Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Pushing the boundaries


Yesterday I took you to the past with Mozart, today let me take you to the future with President Sarkozy! Like I already mentioned, Paris is a pretty small city compared to the other European capitals. The idea of extending its boundaries to the suburbs in order to make a "Greater Paris" area like in London has been in the pipe for a long time, but it is very difficult to achieve. Last year, President Sarkozy asked 10 world famous architects to come up with ideas to reshuffle the space like Haussmann did in his time. The results are interesting - and sometimes spectacular - and can be seen in la Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine until November 22nd. If you cannot make it to Paris, you can have a glimpse on line here or read this article in English.

32 comments:

  1. I already read several articles about these projects in some of my business magazines. I do agree, Eric, some are spectacular. And I'd love to see them "in real"...

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  2. Congrats to GF Thib! Are you adding architectural models to the crown? Going back to look at the links. A "greater Paris" will probably happen one of these days—just hope it could somehow be as beautiful as (most of) the original arrondissements are.

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  3. Thib, did you win the GF from your Blackberry? Double crowned for that!

    I thought I saw something on Paris architecture when I was walking around the Sully Morland area one day. What museum was I in ? Help!

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  4. Belle idée de photo et de titre! Paris intra muros aujourd'hui, grand Paris demain ?
    Tu ne vas pas manquer de travail, Eric, si Paris grandit ;)

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  5. C'est marrant je crois que c'est la première fois que je vois ce panneau autre part que sur le périph!

    I'm sorry Eric, but "let me take you to the future with President Sarkozy"???! That's far too much for me. LOL

    I grew up in the suburbs, to me it sounds great to make a greater Paris. If ever it could help the poor "banlieusards" (suburbians)...

    Thib, GF!! will bring a crown next week.

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  6. I'm sorry Eric, but "let me take you to the future with President Sarkozy"???! I'll admit I had a knee jerk reaction, too, lol ;)

    I'll look at the links when I get home.

    Where can I find a sign just like this to decorate my kitchen in the States? The sign probably weighs a ton, no?

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  7. This is a rather new signpost isn't it? I don't recall seeing this particular design when I was in Paris recently.

    And by the way, thanks to Nasty GG for the mini French lesson in yesterday's post. I guess I'll stick to the much simpler rules of passé composé after all! :)

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  8. I'd like to learn more about this project. Great sign!

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  9. Do like the sign. Learned a new French word from Guille..."banlieusards" (hope I remember it or don't misuse or abuse it LOL)..."banlieusards, balieusards, banlieusards." Okay, I'll remember it now. ;-) Did not know about PHX's birthday yesterday, so a shout out to you dear gal! Here's to extra pate on your crackers and a few more bubbles in your wine!;-)
    Merci for keeping your thumb on the pulse of Paris, Eric. Back to working on rototilling my garden...something Dr Pangloss might not approve of but I think Candide would. Cheers all!

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  10. In 18 days I'll see it for myself. How do you say, "I can hardly WAIT!!!!!" in French????
    V

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  11. Thumb on the pulse. You said it, Coltrane. Very interesting post, Eric. Perhaps not "let me take you to the future," but it does sound very forward-thinking.

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  12. Interesting! I have been a bit out of the news loop, so I appreciate learning about this. I also found an article from THE TIMES ONLINE summarizing several proposals for the project.

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  13. Oh, and I agree with Alexa about the hope that "Greater Paris" could possess the beauty of the original arrondissements.

    And belated happy birthday to Phx!

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  14. PHX-CDG -- belated Bon Anniversaire to you, ma belle!

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  15. "I'm sorry Eric, but "let me take you to the future with President Sarkozy"???! That's far too much for me. LOL"

    Funny, I kinda anticipated this! De là à dire que je l'ai fait exprès... !

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  16. Yes, that was from my Blackberry !
    But it seems I was alone here last night ! I made the last comment on yesterday's post à 10.30 and the 1st one here at 00.16.
    you were all dancing, or working, or what ?

    OK back to work now..
    C U next week

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  17. Well, you know how to tease Eric!! M'étonnerait pas de ta part tiens. Pfff. ;)

    Glad to see that Tomate is on my side!
    The future is 3 more years with Sarkozy... BTW, it's his inauguration's bday today.

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  18. Guille : Carrément MDR at your comment on RicouX//Sarko ! I guess we should think about something for the PDP party !…

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  19. phx-cdg : the place you visited at Sull-Morland is the Centre d'information, de documentation et d'exposition d'urbanisme et d'architecture de la ville de Paris. www.pavillon-arsenal.com/
    This time the exhibition about le Grand Paris takes place at the Cité de l'Architecture. www.citechaillot.fr/

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  20. Thanks for the links... but I'd better not read them to motivate myself to visit the real Paris! Someday....

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  21. Wow that's seems like something I can't miss when I'm there.

    Seeing what Paris will like in the future would be, to the least, interesting!

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  22. Thank you Nasty. My goal is to see every museum in CDG but it helps if you remember where you are and what you saw!!!!!

    I'm glad that you DON'T live up to your name!!!!!!!

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  23. Yay Thib! Do you have a Paris sign wraparound crown?

    I love this pic Eric, it'll be great Zazzled...into postcards perhaps.

    I think it's a great idea, although I feel a little sad that some suburbs that I grew up knowing in Surrey, i.e. Croydon as a random example, it used to be Croydon, Surrey. It's now London! Which seems to me really strange. Careful not to lose too much of les espaces verts to city labelling!

    I'm sure it's very exciting though.

    I clicked on Sarkozy's speech - usually I have respect for him of course, but ... nothing more. But; wow. I confess; I love his voice! I was completely charmed. Caught under his spell and was just savouring his perfect diction when...gosh! He looked up straight into my eyes (camera!) - Oh my, my heart skipped a beat I can tell you. Have I been seduced by the Sarkozy charm?.......I think so........sigh... :D

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  24. and seduced by Eric and......and?.....giggle....(she is sooo easy when it comes to French men)

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  25. LOL... oh dear, you got me. It's the charm, the accent, the gestures, the look... oh my.

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  26. I'm always checking your pics, O love Paris so much! It is very nice to live in London and be able to get on a train for a few hours in the most beautiful place in the world!

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  27. Vicky and UKLynn, I'm with you both!!!

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  28. Lynn -- poor Eric must be disillusioned to find out that it's ALL Frenchmen you love and not just him! :~}

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  29. he he Alexa - I, on the other hand, am under no illusion whatever that Eric will be disillusioned in the least :( LOL !

    Actually, not all, only Eric, Michael, Sarkozy, Jean-Christophe Novelli....oh and who's that chap who was in that film where he went on holiday with his daughter after his divorce and she met a boy and he was terribly protective and...oh never mind... him! :D

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  30. I'm not sure. Lynn echoed my thinking
    on losing Suburbs under one Generic city. Small and perfectly formed is often better than big. That does not apply to Sarkozy though.

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