Sewer street!

Had you walked in this street (Léopold-Bellan) about 500 years ago, you would have needed a good pair of boots or even a small boat for this was a huge sewer (it was even called sewer street - rue des Aigouts - at that time. It's only around 1815 that the sewers were covered and the street turned into a "real" street. If the people who used tho live there would come back today, they would certainly be surprised to see that it's now a pretty trendy area ;-)

Picking up confetti!

It's the Easter holidays in France at the moment (Paris is slightly emptier than usual). Before they went on vacation, some of the kids of the school near my home had a fancy dressed party and it was really cute to watch them march to the local town hall where they would probably have an Easter egg hunt or something. The funniest - and most touching - scene was this little girl trying to consciously pick up all the confetti she could from the pavement. A life allegory, no doubt! 

And my favorite florist in Paris is...

...Hervé Chatelain, a very talented artist that I always admire the work of, when I pass by his shop at 140 rue Montmartre, in the 2nd arrondissement. I did today and took this photo in his shop window, I'm sure you'll agree with me.

Mythical Orient Express

If you come to Paris before the end of August and want to see what the original Orient Express train looks like, you only need to go to the IMA (Institut du monde arabe) and visit the exhibit they're having at the moment. The Orient Express is still a mythical train for us Europeans. It used to go from Paris to Istanbul (Constantinople before 1930)  in "as little as"  80 hours or so! No wonder it stopped in 1977... The SNCF (French railway company) wants to reopen the line eventually and turn it into a high-end "cruise".   

First color run in Paris

The color run seems to be a pretty well known race throughout the world, but, believe it or not, I had never heard of it. Main reason: it had never taken place in Paris before yesterday! It's a dream event to take cool photos of course... so I did not resist. In the end I selected this one that sums up the event pretty well ;-) Given the amazing number of runners with GoPro cameras, I bet today you can find a zillion video clips of this race on the Net ;-) 

Contemplating ET!

I went to the Trocadero esplanade yesterday and simply took this photo. Nothing extrordinary, but I like it because you can almost hear how these four ladies talk about the Eiffel Tower and how happy they are to have made the trip (maybe I'm totally wrong and they're saying "what?! So this is the famous Eiffel Tower everyone is talking about?! We should have stayed home!" LOL Happy Eiffel Tower Sunday everyone... 

Going up the Champs Elysées

Two days ago, I was driving on the Champs Elysées and I came across a group of people walking up the upper part of the avenue towards the Arch of Triumph, probably to revive the flame of the unknown soldier. I don't know exactly who participated in this march (there were military men first, then civilians), but I like the photo ;-)

How French are you?

It's Friday, let's have fun! I came across this little "How French Are You?" quiz on a website and it really made me smile. And since a few days earlier I took this photo on the Champs Elysées (it belongs to the window of the French car manufacturer Renault) and I thought this was the perfect match. 

Optical illusion

A few days ago one of my nieces moved in a brand new apartment in Levallois (a suburban city very close to Paris) and I went there to have a little preview... Before going into the building, I had a look at one of the facades and saw that there were plants on most windows and that there was a nice balcony on the last floor. But when I looked closer, I realized that all this was... fake! Fortunately, her apartment is on the other side of the building, so she be able to grow real plants on her window ;-)

Graffiti or painting?

Here is a garage door I spotted in rue Saint-Nicolas and I thought it was truly amazing ! Not that I particularly like the actual painting, but because it's a really elaborated street work, closer to a painting than a graffito. [Sorry for the late posting, I was so tired, I screwed up with the posting time!!]

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)

Paris Marathon 2014

For once I went to the arrival. It looked like hell! I could not help, but play with my shutter speed though ;-)

Paris Belvedere

It may be an Italian word, but we do have a "belvedere" in Paris, that is a very high point from where you can see a 360° panorama. I went there yesterday and it was the perfect day for it, for the sun was really shining. I'm not telling you right know where it is, but I will later this week... Hint: it used to be a previous ice "factory" !

A day at Club Med!

Well... when I say "A day at Club Med", I really mean: "a day near the offices of Club Med", for yes, yesterday morning, for my first day out after my sick days, I had a meeting at 11 rue de Cambrai, a former warehouse area (mid 1850's)  that has been turned into office space in the 1990's. Great location, that look a bit like "Venice" due to the many canals that run through it. The photo is less interesting than yesterday's one, but it's fresher! 

