need to add more decision making to my life LOL?! I went for the expensive type, around the corner. As for the decoration, I still need to go to the cellar to find out what's left.... Have you made yours yet?

The first food truck in Paris

2011-12-17T00:00:00.000+01:00

It may not be the best photo you'll find on PDP, but I absolutely wanted to share this slice of Parisian news that I just came across with, by coincidence. This, lady and gentlemen, is a "gourmet" food truck and It may not seem very extraordinary to you, but for us Parisians it is! It's called Le camion qui fume ("the truck that smokes") and it was "invented" by chef Kristin, a Californian girl (what a surprise!) who came to Paris to attend a cooking school (Ferrandi). The interesting part is that she also seems to be an expert at promoting the concept on the Internet (Website, Facebook, Twitter... you name it). I photographed the truck at Place de la Madeleine, but it moves everyday. I wish her all the success she deserves and next time I see the truck, I will surely try the food (see a review on this blog and/or this one).

Encore!

2011-12-16T01:02:00.000+01:00

Sometimes I really wonder who is behind a graffiti? I found this one in Le Marais - I don't remember well exactly - and I simply liked the graphical design. Encore in French means "again" (but we don't "encore" artists on stage like you do in English, we "bis" them!); Anyway I will probably never find out what this mysterious sign is all about. Sorry for the lack of inspiration, but I'm super busy at the moment... (Not to forget that I still have my Christmas shopping in my to do list!)

Co-working in Paris

2011-12-15T00:00:00.000+01:00

Last evening I went to a book launch (the French version of a book by American author Nancy Duarte, dedicated to the art of presenting, published in France by Diateino, a publishing house I'm proud to support). The book sure looks interesting, but the place where the event took place was also worth the look. It's called Soleilles Cowork and, as you can deduct from its name, it's a place you can rent by the hour to work or organize a meeting in one of their stunning meeting rooms where I took this photo... I know what you're thinking: "working in a place like this cannot be really work!" And yet, it is...

Spinning around the Eiffel Tower...

2011-12-14T00:20:00.000+01:00

Do you remember the merry-go-round I already mentioned about a month ago for being one of the rare - if not the only - eco-friendly on the planet? Well I passed by it yesterday evening again and this time it was dark. So I took this photo. It's a bit cliché of course, but, well it's also nice to look at. "Pourquoi bouder son plaisir ?" as we say in French ("why frown on pleasure?").

Press conference

2011-12-13T00:16:00.000+01:00

Today I attended a press conference at the Pavillon de l'Arsenal - a must visit museum dedicated to the Paris architecture. The purpose of the conference was to announce the launch of a very innovative digital map (a team work of Google and Paris), in which you can see "the future Paris" in 3D. How is that possible? Simply because some of the main architectural projects have been digitally embedded into the giant interactive map that can be seen in the Pavillon. It was really fascinating, but, call me weird, I was even more fascinated by the glow in the dark green shows of Ms Dominique Alba, General Manager of the Pavillon who introduced the project to us ;-) Make sure you also see the making of.

Skating by the Eiffel Tower...

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000+01:00

Paris is really beautiful at the moment, I wish you all could be here! Last evening I discovered by sheer coincidence that they installed an ice rink by the Trocadero, facing the Eiffel Tower (a nice change from the one at Hotel de ville that I photograph every year). Huge success! And what a scenery for a PDP photo!

More Christmas lights...

2011-12-11T00:00:00.000+01:00

I'm just back from dinner in Paris and on the way back I passed by Avenue Montaigne, a famous avenue located off the Champs Elysées. It's one of the most luxurious streets in Paris and for Christmas they decorated the place in a stunning way. It was hard to capture the beauty of the scenery in a global photo so I chose to show you a close up - the "flower" in the foreground actually belongs to one of the fake trees they installed at the crossing of avenue Montaigne and rue François the 1st.

Christmas (de)Lights

2011-12-10T00:00:00.000+01:00

I love the Christmas period. Not only do you have lights and decorations everywhere in Paris, but also - and specifically! - into churches too. Hence this photo I took inside Nôtre Dame (the same church where I took this photo). Now is the time to think of buying your Christmas gifts everyone, you don't want to find yourself in the middle of the crowd on the very last day, do you?!

