Happy 120th birthday !

Sunset on the Tower to celebrate her 120th birthday as the Eiffel Tower 's official opening took place on march 31st 1889.

Today is also the start day for her 19th period of painting. The Eiffel tower is totally repainted every 7 years and this year is will be her 17th period of painting. One year, and more than 60 tons of paint will be nedded.

In 2008 the Tower had her record number of visitors with 6 930 000 which makes her the most visited monument in France and one of the most in the world.

Even if I have the chance to see her a lot, I never get tired of looking at her.

China in Paris

Paris doesn't have any typical chinesse quarter like the ones in New York or San Francisco. This pagoda located in the very chic and expensive 8th arrondissement near the Parc Monceau was built by a Chinesse who came to Paris in 1926. It is now home of an art gallery selling Chinesse and Far East art. It's this only Chinesse building in this area, the Paris "Chinatown" beeing in the part of 13th and the 20th arrondissements.

Cold

Cold is back today in Paris. Hot red wine in the Tuileries could warm us ... but seeing the price I leave it to rich tourists !

Mariage Frères

Mariage Frères is a company selling tea since 1854. Their oldest shop is located rue du Bourg Tibourg in the Marais in a very old house. You can find the most perfect teas there and they have a little pocket museum upstairs (where this picture is taken) telling the Company history. My favorite Mariage Frères tea is "Pleine Lune".

Musée d'Orsay

Certainly one of my favorite museums in Paris. Not only for its great collection on Impressionism paintings (Monet, Degas, renoir, Cezane ...) but also for the building itself, an old railway station beautifuly transformed.
It lies on the river bank facing the Louvre and the Tuileries which you can walk to using a pedestrian bridge called the "Passerelle Solférino".

Métro Passy

Night shot at the "Passy" subway station in the 16th arrondissement. 

Les Macarons de Pierre Hermé

Queuing at Pierre Hermé shop in chic 6th arrondissement near Saint Germain des Prés. This shop is very small but full of Macarons, pastries ... created by Pierre Hermé a genius cook.

If anyone is interested, he's giving a "Master class" on april 6th about chocolate. For the first time this class is opened to anyone ... well not me because the fee is 280 euros for the day (including lunch). More information and a look at his products on his web site : Pierre Hermé . So I won't attend the Master Class next month but I may stop by the shop next week-end for some Macarons.

A la française

"Jardin à la française" in the courtyard of the Hotel de Sully in the Marais an old beautiful mansion built in 1630.

Blue tunnel

This blue tunnel goes under the railways of the Gare de Lyon in the 12th arrondissement. 

On popular demand

Since some of you seem to like and discover this part of the Louvre, here is another view of the Napoleon III appartments wirh the hudge dining table. It could be used for a CDP bloggers meeting, couldn't it ? 

Inside the Louvre

Inside the Louvre, here is a picture of the Grand Salon (Great Lounge) in the Napoleon III appartements. It shows the typical taste for luxury of this period.

La Complainte de la Butte

Still in Montmartre today with a view of the Rue Saint Vincent and its nice homes facing the Montmatre vineyard.

This post is called "La Complainte de la Butte" which is the title of an old French song written in 1955 by Jean Renoir for his movie called "French Cancan" (Jean Renoir, movie director, was one of the 2 sons of Auguste Renoir, the painter). The song tells a story happening in Montmatre on the rue Saint Vincent. This song is now part of the popular old French songs. You can hear it and see it in movie on YouTube : "French Cancan"

Sacré Coeur

The Sacré Coeur basilica is on the top of the "Butte Montmartre", the highest point of the city. All around the basilica you find little old streets. Some are so famous that they are only filled with tourists, some a much quieter and I love wandering in this area

Passerelles des Arts

Another picture of my favorite pedestrian bridge, going to the Louvre on a sunny day like today. 

Fountain

This fountain is one of the two fountains found on the Place de la Concorde at the bottom of the Champs Elysées.

The fountains represent the inland navigation (north fountain on the picture) and the sea navigation (south fountain). The both have ship bows that you can also find in the Paris coat of arms.

Bouquiniste

"Les bouquinistes" are booksellers located on the Seine river banks selling old books and second hand books. Some of them, like this one, also sell tourist items (postcards, Eiffel towers ...). They are part of History in Paris since in 1620 twenty booksellers were already officially authorized to open their little shops near the Seine. If you read French there is a kind of official website for Bouquinistes : Bouquinistes de Paris

Grand Palais

Today was a perfect spring sunny day in Paris although spring is not yet here. Once again here is a view of the river from my favorite bridge (Passerelle des Arts) looking West to the "Grand Palais" which appears in the background.

Animal ?

Seen in the Parc Montsouris in the 14th arrondissement.

Rue Royale

A busy night, rue Royale

Louvre

The Tuileries garden and the Louvre in the background.

Crossing the river at night

A view from the Passerelle Debilly crossing the river after a visit to the Quai Branly Museum

Flea Market

Flea market at Porte de Clignancourt in the 18th arrondissement, the most famous flea marketin Paris called "Les puces". Cold and rainy day today in Paris.

Canal

The clothes shops "Antoine et Lili" on the Canal Saint Martin banks.

Buttes Chaumont

Continuing with parks and gardens, here is a view of the Parc des Butte Chaumont in the north-eastern part of Paris. This is one of the largest park in Paris. It was developed by the Baron Haussmann and opened in 1867. I love the views from the top of the hill and from the Belvedere from which I took this picture.

In the Parc de Bercy

The Parc de Bercy is on the east side of Paris. Located between the POBP, a hudge indoor place where take place concert, sports and other events, and the Bercy Village at Cour Saint Emilion where old wine houses have been restored into a shopping street.

Centre George Pompidou

The Centre national d'art et de culture Georges Pompidou was the brainchild of President Georges Pompidou (1969-1974) who wanted to create an original cultural institution in the heart of Paris completely focused on modern and contemporary creation, where the visual arts would rub shoulders with theatre, music, cinema, literature and the spoken word. Housed in the centre of Paris in a building designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, whose architecture symbolises the spirit of the 20th century, the Centre Pompidou first opened its doors to the public in 1977. After renovation work from 1997 to December 1999, it opened to the public again on 1 January 2000, with expanded museum space and enhanced reception areas. Since then it has once again become one of the most visited attractions in France. Some 6 million people pass through the Centre Pompidou's doors each year, a total of over 190 million visitors in its 30 years of existence.

Exotic

Paris is not only Cafés and Croissants

Back of the church

The Eglise Saint Gervais in the Marais, seen from the back of the building at sunset. Probably one of my favorite views of Paris. The street from with this picture is taken is a pedestrian old street leading slowly to the river. Most romantic !

Shadows

Winter tree on a "Haussman building". 

Place de la Nation

This is my favorite building located on "Place de la Nation" not far from home.

Back home

Back home after a great holiday in Cape Town. Lost 20 degres on the way back but the heart is still filled with friendship we had there. So what's better than a typical "Métro" entrance to start again the daily photo blog ?