Paris Laundromat

Don't ask me why, but laundromats fascinate me! Not that I ever use any (like a lot of French people I have a washer in my kitchen - yes kitchen!), but probably because they look a bit depressing. When I saw this one a few weeks ago (I'm still sick so I did not go out yesterday), I immediately thought it would make a good photo (mainly because of the lonely guy in it of course, but not only). Have good Friday everyone, I'll finally go out again today so expect more fresh material soon!! 

Fontaine des Mers

I've caught a big cold on the way back from the US and I really did not feel like going out yesterday. So I took a sick day and dug out a stock photo - well, actually one I took just before my trip to San Jose. You've see it a zillion times on this blog, but I'm sure you'll be happy to see it once more; it's really beautiful, even when noone put green stuff in the water! Off to bed now!

Johnny-on-the-spot...

Or rather... IN the spot(light)! For yes ladies and gentleman, this is Johnny Hallyday, a French signer who is extremely popular in France. Sometimes he also appears in movies and that is exactly the reason why I got to photograph him last evening... I went to see Salaud, on t'aime, a movie by Claude Lelouch in which a friend of mine had a small part. It was fun to see all this fuss around a movie and its actors from up close. The photo is a bit fuzzy of course, but I like it, precisely because it is... fuzzy! 

Look for the triangle...

No, it's not an April fool's day joke, it's simply a theme day! For yes, ladies and gentlemen, if you visit the city daily photo blogs today you will find triangles in each photo. Silly? Yes, but funny. BTW, did you spot the triangle in this photo?

And the new mayor of Paris is...

Anne Hidalgo! She was the deputy Mayor of Bertrand Delanoe, the previous mayor that managed Paris for 14 years. Needless to say that she probably knows the job! Her tag line is "Paris qui ose" (Paris that dares - doing things), we'll see! Welcome to the job Anne! More in English here.

When the Eiffel Tower has an earth hour moment...

Like a thousand monuments in the world, last evening the Eiffel Tower participated in the Earth Hour ("one hour for the planet" in France). Only "for security reasons" (really?!) the Eiffel Tower hour only lasted.. 5 minutes. But it made it to the news, so I suppose it was enough to raise the awareness of many people on the necessity to turn off the lights when not needed! I'll be honest, I did not take this photo while the lights were out, but a long time ago. I just thought it was perfect for the occasion...  

Leaving San Jose...

I'm sorry if all my photos tend to look the same lately, but the sun was so inspiring before I left that I kinda over used it! Anyway, when you read this I'll be on the plane, trying to get some sleep(!) on the way back to Paris. I'm happy to go back home I must say and to get to take new and different looking pictures! This is, as you all recognized, one of the 4 (or is it 3?) statues of Liberty replicas that we have in Paris.

Paris in the spring time...

I hear it's lovely in Paris at the moment, so once  again I feel like playing with the sun. Here is a nice view from the rue Saint Roch (the garden in the background is Le jardin des Tuileries). Meanwhile in California it's... raining!

San Jose PDP Gathering

You might have seen that I'm currently on the West coast of the US at the moment and I took advantage of it to gather a few Paris lovers who follow PDP from California. I picked a restaurant in San Jose, close to my hotel and there you go! I really had a great time, being surrounded with people I mostly know virtually though the comments they make on PDP or Facebook. Some even thought of bringing some of my favorite Ceasar salad dressing, for me to take back to Paris ;-) A big thank you to (from left to right): Denis, Jeanne (aka French Twist), Eileen, Mariatta, Sara, Jim, Jocelyn, Suzy, Daniel, Beverly. More on Facebook, if you're on it! 

Marriage photo shoot

The Bir-Hakeim bridge is a double bridge combining a metro railway and a road. It was built between 1902 and 1905 and it's a real masterpiece. No wonder then that a lot of photoshoots take place on it. Last Saturday it was not a fashion photo shoot that I witnessed, but a "simple" marriage one. Beautiful, isn't it?

Hold up at Colette's

I only posted once about colette (not the writer!), but the "concept store" located in the very chic rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré that was created in March 1997 by Colette Rousseaux. It's a place to visit, just for fun, even if you're not the kind that is after the latest trends in the world! The reason why I took this photo (which has a lot of reflexion, I know, but is still kinda cool!) is that on March 22 colette was robbed! They stole about 600 000 euros worth of jewelry! I'm sure colette will get over it...

