Thursday, July 31, 2014

Miniature Eiffel Tower war!

I went out yesterday! I went out and had a nice walk in Paris, only to find out that the miniature Eiffel Tower war is not yet over! Everywhere you can find a vendeur à la sauvette (street hawker) that will sell you for 1,50 € a small ET replica that you would buy for twice this price in a real store... The police is supposed to chase them, but judging from what I saw yesterday, they are not doing a great job ;-) Maybe because there are more important battles worth fighting for in the streets of Paris?!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Place du Trocadero

I did not go out yesterday to get some rest - even though I'm perfectly alright - so I did not take any photo! Here is one I took about a month ago and never used, even though this scene will probably look familiar to you as I have showed you this statue (the one of Maréchal Foch, a WWI French hero) several times. Traffic on this roundabout is generally very dense, so I must have been lucky!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Eiffel Aerodynamics Labs

Sorry I'm late posting, but I had to have my finger operated on yesterday and I was too tired when I returned home. I went to a hospital that specializes in hand surgery and this allowed me to discover the Eiffel Aerodynamics labs in the street nearby (rue de Musset). I did not know that Eiffel pioneered the study of the effects of aerodynamics on objects and that he first used his tower for that (dropping objects  from it!). Later he built a wind turbine, which is in this building and is still in operation. Amazing, isn't it? (Much) more in this publication - in English.

Monday, July 28, 2014

The back of...

Here you go, let start the week with a classic - well not so actually for generally you see the front and not the back... For yes, this is famous Opéra Garnier from the back (and from the rooftop of Les Galeries Lafayette of course) - Sorry if I'm not too informative with my captions lately, but I badly cut one of my fingers (not too serious though) and I have to take car of that asap. Will be back on track soon.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Galeries Lafayette rooftop

Believe it or not, I've been several times to the rooftop of Le Printemps, but I had never been to the one of Galeries Lafayette. And yesterday - because I was early to a meeting - I did! Wow! It's certainly a place not to miss. First of all because of the view (I'll show it to you soon, but it's very similar to the one of Le Printemps of course (the two stores are next to each other), but because it's enormous and arranged like a little prairie with cafés, ice-cream parlors and couches! I could not stay very long, but I'll definitely go back. BTW the immaculate blue sky in the background is 100% real!

Friday, July 25, 2014

Hi chair!

Have a close look at this mini Eiffel Tower. It looks like the real one, doesn't it? Well... providing it's location (on the river banks in front of the Musée d'Orsay Palais de Justice) you guessed it's a replica ;-) But the most interesting part in the replica is that it's entirely made of... bistro chairs! The ones made by French Manufacturer Fermob who's celebrating its 125th anniversary (FYI, this exact same sculpture was on display in front of the real Eiffel tower a few weeks ago).

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Landing at Les Invalides

Yesterday evening there was a demonstration ending at Les Invalides Esplanade (still about the events in the Middle East). I went there hoping to take good photos, but I'm pretty disappointed with the results. Fortunately, while I was leaving, I took this one, which has nothing to do do with the demonstration (even though you can see marchers in the background, if you look closely). It's the one I prefer! 

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

A very timely graffito

I found this "urban fresco" under a bridge on a pretty concealed street in the 13th arrondissement. It must be fairly new as the topic is evidently current... That's all I'll say about the subject.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Paris Plage 2014



Even though the events in the Middle East are really poisoning the relationship between people in Paris (demonstrations, acts of violence in some areas...), life goes on. Like every summer Paris Plage (an event during which they cover part of the river banks with sand and install beach attractions)  has just started and kids - and adults! - love it. I did not take this photo along the Seine banks, where most of Paris Plage takes place, but, by the bassin de La Villette in the 19th arrondissement, where they have many activities, including sprinklers, which are always a big hit!  

Monday, July 21, 2014

Holy cow!

In one of the most beautiful covered passages of Paris, the Galerie Vivienne (not to mention the one where I live of course, the Passage Verdeau, which to me is the most beautiful one LOL!), I found the store of Emilio Robba, a florist that specializes in "permanent botanicals and landscaping environments.". You may dislike the idea of "fake flowers and plants", but not after you've seen the ones of Emilio's! He even uses them to make beautiful scupltures, like this one of a cow that I could not hep but take a photo of. A must visit place, for sure.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

(Reposting) Pro Palestinian Demonstration


I'm still in Normandie (in the North West of France) until tomorrow, but I just watched the national news and saw that a pretty violent Pro-Palestinian demonstration took place in Barbès yesterday - a quarter when a lot of people of Arab origin (mostly Northern Africa) live and work. It reminded me of a previous one that took place in 2009 where I took several photos, including this one. All these demonstrations are linked to what's happening in the Middle East of course.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Shadow game

Quick! Before the return of the rain... At Palais Royal...

Friday, July 18, 2014

La Parisienne au soleil


Shoes off, mineral water at reach, book, relaxed posture... Of course I suppose this photo could have been taken almost everywhere in the world, but to me, it's a very Parisian scene! That is why I titled it "La Parisienne au soleil" (the parisian girl in the sun). Have a great Friday everyone. I'm off to Normandy for the weekend.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

More fire games

The weather was really lovely last evening in Paris (28°C / 82.4° F) and I had a walk in front of Notre Dame. I came across the  same street artists that play with fire admirably that I already photographed in 2012). A magical moment...

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Quiet please!

Gee, what a celebration it has been! Parade, WWI exhibit, concerts, fireworks... We Parisians - and the tourists - really had a great time. Had we won the soccer/football World Cup as well, we would have been ecstatic;-) Time for a little break now... How about this beautiful Tour Saint Jacques at sunset that I photographed a few days ago. I know you've already seen it, but...

