Au revoir

I've been back from sunny Corsica for two weeks now and I must say that I have been very touched by your comments on my last post.
I really liked holding this blog and sharing with you but even after a very nice vacation time I still want to have a break and start to enjoy my city without always thinking "pictures". For the past years I nearly couldn't get out without my camera and I was always thinking about what I could share with you. I think I need to breathe a little and maybe come back on a not daily basis and maybe share more of life and not only photos.
I would of course love to stay in touch with the people I already met ( Virginia and Genie I wait for your next visit !) and if some of you want to talk by email I would love that. You can write me to "dailyphotoparis@gmail.com". If you come to visit Paris and need information or eventually meet for a drink in a "café" I would love it.
Au revoir
Laurent

Green colour for CDP theme day, summer break for me and maybe more for my blog ...

It's theme day today and also it's time for my summer holidays. I am taking a long break away from Paris and also away from the blog. This may also be a longer break than my holiday time as I may not continue blogging when I return. It's been 2 years and a half since I started this blog which I enjoyed a lot updating everyday and sharing with people from all over the world. Now I feel maybe a little less motivated and I'm thinking of ending this nice story. Maybe the holidays will make me change my mind ...

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Street singers

La rue

Restaurant at le Marché des Enfants Rouge

I already posted about this little market place (see here) which is nice place to pass by and have a drink of a meal.

Quai Branly museum 5th anniversary

The Quai Branly museum features indigenous art, cultures and civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. It's located near the Eiffel tower along the Seine river and it's one of my favorite museum in Paris. The art presented in the museum is splendid and the building itself designed by Jean Nouvel is a must see.
This past weekend the museum celebrated its 5th year and its success as 7 millions people visited the place since it opened. See the official website : here 

Pride 2011

Yesterday we had the Gay Pride parade in Paris. It's the last one before next year presidential elections so it was as always fun and gay but also more political. We just heard that New York voted the gay marriage and in Europe lots of countries did too, even very "religious" ones like Spain or Portugal. Here, French right wing politician just voted no lass week ...I guess that one more reason to get ride off Sarkozy next year !

Bir-Hakeim métro station

Where is the summer ?

Looking up for the picture

Yesterday you could see her in the vendors' hands, now here she is in her real size.

Want to buy an Eiffel Tower ?

Streets vendors around the Eiffel tower are not allowed to sell their stuff so every time police is around they spread around waiting for the place to be "safe" again to come back like here on my picture. It looks like a game of cats and dogs.

After the rain

We've had lots of showers lately in Paris and then suddenly the sun appear giving nice light for a picture.

Fête de la Musique 2011

Today is summer's first day and every 21th of June for 29 years now France is have the "Fête de la Musique" (Music fair). Everyone is invited to play music for free. Professional musician of amateur singers, everyone is welcome in the streets, the bars, the restaurants ... From classical like on my picture to hard rock, every kind of music is on for the night. Let's have fun !

Rue Cloche Percé

A very short and pedestrian street that I love.

Sunset on the Tour Saint Jacques

I do not know if it's because of the city pollution but we have terrific sunsets in Paris.

Air Métro

Paris Metro is mostly underground but when it goes outside it's always on these beautiful constructions.

Green balconies

Parisians like to put plants and flowers on their balconies. And this building is so nice even without the green.

Monumenta at the Grand Palais : Leviathan by Anish Kapoor 2

Here is the oustide of the place we were in yesterday. Incredible don't you think ? The Grand Palais Nave is already beautiful by itself and with this great piece of art by Anish Kapoor it's fabulous! If you want to know more about this exhibition , see the website here : Monumenta 2011

Monumenta at the Grand Palais : Leviathan by Anish Kapoor

When you enter the Grand Palais "Monumenta" exhibition here is where you get. A huge red "bubble" like place with the roof of the nave appearing on the top and a strange feeling of not knowing where you are. Wait for tomorrow to see the outside ...