Le Web Party

2011-12-09T00:49:00.000+01:00

I'm just back from the traditional Le Web party, only now this event has become so huge that they needed to rent the Carousel du Louvre (the huge space located underneath the Louvre Pyramid) to fit everybody! I remember the days when.... Tomorrow is the last day of Le Web, so I must go to bed in order to be there early! Nite nite everyone ;-)

Place de la Concorde

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000+01:00

Today I left home when it was still dark and I came back home when it was already dark! No chance for a day shot! Which is OK, since the big Ferris wheel is back on the Place de la Concorde and it looks much better at night! Besides, this view too never ceases to amaze me! I'm having another long day at Le Web tomorrow, so I don't have much time to write intelligent stuff in this caption, sorry ;-) I'll catch up on Saturday!

Booooh!

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000+01:00

I don't think I ever showed you one of those and though you can find many in Paris. They are made by a street artist called Giaco, who's art is precisely to use street furniture and equipment to turn them into artistic objects of scenes. In the present case he used one of the many grids that allow the sewers to receive light as a thoracic cavity for this skeleton. I love it! Anyway, nothing to do with what is going to keep me busy for the next 3 days: Le Web, a big Internet conference that takes place every year in Paris and that I have never missed since the very first one (it was called Les Blogs at that time)!

Water Reflexion

2011-12-06T00:02:00.000+01:00

It's a much more profane photo than yesterday, but it's still worth the look. I took it from Le Quai de la Loire, by the Bassin de la Vilette in the 19th arrondissement. The bank you can see in this photo is actually Le Quai de la Seine, where the MK2 movie theater (known for showing "intellectual movies") I already mentioned on this blog, is located. You may want to click in the photo to see all details.

Season Classic!

2011-12-05T00:02:00.000+01:00

I know what you're gonna say... Again! Yes again, every year it's the same, but it's still beautiful. In case you would not know what it is (which I seriously doubt!) , this the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, located in the middle of l'île de la Cité. Every year towards the end of November they erect an enormous Christmas tree in front of it (of course it's does not look so big in this photo ;-) and it's always breath taking. Last year, at the same time, it was super cold and snowy. This year, it's extraordinary mild.

Marché d'Aligre

2011-12-04T00:00:00.000+01:00

Among the numerous markets that we have in Paris, the marché d'Aligre - located at rue d'Aligre, of course! - is probably one of the best ones. It's made of a covered area (built in 1779 and still operating nowadays - after a little face lift in 1843!) and an open air open air one, where I took this very Parisian photo. This market is open everyday except Mondays and it's definitely worth a visit if you come to Paris. More on this site - in French.

Another eye on Paris

2011-12-03T00:03:00.000+01:00

I came across these intriguing posters near the Beaubourg area (Pompidou center). I thought they were meant to promote a new clothing line or something of the kind... I was wrong. It appears that Buster Adams is a photographer and that he also takes - very cool - photos of Paris (among many other subjects). Take a look at his very creative website and visit the "I am a tourist/Je suis un touriste" section where you'll see Paris though his eyes.

Taxi lane, really?

2011-12-02T00:02:00.000+01:00

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!

Theme day: action photo!

2011-12-01T00:09:00.001+01:00

As PhotoRiga pointed out a couple of days ago, I should have kept the skateboard photo for today's theme day: action! Fortunately I had taken another one that matches theme day last Sunday on the occasion of the 10 km of Paris 9, a small marathon organized by the town hall of my arrondissement ;-) Nothing extraordinary, but at least, I can participate in this CDP monthly catharsis!

Jungle Paris

2011-11-30T00:03:00.000+01:00

Here are two scenes of Paris that are both hard to imagine and fascinating: The Pompidou center on the left and the Eiffel Tower on the right, surrounded by the jungle! I found these two photos at an art gallery opening last evening and I really loved them. They were made by Chris Morin, an artist who likes to depict present places hundreds of years from now, just like we can now visit ancient sites that are surrounded with trees and plants and partly destroyed. Very interesting. See other places on his site.

