Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Invalides at night


Unusual point of view for today... I'm just out of a company party (Apec) that took place on top of the Montparnasse tower (some people say it's the best point of view in Paris because, precisely, you cannot see the tower!). Needless to say that I took my camera along... Et voilà! I took several pics from the spectacular rooftop on the 57th floor, but this is the one I like the best. It's Le Panthéon Les Invalides, a former hospital that has now been turned into a museum. Like the Pantheon(!!), it also shelters the tomb of several famous Frenchmen including Napolean's one.

44 comments:

  1. Eric!!!!!!!!!! My heart just skipped a beat when the photo downloaded.

    Wow!!!!!!!

    Ok, so this is going to be the cover of your book when you finally come to your senses and publish it. When is it going to be by the way?

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  2. Gorgeous and golden! Very romantic shot, Eric you are such an exclusive party animal. Always attending the best venues, oh to be a journalist in Paris. Sigh....

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  3. Ah ha! The 3 PDP Eric groupies in a row.
    Hooray for Monica!

    This picture is magnificent.

    I climbed to the top of the Pantheon and huffed and puffed the whole way.

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  4. he he we are his groupies aren't we?!!

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  5. Whaa it's amazing! I have never seen the Panthéon like that, it's just incredible, to me it was not one of the best monument in Paris. I changed my mind!!
    Thx for this great shot.
    Have a nice evening/night all.

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  6. Girls don't get your hopes up!
    Everyone knows that Eric favours me!

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  7. I think you're great,Eric, but sorry, I definitely am NOT your groupie. However, I love how you 'stole' a quote from...who?...ah, novelist Guy de Maupassant, who said the same thing about the Eiffel Tower. Now, I love the view from on top of le Tour Montparnasse, but I agree it's an ugly building. However, the Pantheon is beautiful at night because of how it is lit. Perfect photo: mai, bien sur, c'est PDP!

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  8. C'est booooooooooooo! Night shots are hard to do.. good one!

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  9. I love this shot, Eric! I want to look into each window and find out what's going on. Oh la la!

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  10. Beautiful night shot, Eric! As my friend says, "It's a framer!" I took a picture inside the Pantheon once, and got a dirty look. Oops!

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  11. I agree with all of the above accolades. You are a master.

    Who are the great Frenchmen that are interred there?

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  12. We have often walked past the Pantheon on our way back to the hotel we stay at in the 13th, but I would never have imagined it looking like this. What a difference the elevated view and the nighttime lighting make (not to mention the talented photographer).

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  13. Nicely done again. Paris shots at night are fantastique! Love this area around the Sorbonne. BTW Jeff, your Maupassant reference was to the "point". Do wish I were headed to Venice. I'm looking in a southerly direction, La Antigua, in the coming weeks. Warm temps are needed as we are being blasted by sub zero temps here in the Midwest. Bon voyage!

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  14. Isn't that photo actually of the dome church at les Invalides?

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  15. I didn't realize you couldn't see the tower from Montparnasse tower. I know that you can see it from the street level a block or two in front of the Pantheon so I thought from that height you'd be able to see it.

    Oh to be out of freezing NYC and in beautiful Paris.

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  16. Eric: I'm afraid the other Eric here might be correct. I think this is Hôtel des Invalides. Pantheon has that big triangle frontispiece.
    You said you took several photos, so you probably mixed them.

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  17. Wonderful photo! I really enjoy your night shots.
    mzm

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  18. What a setting, what a photograph. Beautiful, Eric.

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  19. I'm not going to guess about the building identity. I am going to congratulate Eric for taking gear with him to make photos from a unique vantage point.

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  20. I find my self always carrying my camera with these days, always trying to find a photo opportunity....even to the grocery store.

    Very nicely done.

    Twin Cities Daily Photo

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  21. Yes, I think it is the dome at Les Ivalides, but still it is a beautiful shot. I'm coming to Paris soon, camera in hand, as always!

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  22. Boooooooooooooooooh, shame on me. And I was not even drunk when I posted this photo!!

    So it's definitely not the Pantheon but the Invalides. Thank you for alerting me.

    Now let me scourge myself while chanting "I'm a loser" all day long!!

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  23. Eric

    Very nice shot!

    I agree with your thoughts about the Montparnasse Tower having the best views of Paris. When we visited last year I took some great shots at sunset from up there. It also beats having to queue at the Eiffel Tower. Nice bar to have a drink in afterwards too!

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  24. Ace capture! Glad I called in.
    Some years since we did a flying tour of Paris....

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  25. beautiful scenery!

    please notice that the Hotel des Invalids is not only a museum but is still used for what it was built, a home for disabled soldiers wounded on duty.
    Those poor guys, young and old, live in the part that's not open to visitors.

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  26. Hi Eric, it's your No. 1 admirer here (move over Anne) with various other girlies tripping on their heels behind, trying to keep up. Don't worry about the erreur. We shall always forgive. Who cares, when you bring us such beauty? (beat that, girls!)

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  27. Eric you are a winner, make no mistake about it!!!

    (it´s ok, we all drink a little bit more that we should every now and then..)

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  28. LOOOL ! God it feels so good to have a fan club LOL

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  29. I bet, Eric. You just sit there comfortably and the girls and i will bring you good things to eat and drink. All you have to do is take great photos, imagine that!

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  30. Lynn, you are a clever girl. When are you going to get the hint?
    ERIC IS ALL MINE! MINE MINE MINE.
    Do you understand?

    And Eric, don't listen to her
    "ce sont les tonneaux vides qui font le plus de bruit"

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  31. Ah, good eye, Monica. I see the large interior of Les Invalides now that I enlarge the photo. And now that I think, the Pantheon lighting is different at night. Well, Eric n'est pas parfait, but his photos often are. We forgive the error and love the result. When mistaken identity involves two beauties, who cares?

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  32. Ooh, it was "the other Eric" who noted the discrepancy. My mistake. Good eye, Other Eric!

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  33. Good eye, "other Eric." I don't know my Paris buildings well enough to have known.

    And good eye, "Eric Eric," for capturing such a beautiful photo. It's one of those gaspers--when you open it your breath catches.

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  34. he he Anne, oui c'est vrai, mais le mot plus important; c'est 'vide' ! N'est-ce pas, chere Anne? LOL !

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  35. Eric,
    Your pictures continue to be outstanding, and now I see why my photos of Paris will never compare to yours:
    I never get invited to parties at the top of the tallest building in Paris.
    At night.
    With my camera.
    And a zoom lens.

    It goes without saying that I don't have your eye for composition either. Beautiful shot.

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  36. Shame on US not on you! We all said "yes the Panthéon is so beautiful!", we, the parisians. So shame on us. :)

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  37. I wouldn't have known the difference, i confess.
    My laptop is now fixed: i'm back to compete with the girls.

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  38. Ouaiiiiissssssssss!!!!!! J'adore ca Eric!!! Merci!! I have been so busy lately..but was very happy to see this one when I finally had time to visit my favorite blog!! ;-)

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  39. Eric - Lynn, Monica and Anne are all completely shameless. But you know that, don't you? This is indeed a beautiful photo. One of your best, I'd venture to say. I would love to see the view from that 57th floor rooftop.

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  40. J'adore Paris! I have visited many times and it is my favourite city in Europe. Your blog has made me feel like a trip is needed there soon. Your photos are lovely!

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