2014 Paris Art Fair

On March 27 the 2014 Paris Art Fair will start at the Grand Palais. There will also be a lot of art happening within Paris and it's always fun and interesting. To start with, here is the giant iron fist that Chinese artist Liu Bolin (劉勃麟) had installed in front of Le Grand Palais, where I took this photo on Saturday. A beautiful and massive piece of art (7,60 meter high - 25 feet) and 7 tons) that is also - according to Liu Bolin - a political claim.

California eatin'!

Like I mentioned in my caption yesterday, I'm off to San Jose in California for a trade show until the end of the week (come to the little PDP gathering on Tuesday if you're in the neighborhood!) . I looked everywhere for a California related photo that I could take in Paris and ended up on this website, promoting a food truck called Cantine California... I went to where the site said it was located at lunch time yesterday and did not resist ordering a burger... And I did not regret it!  I'm telling you, this is the best burger place I've ever eaten at in the whole world! I'll be back, for sure...

Giant piece of art

This is Bibliothèque nationale de France - the French National library, I already posted about several times. I took it from the left right bank where you can see the giant piece of art on one of the facades (the big upside down female head). I have been totally unable to find any additional info about it... have a great weekend everyone, wherever you are in this world (BTW, if you happen to pass by San Jose on Tuesday...)

And the best macarons are...

Believe it or not there is a macaron day in France, and it was yesterday (march 20!). I just found out about this very important "cause" (in fact it IS a real cause, because all the money collected goes to Cystic fibrosis) in an article in Le Figaro, in which they elected the 5 best macaron places in Paris. The winners are: Jean-Paul Hévin, Pierre Hermé, Sadaharu Aoki, Arnaud Larher, Dalloyau. I did not know most of these places...

An American woman in Paris....

Those who have been following PDP for a long time will recognize Lynn aka PHX-CDG who used to comment a lot until I changed my layout and puzzled a few people with the new login rules... Anyway, yesterday she invited me to witness - and take part in! - her little gig in front of of group of American women from... the American Women's Clubs Overseas - Paris. Purpose of the meeting: taste the hot chocolate from Le Grand Colbert (among the 5 best ones in Paris apparently) and answer a quiz about Paris (which believe it or not, I failed!). It was fun! A big round of applause for Lynn who was born to live on stage! 

Dinner au Petit Trianon

On the boulevard Rochechouart, not far from Montmartre, there is a nice little theater called Le Trianon. It was renovated about 3 years ago which was also the occasion to reopen a very old restaurant (it was opened in 1894!) called Le Petit Trianon. That is where I had dinner last evening and I don't regret it... A place that is worth the visit: very nice decor, very good food, excellent service and... an affordable check in the end.

Shadows

I took this photo on a bridge that runs over the Canal Saint Martin in the 10th arrondissement. Nothing much to add except that I like the shadow effect among the trees.

More sun

I was away in the North of France this weekend (for the wedding of a God daughter) and when I returned to Paris, the weather was absolutely stunning. I took this photo in the rue Lafayette on the bridge that allows the cars to go over the tracks of the Gare du nord.  Today to fight pollution, the authorities have decided that only cars with an odd number on their licence plate could run.

Election time

It's election times... At the end of this month we have to elect the future mayor of Paris... In fact it's a little more complicated: we vote for a mayor in our arrondissement (there are 20 in Paris), then these mayors elect a super mayor who becomes Le Maire de Paris. The French political scene is not too inviting at the moment in France (is it anywhere?!), but I'll vote because it's a right only few people have in the world... 

Commemorate what never happened!

You know how in Paris - and in many other cities of course - you can see on several buildings a plaque on which some important historical fact is reported. Like "this was the house of Victor Hugo" or "in front of this wall X people have been shot by the Nazis", etc. Well this one is much funnier! It says "On April 17, 1967, nothing happened here! It's a remain of an art "movement" that took place around 2002: "Celebrate non historical moments", was their (apparently they were two!) intention...

Things change!

Paris March 13, 2013

Paris March 13, 2014

It's really incredible! Here are two photos that I took exactly on the same date, one year apart. The snow is fun, but the sun is fine, especially when you can lay in it, like these people in the Jardin du Luxembourg. It won't last forever, or course, but at least until  Sunday ;-)

Back to the Paris 13 tower

Do you remember my post about the Paris 13 tower? A building that was about to be destroyed and was turned into an art squat until the end of last year? Well I passed by it yesterday and it's still standing (it takes months if not years to do anything in a big city like Paris because of all the regulations we have), but it really looks like it's going to be taken down soon now. I so wish I could be there when they do it! In the meantime, have another look at the website they made, it's really good.