A matter of timing

2011-11-29T00:03:00.000+01:00

It's not easy to capture a skate boarder in the air! I guess I was lucky (of course having a continuous mode on your camera helps too LOL). I took this photo at Bastille, where skaters gather during weekends. I wish I could do that!

Eiffel Tower in the mist part II!

2011-11-28T00:03:00.000+01:00

Let's start the week from anoter riverside point of view. I took it Saturday evening on a way back from a dinner party in the 15th, from the Pont Mirabeau bridge (this time I remember the bridge I was on!). There is not much to add, is there?

An evening at Le Pranzo

2011-11-27T01:31:00.002+01:00

Last evening (Saturday) I went to Le Pranzo, a small theater where you can see young stand up comedians that are not yet well known. I went to see Alexandre Barbe, a young man who is undoubtedly very talented and truly funny (well to my taste). I had a wonderful evening. Check for yourself (if you understand French).

The big mosque of Paris

2011-11-26T01:16:00.000+01:00

I've showed you many churches on this blog, but I never showed you any mosque. And though we have several in Paris, including THE big Mosque of Paris, a unique monument built in 1916 in honor of the 70 000 Muslims who died soldiers for France during the first World war. The place is a definite must see for it's not only a mosque, but also an ideal place to relax ( at the hammam) and have a tea - or a meal - in the restaurant/tea room. It's located in the 5th arrondissement not far from Le jardin des plantes. More on the website.

Another sunset over Paris...

2011-11-25T00:02:00.000+01:00

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?

2011-11-24T00:02:00.000+01:00

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...

2011-11-23T00:02:00.000+01:00

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

2011-11-22T00:00:00.000+01:00

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.

The perfect walk...

2011-11-21T00:02:00.000+01:00

No I did not take this photo in the middle of Le Bois de Boulogne or de Vincennes, but right behind the Bastille place (you can even see the open air metro station sign in the foreground) where boats owners can dock their yacht. This place is called Le port de l'Arsenal, I already mentioned it many times (like last summer), but I'm never tired of showing it! Not to forget that it's a fabulous place to have a walk - or even fish! BTW did you notice the beautiful light and the sun reflection? Well, that's the kind of weather we're enjoying in Paris at the moment. Amazing (I did not even turn on the heating yesterday!). Very unusual...

Sex in the city

2011-11-20T00:02:00.000+01:00

Sex in the city is not the title of a television series, but... the name of an exhibition that just opened yesterday (Saturday) in Paris. Like you can see, it's already very successful (sex is always a good sales boost - even though this exhibition is actually free). What can be seen inside? Well I don't really know as I did not visit it, but a little bird told me you can see all sorts of sex toys, games, lingerie... you name it! All this to raise Aids awareness (yeah, right!). More in these videos.

Without a shadow of a doubt

2011-11-19T00:02:00.000+01:00

I took this photo at the bottom of Tour Saint-Jacques, the tower they renovated recently and that I showed you several times (here, here, here and here!). You'd think this would be a statue of Saint Jacques, but... it is not. It's the one of Blaise Pascal, a famous French mathematician and philosopher who, among other things, invented in 1642, the first calculator (mechanical at that time, obviously...). Why is here there? Because he is said to have prevented the destruction of a church that was previously on these premises. BTW, around this tower, there is a little square, which apparently was the first square in Paris (1856).

Giant dog

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000+01:00

Here is a dog that won't leave any nasty droppings on the pavement... I found it in the 17th arrondissemen, inside a little courtyard. from what I could see, he belongs to Aastroem Munier BBN, a communications agency ;-) FYI since 2002 dog owners must pick up after their "Medor" (Medor is kinda like "Rocky", a generic name for dogs), ,so the streets of Paris are not that polluted anymore (well at least in some neighborhoods!)

