Parisian squirrel

You do not find grey squirrel in Paris like you find lots of them in USA or even in London parks. Our squirrels are  the red specie and they are still wild and do not approach humans. I pictured this one in the Bois de Vincennes and I was very happy because they're so wild and fast that they never stay long when you're around.

Sunday bridge : Pont de la Tournelle

Today is Mothers day in France it is also Sunday bridge theme day, to see all participants go to San Francisco Bay Daliy Photo.

Café

And the red is for Virginia !

Full name

Paris' subway is known as "Métro" but its real full name is Metropolitain. We can still see it on some stations like here in the 18th arrondissement.

Cancan !

Street graffiti seen in the 10th arrondissement. Just take a close look at the cancan ladies' heads ... the writing on the left says " a graffiti is the freedom of conscience ".

Tennis damage

Look at what a tennis ball can do on a Parisian building wall !

This is in fact the wall of a Sport-wear shop where the put these balls on the front to celebrate the Roland Garros French tennis tournament that started last Sunday in Paris. It one of the big sport events here every year and I think that shop had a good idea with these balls. Don't you think the cracks on the wall look real ?
More about the tennis tournament on Roland Garros website.

Paris Nature Capitale

(click on pictures to enlarge)

Due to the special event " Paris Nature Capitale " that took place on the Champs Elysees during the past 2 days I am breaking the CDP rule and I am posting more than 1 picture to let you enjoy what it was like.

The avenue was really green starting near the Arc of Triopmh with trees of all different parts of France and ending near the Champs Elysees roundabout with plants you find in fields and also with animals.

More about the event on : http://www.naturecapitale.com/

Trees have grown on the Champs Elysées

Late post today because I wanted to show you what the Champs Elysees looked like for the past 2 days. Since I was spending some time with friends in the countryside not far from Paris I managed to be back in time to be part of the big event that was "Paris Nature Capitale". I will tell you more about it tomorrow and add some pictures too.
By the way it's 9pm and still 27 degres ! We had a fabulous long weekend !

Sunday bridge : Pont de Bercy

The Pont de Bercy crosses the Seine river between 12th and 13th arrondissements. On the bridge stands a Viaduc on which runs the subway (you can see it on the picture).
See more participants for Sunday bridge on San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Greater Paris : Marne river banks

From the Bois de Vincennes (yesterday's post) you can easily reach the banks of the river called "La Marne" and envoy the splendid houses that stand along the river. It is a very nice area to discover in the "Greater Paris".

Bois de Vincennes

Great sunny and warm day in Paris today and probably also for the next days.
Here is a place Parisian enjoy during the weekend : the Bois de Vincennes  located on the east side of Paris. It is a very big forest-like park with 2 lakes and it is a fabulous place to rest on a sunny day. There is a second big park like this one on the west side of the city called "Bois de Boulogne". I'm happy to live only 15 minutes away by bike from this Bois de Vincennes so I ride there even on evenings after work when days are longer and weather is good enough.
We're having a 3 day weekend in France as monday is a public holiday so a lot of people will enjoy these areas since the weather forecast is very good.

Yiddish pastries

A very good Yiddish patisserie in the rue des Rossiers in le Marais quarter.

All about lines

Just for the lines.

(the statue is Sainte Genevieve and it stands on the bridge called "pont de la Tournelle" and the balcony is unfortunately not mine ...)

Just a simple door

A nice building entrance on the Quai des Célestins along the Seine river in the 4th arrondissement.

Details of La Tour Saint Jacques

Top of la Tour Saint Jacques that I showed in its entire beauty on this post : La Tour Saint Jacques. A beautiful renovation.

Tradition

What about French Tradition for Sunday breakfast ? I did not add the "Tradition" word on the picture, it was written on the Boulangerie window.

Hotel de Beauvau

This is the entrance of the Hotel de Beauvau (Hotel is for "mansion" and not hotel where you sleep). It is the house of the French ministry of interior affairs and located on the rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, a few steps from the Elysées Palace where the President works.
I like the 3 tourists on Velib bikes probably wondering what that building with guards and flags can possibly be ! I was also on a Velib bike when I took that picture.

Grocery

A complete change from yesterday's chic restaurant "Apicius". Here is a typical small grocery store that you find in Paris.This kind of store are not used by Parisian for daily shopping but mainly for things that you suddenly discover you forgot to buy at "Monoprix" and absolutely need right away. Prices in these "épiceries" are much more expensive than in shop like "Franprix" or "Monoprix" where most people shop.

Restaurant Apicius

Located in a private park, this mansion is a Relais et Chateaux restaurant called "Apicius", one of Paris' best place home of chef "Jean Pierre Vigato". I think I will never be able to eat there but I thought it would be nice to show you that kind of place. More information is available on the Apicius website.

Bikes

Parisians are more and more into bikes ! The great success of our free bike system "Velib" has encouraged people to start using their own bikes as you can see here ... nearly looking like Amsterdam.

A kind of house

No, unfortunately that is not the house I got as my birthday present ! By the way I want to thank you all for your nice comments on yesterday post. I loved it !
This incredible house is located on the Place François 1er in the 8th arrondissement not far from the Seine and the Grand Palais. This area is full of splendid buildings totally out of reach for "normal" people unless your familly have had a place there for ages or if you're one of those crazy traders having"fun" with the stock option markets ...

Shop entrance

Reflexions on the entrance of the Dior boutique. Maybe someone caring for my birthday present (yes it's today!).

Sunday bridge

Today I'm joing Louis La Vache's sunday bridge theme ! See more participants on San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Commemoration

Today is a bank holiday in France (too bad it's a saturday !). We commemorate the end of world war II on May 8th 1945. The giant French flag is installed under the Arc of Triomph on the Champs Elysées and the unknown soldier's tomb is guarded by Republican Guards.

Hotel de Sully : renovation done

This beautiful "Hotel Particulier" (mansion) was built between 1625 and 1630. It is located in the Marais quarter and is certainly one of the most beautiful mansion in Paris. It can be visited and for the past year is has been all covered by renovation works. All works are now over and it looks gorgeous, doesn't it ? I already posted a picture of the inside garden. One nice thing to do if you're in Paris is to enter the building and accross the garden and the courtyard you can go out on the back which leads you right in the Place des Voges.

Waiting to cross the road

Don't ask me what that guy was doing in this chair on the street ! I just don't know ... And don't the ladies look so Parisian ?

Canal Saint Martin

We stay on the water today. Paris not only has the Seine river but also this very nice Canal name Canal Saint Martin leading from the Seine to the Bassin de la Villette in the north east of the city (4.5 km). It is a nice area to walk especially on sundays when cars are banned from the surrounding streets and the area is left to pedestrians and bikes. On this canal you can find 9 locks like the one we see in the far background.

Sailing on the Seine

A giraf in Paris

Watch out man ! You're followed !

Street view

Looking up in the "Rue de la Montage Sainte Geneviève" in the 5th arrondissement you can see one of Notre Dame cathedral's tower.

Theme day : statues

King Henri IV horse riding on Paris roofs. I took this picture on the bridge called "Pont Neuf" which is actually the oldest bridge in Paris to celebrate this months CDP theme day.Click here to view thumbnails for all participants