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Watch the Bastille Day 2014 fireworks (almost) live!


In addition to the below photo (reenacting WWI), let me exceptionally double post today. I would not want you to miss the stunning fireworks we had  on July 14 from the Eiffel Tower.   

Reenacting WWI

Yesterday was the traditional Défilé du 14 juillet (Bastille Day parade) on the Champs Elysées. It was also the occasion to commemorate the 100th anniversary of WWI (a war that killed millions of soldiers from many nationalities). Among the WWI related events, there was a living exhibit in the Jardin des Tuileries where amateur history lovers dressed in WWI era attire reenacted what it was like during that time. It was not only authentic, but also really moving.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Bal des pompiers (2014)

Like every year on the eve of Le 14 juillet (Bastille Day), the pompiers (firemen) of France organize big balls (bal des pompiers) in their fire station and let everyone one in for a very festive moment. It's also a way for them to raise a little charity money. Last evening I was too tired (well, lazy...) to go out so I did not get any bal des pompiers photo like I usually do every year. Instead here is a photo I took in 2012, while I caught a battalion of pompiers (in Paris, firemen are part of the army) marching on the Trocadero Esplanade. Needless to say that the music they play during the balls is nothing like military music, but real dance music!

Sunday, July 13, 2014

The sky is the limit

I passed by Notre Dame yesterday and saw this guy with this T-shirt in front of the church. I just thought it was funny. Of course it has nothing to do with God, but with... Sky Television, a British satellite television service. 

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Blue prints!

People must have thought I was crazy when they saw me taking a photo of this pretty ugly fence! Several things caught my eyes though: the little leaflets perfectly scattered, the electric blue facade in the background and the graffiti. All I needed to do was to wait for someone to go by... Cool, isn't it?

Friday, July 11, 2014

Rotten summer (2014!)

Sometimes in July, the weather can be very bad in Paris (and in France in general, except on the Riviera). That is exactly what's happening at the moment... I took this photo last evening while I was walking through the crowd to get closer to the stage this rock concert that took place on the Place de la République. The blur is then totally natural, since I was walking when I pulled the trigger. They expect this rotten weather to continue for at least a week...

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Preparing Bastille Day (14 juillet)

Pretty soon it' will be Le 14 juillet (Bastille day), the day the French celebrate their revolution (which took place in 1789). There will be a huge march on the Champs Elysées, an air show and, of course, huge fireworks. Preparaing all this takes a lot of time, you need to install the seats on the champs Elysées, the equipment under the Eiffel Tower (for the fireworks!) and... street signs to help military vehicles reach Les Champs Elysées! That is precisely what these two guys were doing, when I caught them in the act near La Republique square.

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

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).

Tuesday, July 08, 2014

French Communist Party HQ

In France, we still have a Communist Party (Le Parti Communiste Français) which never changed its name, even after the fall of Soviet Union in the 90's. Its heaquarters are very famous, because of the architecture of the building, designed by Brasilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in 1965 (the white dome was built later in 79/80). Between 1994 and 2002 the French Communist Party had to face a real decline and money shortage. That is why this building was rented for several very capitalistic events, like fashion shows (Prada, Issey Miyake, Dries van Noten, Yves Saint Laurent, Vuitton...). I took this photo recently, taking advantage of a nearby meeting.

Monday, July 07, 2014

Tropical Carnival

I never knew about the Paris Tropical Carnival and though... it's been taking place for 13 years now! I only discovered about it by chance last Saturday because I needed to go to the hardware store and found more about it on the web today. It was really fun to see not only the Carnival but also the people in the audience (We have a large Caribbean community in Paris). Shame that the weather was not very nice.

Sunday, July 06, 2014

Sunday rest!

Probably not the most comfortable place to rest or lay in the sun, but very central! Have a great Sunday everyone, take some time off!

Saturday, July 05, 2014

La Lady du Louvre

In the Louvre Gardens, where I passed by yesterday evening, there are several sculptures by Maillol. All of them are absolutely superb - I showed several ones on this blog, but never this one (whose name I forgot to note...). This garden is perfect for a picnic BTW: no cars, beautiful sculptures everywhere and comfy grass!

Friday, July 04, 2014

Happy 4th of July!

You all know the joke right? "Is there a 4th of July in France?" Well yes, there is, and it's today! Only we don't celebrate it like Americans do... On this blog though, since a lot of my visitors are from the US, I usually try to take a photo that has some kind of connections with North America! I happen to have had dinner at HD Diner yesterday evening, and everything there looks American (except the prices: a small Bud costs... 4,90 €!), so I thought this could be  my 4th of July tribute!

Thursday, July 03, 2014

More doors

You know my love for doors, well here is another example. I found this one at place du Panthéon! The little blue sign on the left (on the street lamp) means that there is an electric car charging station nearby, which is still pretty rare in Paris, unfortunately. 

Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Champs Elysées terrace

Yesterday evening I had a dinner on one of the last floors of a champs Elysées building (the offices of the monechelle.fr website)  and it was really fantastic. I took several photos including this one of a beautiful café terrace. When I was younger (in the 80's) there was a large lane that would allow parking on both sides exactly where this café terrace is! Hard to believe that now...

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Celebrating (Summer)!

Today is July 1st and it's a theme day within the City Daily Photo blogger community. This month's theme is “Celebrating Summer”, so I went down the street and looked for people celebrating... It was not hard to find, as... we (France) had just won the game I was telling you about yesterday. So yes, I cheated a little bit; I'm sure these people are happy that it's summer of course, but they are definitely more excited about our victory than the season ;-) . Check out how people celebrate summer all over the world.