Golden Blog Awards night

2011-11-17T00:02:00.000+01:00

I'm just back from the... French Golden Blog Awards night that was taking place at the Hotel de Ville (city town hall). Huge event, very successful, so successful I had to wait 3 quarters of an hour outside before entering (see the little red square at the end of the line? The entrance was way beyond that point!). It was worth it though, the event was nice, the scenery was too (remember the ceiling?) and the company even more. Did I win an award? Nah, I did not, but the competition was really tough, so it's fair. Sorry I cannot show you the winners yet, because they haven't been posted on the Golden blog awards site yet, but I will (yeah, cause that's the kind of guy I am ;-))

Music!

2011-11-16T00:07:00.000+01:00

No Paris scenery, no historical facts... today, just a lifestyle photo. I see more and more people with huge - well I consider to be huge! - headsets like this in the streets of Paris and I can't helping thinking of the "old times", when headsets used to be more like ear plugs ;-) Am I showing my age? Er... yes probably LOL! I like the photo though.

The Messenger

2011-11-15T00:01:00.000+01:00

Ossip Zadkine is a French sculptor of Russian origins who died in 1967. There is a museum dedicated to his work at rue d'Assas (in his former home), but there are also several of his sculptures throughout Paris. One of them is called Le Messager (the messenger) and it's located at Quai d'Orsay ; from what I read, it was made after a wooden sculpture that was made for the World exhibition of 1937. As you can see, the weather is still lovely in Paris at the moment...

Sunday at rue Montorgueil

2011-11-14T00:03:00.000+01:00

Lovely day in Paris again this Sunday... I went to rue Montorgueil, a famous street near les Halles, that used to be a working class area in the old times and is now a "Bobo" hangout (bobo stands for BOurgeois BOhème, that is people with money who want to live the Bohème lifestyle). It's a very nice street, no cars - or almost none! - lots of little cafés and shops, historical restaurants like L'Escargot-Montorgueil that was founded in 1875, or the famous Stohrer patisserie founded in 1730 that Queen Elisabeth visited in 2004 (they are pretty proud of it!). It's also the street where this video clip was shot!

Mélodie & Nicolas!

2011-11-13T00:02:00.000+01:00

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 when I took the photo, I caught these two kids on my "film". It's very unlikely that they are called Mélodie & Nicolas, but I think it makes a real cool photo.

Sacré Coeur in the mist

2011-11-12T00:02:00.000+01:00

Those of you who have been following PDP for some time now will probably remember the Eiffel Tower in the mist photo (big hit!), well, now look at what I saw yesterday evening on my way to dinner at Montmartre... It was really stunning. Let's us not forget that the Sacré Coeur is located on a hill (130 meters - 426 feet). Not very high, but it does play a role when it comes to "'touching the clouds...". Have a nice weekend everyone.

11/11/11!

2011-11-11T00:02:00.000+01:00

Today is November 11, the day we celebrate the end of WWI (this year it's also a palindrome date, but that's another story). We have no more alive veterans from that war, so in theory no more reasons to continue celebrating its end, but I think it's good we still do so. 1) because it's a holiday ;-), 2) because it reminds us that about 100 years ago (and 60 if you consider WWII) there were still wars between European countries. Something that is now totally unthinkable. This, by the way, is a statue of Maréchal Foch, the very one who signed the armistice with Germany on November 11, 1918. You can see it at Champs de Mars, near Ecole Militaire.

The PDP calendars are out!

2011-11-10T00:02:00.000+01:00

Here is another photo I took at the Petit Palais while I was visiting in the inside garden. unfortunately I forgot to make a note of the sculptor's name, so there is not much I can tell you about them. Instead I'll seize the opportunity to let you know that the 2012 PDP calendars are just off press (well, off Zazzle!) and that there is even a 30% off offer until midnight Pacific time. Like last year, there is a B&W version and a color one. I hope you'll like them.

Paris Silhouettes

2011-11-09T00:02:00.001+01:00

To be honest, I did not know of photographer Alexandre Vitkine, but when I saw this poster promoting his work at rue Drouot, I took a closer look... Apparently he was born in Berlin in 1910, and became a photographer then a sculptor after he pursued a career in industry as an electromechanical engineer. He played a lot with "silhouettes" in his photo work. I'll probably have a look at them at La Galerie at rue Bonaparte.