Pollution alert!

Paris is still the world's top tourist destination (well the Londoners find it hard to believe ;-)), but it may also be one of the most polluted cities. Look at this photo I took at the Trocadero yesterday; can you see how "foggy" it is? Well it's entirely due to the pollution which, at the moment, is pretty high. An NGO has even pressed chargers, claiming that the Government does not take enough measures to fight pollution and that it is responsible for the premature deaths of many people! [Sorry for the jpeg compression effect on the right - where the sun is - it's not the pollution, but Blogger!]

PDP, the last year!

Today is the 9th anniversary of PDP...  Had I known when I started PDP in 2005 with a little Sony camera that I would still be running it 9 years later,  I would have never believed it! Everything has to come to an end though and... well, today is the first day of the last year of PDP. I have one more year to grab the essence of one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I do hope you'll stick with me for one more round ;-) Happy anniversary to you too!

Street talent

Some street painters are really talented! Look at what I found at the end of the Pont d'Austerlitz. I think the  big brown cabinet shelters the electric wiring of traffic lights (there is a big crossing nearby with lots of traffic lights) and this painter - I think it's right to call him or her a painter!- used it beautifully. I thought it was a good way to start the week ;-) Update: thanks to a reader (Eugen Sitta), I now know who painted this: Christian Guémy aka C215.

Bibliothèque nationale de France

The "Bibliothèque nationale de France" or "Bibliothèque François Mitterrand" (after the name of a previous French President) is the largest of the 7 sites that compose the French National Library. It's made of 4 main towers in which no less than 10 million books and publications of all sorts are kept (more here). Yesterday, with the sun it was absolutely gorgeous.

A good ole classic!

Yes, I know, you've seen this a million times already, but I could not help stopping and taking this shot last evening, as I was coming back from a dinner party at my niece's! Have a good weekend everyone.

Paris yesterday!

A-ma-zing! Spring is one month early in Paris... Spotless blue sky, - almost - warm weather (14°c/57°F) and big smiles on people's face. People who all gathered at cafe terraces to have lunch in the sun (including me LOL!). And this? This is Le Louvre, of course... (But you knew that I'm sure...)

The second most expensive city in the world!

I just found out this morning that I live in the second most expensive city in the world, after Singapore. I'm a bit surprised (I would have thought London would be more expensive than Paris for instance), but apparently this result is based on true facts: the comparison of prices of 160 products and services in 140 cities. More on the website of The Economist. I thought this golden door knob that I shot today on my way to the doctor's office was perfect to illustrate this sad fact!

Sun deck

When you want to sit in the sun in the middle of Paris, you generally have to look for a garden and a bench (except in the Tuileries or Luxembourg gardens, where they also have chairs). Well, I've found the only place in Paris (to my knowledge!) when you can sit in a chair and watch the Parisian world go by... Where is it? In front of the Gare Saint Lazare, probably the most urban spot in the whole city!! Needless to say that these chairs are strongly attached to the pavement... 

The new Carreau du Temple

In the 3rd arrondissemment, there is a beautiful building all in cast iron, called Le Carreau du temple. It  has a very interesting history and used to be among many things, a covered clothes market that lasted until year 2000. In 1976, the local mayor thought of tearing it down to replace it with a... parking lot! but people protested and the stupid project never saw the light of day. Between 2007 and now, it has totally been renovated and turned into a 250 seat auditorium and - below ground level - sport and cultural facilities, including a recording studio. I cannot wait till I visit the inside!

Just married!

On Saturday I was quietly working at my computer when I heard loud music outside my door. I rushed downstairs wondering what it was and it turned out it was a wedding. The young couple had probably just left a church and was heading towards a reception hall, located in Le Passage Jouffroy. Only they had a big music band following them (and their guests!). Huge success ;-) and many smiles on people's faces around them, including me...

Jack Le Black

Cool poster that I found off la rue Montorgueil, recently. I like the contrast between the vivid colors and the stone background.  It was made by "Jack Le Black" an artist I had never heard before who also sells T-shirts on the Internet apparently. Have a great Sunday everyone, I'll be working all day today ;-(

People on the street...

You know how I dislike to post photos of people (the French law is very strict about this, even though nowadays, with all the cameras, smartphones and social networks, this law is obviously outdated...), but for today's theme day (people on the street)  I'll make an exception. And I am sure that these two young ladies won't mind ;-) Happy CDP theme day everyone!