Promenade Plantée 3/3

To end with the "Promenade Plantée" serie, here is what the top of the Viaduc looks like. The 1 km walk uppon the Viaduc is filled with plants, trees and flowers. Then you can walk down the brigde I posted a picture of the day before yesterday, and go on for 3.5 km more of pedestrian walk leading you to the Bois de Vincennes (forest).

La promenade plantée 2/3

Continuing my "Promenade Plantée" serie, here is the street view of the former railway viaduct on the Avenue Daumesnil on top of which lies the "Promenade Plantée".

The viaduc itself is known as "Le Viaduc des Arts". It was built in 1859 and renovated by the city in the 90's. The vaults have been transformed into exhibition halls and shops for professionnals and artists. You can have more informations about the Viaduc des Arts on its website (French & English).

La promenade plantée 1/3

The garden you see below this pedestrian bridge is the Reuilly garden in the 12th arrondissement. This bridge is a part of the walkway called "La Promenade Plantée" which goes across all the 12th arrondissement on 4.5km. It starts from the Bastille Opera house and ends at the Porte de Saint Mandée on the Bois de Vincennes (one of the 2 Paris forest). 

This walk has been created on a former railway which was going from Bastille to the east suburb and stopped being used in 1969. The first part of the walk is on an viaduct on the boulevard Daumesnil where the bottom has been renovated to welcome shops and the top has been planted for pedestrian. I will show pictures of this tomorrow.

It is a very nice walk from Bastille to this garden. From there the walk can also be used by bikes up to the Bois de Vincennes.

Le Grand Paris

10 proposals from varous architects are presented at the Paris Architecture Museum for the "Grand Paris" project. Paris is indeed a rather small city compared to others like London and the boundaries with what we call the suburb are very strong. For most Parisian, going outside the "periph" (the highway surrounding Paris) is nearly like going abroad! The goal of the "Grand Paris" is to extend the city to the suburb and create a "Greater Paris". I would not introduce this project like Eric did on his Paris blog talking about President Sarkozy since I personally do not think he can lead us to the future but Eric's post in as usual interesting and gives good links for those who want to know more about this "greater Paris".

The exhibition takes place in room that are dedicated to architecture so that's why you can see old and new on the picture.

Paris Tokyo Fashion

In front of the Tokyo Square is the Duchess Galliera's palace built in the 19th century. It is now the Paris Fashion museum where you can see more than 90000 pieces of clothes from the 18th century up to now.

A ride to the suburb

Yesterday my friends and I took our bikes and rode to this little castle in the suburb you may have heard of : Versailles. 

We had the most perfect weather for a sunday and despite the hard time we had climbing the hills of Saint Cloud and of the forest we loved our day. Once in the Versailles castle park we rode around the "Grand Canal" and enjoyed the views. I'm sorry Ciel for posting a photo of your city (see the great Versailles Daily Photo by Ciel) but I couldn' resist and I had to tell people about my 61 kms round trip ride!

Night walk

Yesterday we finished the day with a night bike ride and a walk in center Paris.  The weather was warm, the atmostphere nice and I couldn't resist taking this "classical " yet so beautifull view of Notre Dame cathedral.

Ins't Paris green ?

Paris is always considered by French people as a big city with polution and no green. This picture taken from the "Promenade plantée" on the avenue Daumesnil seems to prove the contrary doesn't it ? 

Sorry for not posting yesterday but it was a public holiday in France and I was away from Paris and couldn't get close to internet.

Rue Crémieux

I discovered that little street yesterday evening and wanted to share with you. It's located near the Gare de Lyon railway station in the 12th arrondissement. A very nice calm, colorfull and green street with kids playing football. You almost feel like you're in a small country town though you're so close from the busy streets leading to railway station.

Concorde

A view on the Place de la Concorde. 

Dans le noir ?

"Dans le noir ?" (in the black) is this restaurant's name simply because you dine there in the total darkness. You are served by blind staff and from the moment you enter the place untill the moment you leave you are in dark rooms.

I never tried this restaurant but I have friends who did and said that it was a unique experience. You can either choose you meals or let them do it for you so you also have to guess what you're eating. If you want to know more about them, they have a website and since they also have a "Dans le noir ?" restaurant in London you can have information in English on the London pages.

Need a hat ?

There are a few hat shop left in Paris. This one is located in Le Marais on rue the Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie. I took the picture from the rue Aubriot giving an idea of typical old Paris Marais quarter streets.

Street painter

Seen in front of the Pompidou Center.

Le Palais des Thés

Le Palais des Thés is my second favourite tea shop in Paris, the other one being Mariages Frères. It's also loacated in the Marais area on the rue Vieille du Temple. You can find a lot of different and very good teas there.