Fall/Autumn

2011-11-08T00:02:00.000+01:00

Here is my fall/autumn photo of the year! I took it this weekend, when the weather was still nice. The red rectangle belongs to a little "museum" shop that they installed in front of the Museum des arts premiers" (the quai Branly museum) in the 7th arrondissement. I love the game of shadows.

A world premiere?

2011-11-07T00:01:00.000+01:00

This may not be the most beautiful photo you've ever seen on PDP, but it's one that is worth remembering... Why? Because it shows an Autolib station being installed. Autolib? It's the car equivalent to Velib. Now I can hear you from here: "What? he dares calling this a world premiere, whereas in my city we have had Car sharing for years now..." All wrong. What you have is "hourly car rental": you take a car down the street, but you have to bring it back where you took it, within a pretty precise time frame. With Autolib, you take the car at the nearest station and you drop it at the closest station near your destination. And when you return, you do the same. This way you only pay for a small journey. The service will open in December, I'll come back to it, of course...

Another good address...

2011-11-06T00:05:00.000+01:00

Here is a place you have to make a note of, if you come to Paris. You'll find it right in the heart of Paris, off the Champs Elysées, but you'll be surprised how quiet it is! Why? Because it's located right in the middle of Le Petit Palais... Tip: when you walk in ask for a free ticket to the "permanent collections", you can then walk in to this little secluded garden and enjoy a two course meal (including a glass of wine and coffee) for 24 € ! BTW, I took this photo Friday morning, as you can see we're having a sort of Indian summer at the moment.

Building Europe...

2011-11-05T00:07:00.001+01:00

President Sarkozy and Obama were interviewed on television last evening and it was a first. This shows how tough the times are. We're trying to build a unified Europe, but it's not easy (like it was probably not easy to build the United States over 200 years ago). They talked about friendship, confidence and trust. Of course these are politician words, but still, it felt good to have some support (even if the US economy is not exactly in better shape than the one of Europe actually. But who's counting?!) Have good weekend everyone, how about a little Ouzo with your Pasta?

A drink by the Palais Royal

2011-11-04T00:07:00.002+01:00

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!).

Escargots

2011-11-03T00:07:00.001+01:00

I may be French, I don't remember having ever eaten escargots... And I still haven't, even if I had dinner last night with someone who had some! It was near the Invalides, in a restaurant called Café de l'Esplanade, where they serve them in a very nice way I must say (notice the "mouillettes", these little slices of bread, that you normally dunk into soft boiled eggs, but that can also be useful to absorb the garlic sauce that comes with escargots - and that make them tasty, I'm told...). Bon appétit (pronounced the Julia Childs' way...).

Eglise Saint Roch

2011-11-02T00:08:00.000+01:00

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!).

Theme day : fences (and walls!)

2011-11-01T00:09:00.002+01:00

In France - and in most European countries - November 1st is a holiday, as it's the day where living people go and visit the dead, in cemeteries. It's also a theme day (check it here) within the City Daily Photo blog community. And today's theme is Fences! I thought of showing you a fence within a cemetery, but I did not find any... So instead here is a wall, that I shot in Le Marais, at rue des Archives. A little less theme day compliant, but a little merrier ;-) I really wonder what's behind this wall!

Trick or treats?!

2011-10-31T00:02:00.002+01:00

It's not really a French celebration (here we celebrate the dead on the November 1st), but... since it's a good business booster (for restaurants and shops that sell scary costumes like the one where I took this photo), you can see a lot of calls to attend Halloween parties everywhere in Paris right now (no trick or treats though...). So I thought I would play the game... On a different note - and believe me, with absolutely no relationship with scary witches! - I had the pleasure to have breakfast with Kim from Seattle Daily Photo this morning (see for yourself ;-).

Giant artichokes at Invalides

2011-10-30T00:05:00.001+02:00

A-ma-zing. As I was coming back from the 15th arrondissement yesterday, I passed by Les Invalides and saw this giant artichokes sculpture (by Patrick Laroche who claims to be fascinated by nature) in the middle of the pavement! Really cool ;-) Turns out it's part of a contemporary art trail organized by the art gallerie 208 and a local association. So it's not the only piece of art you can come across in the 7th arrondissement at the moment ;-) Here is the only online information I could find about this (in French).

