The return of the Ferris Wheel

A very seasonal post, that you may be tired of: the Ferris wheel... Every year in November they install it on the place de la Concorde and they leave it until March. When you're on top, it's probably the best view on the Champs Elysées and beyond that you can have of Paris. That is if you're not afraid of heights of course, like me ;-( As you probably guessed this photo was taken from the Tuileries gardens.

Last rays of sun

The sun is back for a few days and since Parisians know they will have to wait until April or May to sit and lay outside again, they tend to take advantage of it as much as they can! Besides, is there something more beautiful than a Maillol Statue in the Louvre garden (this one is called Montagne and it was made in 1937)? I did not think so!

Dancing Queen

Call me ignorant, but I did not know of Louise Fuller (aka Loïe Fuller) a famous American dancer who died in Paris in 1928. Why am I talking about her? Because... this is her! Or rather, a statue of her by Georg Baselitz, a German painter who's work is currently exhibited in Le Jardin des Tuileries during the Fiac (the modern art event I was telling you about a few days ago). 

Art in the street

I love it when the Fiac (Foire internationale d'art contemporain) takes place in Paris for not only do art professionals get to meet and trade, but the average Pierre gets to see art everywhere. They have "Hors les murs" (outside the walls) installations everywhere in Paris and it's really great. I will show you several ones, but to start with, here is a gigantic installation called Magna Mater by the Chapuisat brothers that I photographed in the middle of Les Tuileries gardens. Beautiful.

Letting the grass grow under my feet...

After a whole morning sorting the stuff in my cave (cellar) I took a few hours off to enjoy the last days of Paris sun. God was it gorgeous! I went to Le Louvre gardens, where they surprisingly allow people to lay on the grass among the beautiful Maillol statues, and enjoyed a sip of coffee. I was not the only one, for sure... 

Sunset at Les Tuileries

Two days ago, I went to see a very interesting exhibit (photos by American photographer Garry Winogrand) at the musée du Jeu de paume in the Tuileries. When I came out of the museum, the sun was going down on the Place de la Concorde and there were a few people on a bench admiring the scenery. It was gorgeous.

Paris botanical garden

There are several botanical gardens in Paris : one in the East side of Paris (the Parc Floral de Paris opened in 1969) and a few in the West side of Paris (the Parc de Bagatelle, École Du Breuil and the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil). In the Parc Floral de Paris there are four  landscape spaces including an area for walking and a meeting and exchange area (exhibition room, horticultural events, etc.). It's also used in the summer to host several events. A must visit!

A Sunday in Paris...

I had a picnic in the Luxembourg gardens yesterday and it was really cool! When I left, passed by the pond where kids can sail little boats rented by their parents. The photo quality is debatable, but the scene is sooooooo French, that I thought you might like it ;-)

Paris, the green...

Paris is less green than London or Berlin, or course, but it's much smaller and still managed to save some green spots from the concrete invasion! Hence these trees that I photographed yesterday afternoon in Les Tuileries gardens. Don't they seem to belong to a forest? Have a great rentrée everyone...

Love in the air

Summer in Paris, what else?! I photographed this cute couple in Les Tuileries last week; they really looked in love. I was unable to tell if they're French, but I would tend to think they are. Have a love-ly day!

Another Maillot shot!

Do you remember this photo that I took last winter? Well, here is a close up, that I took a few days ago. It's probably my favorite Maillol Statue in the Louvre gardens. It's called La nuit (the night), it was made in 1909 and it's really breath taking (especially at sunset).

The sunny side of Paris

I checked the weather in Paris yesterday and it was mostly sunny, so I picked this photo for today - another one that I took last Saturday when it was super sunny. I love it, because you can really feel how this man is enjoying a little rest in the sun. I took this photo in the Tuileries gardens.

Bagatelle park

I promised I would tell you where the Belvedere I posted 2 days ago is... Well here is the answer (even though someone already mentioned it in the comments!): it's in the gardens of Bagatelle, a free entrance park (except between June 6 and November 2, 2014 located in the Bois de Boulogne not far from Porte Maillot and where you feel like miles away from Paris. I love it. They also have a rose garden, but I didn't go this time. This is the Orangerie (orange garden)

The country side of Paris

This weekend I went to the country to a beautiful friend's house outside of Paris and... Not true! I went to Bercy gardens - again! This house is actually La Maison du Jardinage (the house of gardening) and you can find there all sorts of plants and advice to grow your own. I really don't have green fingers - and not the required patience to grow anything! - but I would love to live in this house, both inside Paris and in the middle of a huge garden... Priceless.

In the Louvre gardens

I took this photo just before my departure in the Louvre gardens and I really love it. The statue in the middle is by Maillol of course (there are plenty in these gardens!) and the color and the trees are by mother nature, a true artist too! 

Every occasion to monitor your weight is a good occasion!

This is a scale that I photographed in the Luxembourg gardens yesterday. I did it, not so much because of the object in itself, but because the light was really fantastic. And then, I investigated a little more: why on earth was there a scale in the middle of the Luxembourg gardens?! Well... Now I know! It's because at the end of the 19th century people started monitoring their weight, while manufacturers invented automatic scales... One of them the Société anonyme française des bascules automatiques, rented 3 spots in the Luxembourg gardens to install paying (5 cents) scales. This one is one of them (well, maybe not the original!) and even though it does not work anymore, it's still there... 

Farewell Ferris wheel!

Do you remember the couple of photos I took in the small amusement park in Les Tuileries gardens this summer? Well it's all gone now. And here is the proof! But what's left is not bad either... First a beautiful perspective, then two interesting monuments; the white one is dedicated to Jules Ferry, a French politician who passed a law which made primary education in France free, non-clerical (secular) and mandatory and a sculpture by Antonin Carlès called Retour de chasse (back from the hunt).

Less clouds on the horizon!

I don't know if you remember, a few weeks ago I had to stay at the hospital for a few days because they discovered stones in my gallbladder. Well, when you read this - providing everything went well! - it should be history for I had it removed yesterday (Wednesday). I scheduled this photo on Tuesday evening, thinking I would be two spaced out to sit in front of a computer and post something today, so hopefully, there should be no interruption on PDP. I thought a photo of the magnificent Place des Vosges was appropriate. Now, en route for new adventures!

Patience pays off!

"One should build cities in the country, the air would be much cleaner!" said once, one of our all time famous humorists: Alphonse Allais. Well, if you trust this photo, you could think that they've started! For I did take this shot in Paris and in a very very urban area, near the Place de Clichy (precisely in a little garden square off the Avenue de Clichy). This area used to be pretty ugly, but now it's being totally renovated and people who were patient enough (like the lucky ones who live in this red building for example!) can now enjoy a nice and peaceful view, while being one step away from all the city fuss (and enjoy an increase in the price of their apartment of at least 50%!)!   

Wind Power!

Don't go thinking I took this photo in the country somewhere... I took it in Paris, in a public garden located in the 17th arrondissement near the Pont Cardinet area. Of course this wind "turbine" won't produce any electricity, I suppose it's just a scenery equipment, but in other parts of France they do. We have a production of almost 8 000 MW through wind power, which compared to Germany (31 000 Mw),  or the US (60 000 MW) or... China (75 000 MW) is not much, but we're progressing...