If you are in Paris tomorrow or other French cities you can join "Don de la vie, don de soi" march organized by the Laurette Fugain association to fight leukemia. ( also see a friend of Harriet's blog about this march) 

Le Géant Isoré

This giant named "Isoré" can be found on the wall of a primary school in the 14th arrondissement on the corner of the Rue d'Alésia and Rue de la Tombe Issoire. This giant come from a legend from the Roman period when Paris was called Lutèce. The most common legend says that he was a kind of bandit robbing people on their way to the city of Orléans.

This giant was created by an artist called Corinne Béoust based on the children's drawings and suggestions. As you may guess, some of the neighbours where not happy with this big giant standing on the wall but it's been there since may 2007 and as far as I am concerned I like it a lot. 

Bagatelle le Restaurant

As his name indicates, "Bagatelle le Restaurant" is located in the Bagatelle park in the Bois de Boulogne on the west side of Paris. I've never been to the restaurant but the place is divine even just to look at. The restaurant and its lovely terrace are located in the former stables of the Park which was originally created in 1777  following a bet bewteen Marie Antoinette and the Count of Artois (the Count claimed that he could restore the park and its buildings within 2 months).

The Park is now a reference among the most beautifull gardens in France escpecially for its rose garden. I will picture it when the roses will be at there best.

Rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine

The Faubourg Saint Antoine street is in the east of Paris leading from Nation square to Bastille square. You can see the top of the Bastille column in the far background. This is a busy street with a lot of shops, cafés and restaurant. That's the street I am riding when going from home to center Paris on my Velib.

Le Kiosque des Noctambules

The"Kiosque des Noctambules" is the name of this subway entrance for the "Palais Royal" stop on Place Colette right in front of the Comédie Française theater. 

It has been designed by an artist called Jean-Michel Othoniel in 2000 to commemorate the 100th aniversary of the Paris subway. It consists of two domes, one representing night, the other day, made of chunks of colored glass intertwined with aluminum, giving the effect of jeweled crowns.

Like the pyramid in the Louvre, this modern entrance for the subway on an old and classic square created controversy but I like it. Do you ? 

A terrasse with roses

First I thank you Harriet, Karen, Vogon Poet, Ciel, Nadège, Jill and White Oleander for your birthday wishes. I really appreciate ! Now I am back from London where I had a great time and birthday too. 

Today I post a photo of the terrasse bar on the 6th floor of the Pompidou Center which I like for the roses and for the Eiffel tower reflection.

My birthday

The theme week is ending with a cake from Lenotre, a very delicious French Patissier, to celebrate my birthday today may the 10th.

My neighbourhood : l'Abribus

L'Abribus is a nice and rather cheap "cafe restaurant" on the Rue de Bagnolet where you can have a good Couscous meal. It is not a typical French meal but like Indian food in London (where I am still right now) you can find a lot of north african food in Paris.

My neighbourhood : La Traverse

This friday post is late due to computer problems here at my friend's in London where I am spending the week-end. Anyway, continuing on my theme week here is "La Traverse" which is the name of this small bus especially created to commute people in this area where big city buses cannot drive. A very good thing very usefull for elderly people

My neighbourhood : rue Ligner

The rue (street) Ligner is a typical 20th arrondissement street, narrow, green and with mixed types of buildings. This street has a shape of its own, like a horseshoe starting and ending on the rue de Bagnolet. I like just wandering in this kind of streets which are to me a great part of Paris. In my "arrondissement", the 20th, you can also find a lot of "dead end" little streets looking like this one with a lot of green.

My neigthbourhood : Saint Jean le Bosco

This little church of Saint Jean le Bosco is a rather new building for a church in Paris since it has been built in 1937. It's located on the rue Alexandre Dumas, author of the famous "The Three Musketeers".

My neighbourhood : Place de la Réunion

This is the fresh market that takes place twice a week on the Place de la Réunion near home. It is a simple and "working class" market with a nice and friendly atmosphere. 

This Square is named after a French overseas island called "La Réunion"located in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar.

My neighbourhood : rue des Vignoles

This week I decided to have my own theme week and show pictures of my neighbourhood.

I live in the south of the 20th arrondissement located on the eastside of Paris. It is not a very touristic part of the city except from the Père Lachaise cemetery which is 10 minutes walk from my appartment but it offers different and nice views of what Paris is made of.

Today I start with the little square on the Rue des Vignoles where you can find a nice an typical parisian "café restaurant" called " Le 20ème art". It is especially nice on warm days when you can have a drink under the shadows of the trees.

Headache

This statue of Saint Denis holding his head is in Montmatre. It represents the story of this Saint who after having had his head cut off, took it into his hands and run for 6 kms from Montmartre to the city of Saint Denis.

Sunny spring of the river banks

Thanks for your nice comments yesterday. We have a great sunny week-end in Paris so let's enjoy it on the banks of the Seine River !

Theme day : shadows

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
1st of may is Labour day in France as in many countries but it's also Lily of the Valley day. Offering a Lily of the Valley is wishing luck and happiness and that's what I wish all my blog readers.