Seeing Paris
Paris arrondissements, neighborhoods, day trips, museums, monuments, greenery, tours, guides, walks and wheels, cultural places open, closed and renovating
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Blue Velvet Christmas in Paris
Three Paris monuments are wearing Blue Velvet this year. La Ville de Paris theme this year is “Paris Scintille” (Paris sparkles). Until January 3, Paris sparkles with white drops of light dripping down the façade of the Hôtel de Ville (City hall) and the Luxor Obelisk on Place de la Concorde. The Bastille Colonne de Juillet (July column) has no white drops but was my first dramatic glimpse of the blue velvet. What You Will See The Hôtel de Ville plaza is an illuminated, enchanted, fairy-tale forest with two free merry-go-rounds, including a double-decker. There are wood chalet kiosks with various treats. One kiosk is selling spiced wine, pretzels, waffles,…
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Paris: Shopping for Essentials – Who decides?
Thinking about the holiday shopping ahead? France is working through a vocabulary issue: what is considered essential shopping and what is non-essential? On the morning breakfast show, Télématin, Gabriel Atal, a government spokesperson, said it was unfortunate the government chose the legal form of the word, essential. In other words, deciding what is or is not essential is very controversial. Small businesses are hurting in November Monoprix, a mini-department store (grocery, household, parapharmacy, clothing, toiletries, etc.) was fully open during the first 55-day lockdown. This time, to be in solidarity with the small business, certain departments are cordoned off: books for example. However, magazines are sold because the magazine kiosks and…
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Bright Colors: Paris Evening Lights
A week after seeing a part of Paris in black and white, it was time to focus on bright colors. Along the way, I recalled other ways to view the evening light in reflections and patterns. I was one of seven photographers who followed a spontaneous route from the Metro Temple along Rue de Turbigo, off and on Rue du Temple, toward Arts et Métiers (museum), rue du Renard (fox) down to l'Hotel de Ville and the Pont d'Arcole. On the bridge....
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Les Halles and the Mist in Paris
After walking for the last 20 minutes between the shade of the buildings and the sun, our body temperatures mounted. On this warm, July morning we were sitting in the shade chatting before going into Les Halles. Without warning we received a lovely surprise: a light mist spouted forth from the fountain in the Jardin Nelson Mandela. It lowered our body temperatures and the air around us. We were ready to attack the book section at FNAC!
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Paris: 5 Bridges and the Sun Set
One Saturday evening in Paris along the Boulevard Henri IV I made my way to Pont de Sully and the Quai des Célestins. During my stroll by Notre-Dame de Paris an exhibition is underway. This Saturday I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the city during a special time. The Conciergerie became a silhouette as the earth rotated until the horizon reached the sun, which burst into vibrant yellows and greys.
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Find Wallace Fountains Find Paris
Have you walked around Paris and passed right by a water fountain from 1872 without taking a drink? Did you spend two Euros on a bottle of water instead? The non-profit Society of the Wallace Fountains is working hard to preserve the iconic Wallace fountains. The Paris water department (Eau de Paris) is responsible for their continued functioning. The water source differs throughout Paris. Where I live in the Bastille, ours comes from an aquifer. The fascinating story and a guidebook with maps and 21 self-guided walks is a great way for to hunt for the fountains. As Barbara Lambesis the author and President of the foundation says, “Find the Wallace…
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Notre-Dame Bell, Emmanuel, Rings for Chirac
Walking along the narrow rue Galand the sound of a muffled bell ringing reverberated against the walls. Sitting at the café, looking at my watch, it was around 11:20 on a Monday morning. My friend guessed it was a church nearby; I guessed Notre-Dame. Couldn't be.... perhaps the towers were damaged. The constant soft ringing was not signalling the quarter, half or full hour. Earlier I had heard on French television the time for the funeral ceremony that would pass from Hôtel des Invalides to Saint-Sulpice. We walked toward Notre-Dame from where the mystery sound originated. Emmanuel, the 300 year old was ringing. The ringing was manually orchestrated. The first…
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Hôtel de Marle’s Hidden Rooms at l’Institute Suédois
Take a guided visit until October 13, of residential apartments in the Hôtel de Marle in the Marais (l'Institute Suédois). The tours are usually given in French. If you wish another language, like English, show up an hour before. Tours are Wednesday to Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 4pm. Go to reception at 3 pm and request an English tour. The Swedish Institute will arrange a guide for the exhibition “Hem fois 6” (Feel at home in 6 different apartments).
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Paris Snow and Bus 69 at Dusk
It snowed on Wednesday in Paris, they said it would be worse on Friday! The snow melted instead. Scenes along part of bus route 69.