Alone in the city

2011-10-29T00:03:00.000+02:00

I'm always embarrassed when I take such photos, because even though they have that kind of dramatic atmosphere that helps making good photos, they also contain a lot of suffering. There is not much to add, I'm afraid.

The 1st good-for-the-planet merry-go-round!

2011-10-28T00:04:00.001+02:00

Low consumption bulbs, hybrid cars, windmills... everybody claims to have sustainable development solutions for the planet nowadays. In Paris, we've gone a step further! Now we have an ecologic merry-go-round, one that is powered by solar cells, a small windmills and... human power (that is the power of people - kids? - that pedal while going around!) Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Marcel Campion, invented it - OK, maybe it's a little far fetched, but still ;-) If you want to see it, it's easy, it's right at the bottom of La Tour Eiffel where I took this photo this morning.

Biking on the Champs Elysées

2011-10-27T00:01:00.000+02:00

Another nice dawn view on the Champs Elysées. Nothing to add, I'm sure you'll like it too ;-)

Through the Cité de la Mode

2011-10-26T00:06:00.000+02:00

You may remember La Cité de la mode et du Design, a pretty new building (it was inaugurated in 2007) that looks over the Seine. Very creative, it was a bit controversial (isn't everything?!) because the architects Dominique Jakob and Brendan Mac Farlane added a sort of green glass skin on the facade that faces the water (see some photos here). Last week I went there and here is the photo I took from the inside. I love the effect!

Champs Elysées at dawn...

2011-10-25T00:05:00.001+02:00

OK, it was not exactly dawn, but 9 o'clock... But at this time of year (we're about to change time this weekend) it's almost like dawn! The light was really beautiful and since it was Sunday morning Les Champs Elysées were almost empty.

Vive la France!

2011-10-24T00:04:00.001+02:00

So we did not win (the World Rugby Cup final) yesterday, but I had great fun. I woke up early to make it to "The Freedom" a pub located off Les Champs Elysées that I already mentioned here where the owner of fashion store Koko (a true Kiwi!) had organized a giant NZ meetup (French could join too ;-). Needless to say that the atmosphere was, well, very festive and that we heard a lot of "La Marseillaise" (listen) and "God Defend New Zealand" (listen) singing. Great moment.

Reading by the Canal

2011-10-23T00:03:00.000+02:00

I just spent two days hanging out at the Webdeux Connect event (a cool French networking event for geeks like me!) and I did not have a single minute to take my photo du jour... So here is a very peaceful Sunday shot that I took by the Canal Saint Martin a few days ago, when it was still a little warm. There is nothing extraordinary in this photo, but I like it. Off to bed now, tomorrow morning (Sunday), France plays New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup and I want to see this ;-)

How I became a comic character...

2011-10-22T00:07:00.001+02:00

Do you see the character in the upper left of this comic book, well it's me! Don't go thinking it's an actual drawing, for it's a piece of art by Christophe Weber that I saw at the Galerie W corner, at the Chic Today exhibit at La cité de la Mode, by the Seine. This is actually a live image, projected on a huge screen, with two cameras on each side; each of them films the people in front of the screen and turns them instantly into comic strip characters. Great idea! On top of that the Galerie W people had the marvelous idea of using polltogo to get people's reaction on the spot. Really Fun!

Pont des arts padlocks

2011-10-21T00:02:00.000+02:00

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.

Cold attack!

2011-10-20T00:02:00.001+02:00

It had to happen... The summer is definitely gone in Paris, and the temperatures are about to drop dramatically - they said the thermometer would go down to 2°C (35°F) tomorrow morning (Thursday). To "celebrate" here is a photo of the "famous" mantelpiece of the Murano hotel (or rather as they like to call themselves the "Murano Urban Resort"!") at Boulevard du Temple in the 3rd arrondissement. This mantelpiece is located at the entrance, and it's really worth the look.