Le Grand Palais

Le Grand Palais is an exhibition center near the Champs Elysée and this entrance is the one for the Nave which is a giant place where big exhibitions or shows  take place. Among the exhibition there is one called "Monumenta" when each year an artist is invited to use the huge nave for his art. I will show you tomorrow what absolutely must see exhibition we have this year.

One last view from la Défense

Yesterday I showed the Grande Arche and told you about the "Axe historique". Here is the view from the Grande Arche of this "Axe Historique". The line in the center leads to the Arc of Triumph that you can see in the very far background. I hope you liked this week of La Défense. See you tomorrow in "old" Paris.

La Grande Arche

I cannot post about La Defense without showing you the area's masterpiece : The Big Arch. This building is almost a perfect cube. It was built in 1989 to celebrate the bicentennial of the French revolution.It completes the line of monuments that forms the "Axe historique" running through Paris from the Arc de Triomphe du Carroussel in the Louvre through the Arc de Triomphe on top of the Champs Elysées.

Les Quatres Temps : shopping and art

Starman, you were right yesterday, I should talk about "les Quatres Temps" when posting about La Défense. So here is the main entrance of "Les Quatres Temps" which is a giant mall, certainly the biggest around Paris. As I told you Tuesday, you have again here a proof of the art area with this nice Miro sculpture.

A New York look in Paris

It is forbidden by law to built tall buildings inside Paris city limits so they're built outside like here in La Défense where we're still today.

Art in La Défense

The financial district of La Défense offers a lot of modern art like here in this water pond called "le bassin Takis". The area of la Défense holds more than 60 pieces of modern art making it one of the biggest open air modern art museum in the world.
If you click on the picture you can see the Arc of Triumph at the bottom of the Champs Elysées in the far away background right in the center.

A different Paris

This is not a photomontage of Paris metro sign and New York view but a photo of Paris financial area called "La Défense". It is located outside Paris city limits but it's considered as our "American like downtown". It's been quite a long time since I've been there and I took some nice views I will share with you.

Free massage

Last year I tested these free street massage on the Seine River bank (see old post) and I was happy to see that they still do it. They give a 15 minutes free back massage really relaxing and in a friendly atmosphere.

River walk

Making oneself understood

Biking the city

Paris "Velib" free bikes are my favorite public transportation mean in the city.

Theme day :under construction

The Court Law building, in French "Palais de justice" is not really under construction since the oldest part of this big palace are from the 10th century but it's under renovation. As you can see, our friend the Apple choose a nice spot to advertise ...
Today is City Daily Photo theme day : Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Watching tennis with a view

Yesterday I told you about the giant screen in front of the City Hall where you can watch the tennis game of the Roland Garros tournament, here it is and with a view on Notre Dame ... better than watching it at home, isn't it ?

Paying tennis at the City Hall

This week is Paris tennis tournament "Roland Garros" second week and during the whole event, Paris is celebrating tennis like here in front of our City Hall. You can play and also watch tennis like I will show tomorrow. (Roland Garros official website)

Bouger c'est facile !

We find more and more of these signs in Paris. The little green text says "Bouger c'est facile" means "Move it's easy" and encourages people to walk. Then the sign shows different locations and how long it will take you to walk there. A nice wealthy idea I think.

Paris' flat iron

Some of you may know the famous New York flat iron building, I thought that nice Parisian building had a quite similar look. It's located on the corner of the rue Arsene Houssaye and the Avenue Friedland in the expensive are of the 8th arrondissement.

At the Butcher's

We find very little old butcher shop like this one located on the Saint Louis Isle. It's a little like been back in the past. The lady even has a chair to rest while the butcher is preparing her meat. Far way from Facebook and Twitter ...

Looking up at her

It's been quite a long time since I did not post a photo our our Lady. Isn't she beautiful ?

Buildings on Place de la Concorde

Close up on two buildings facing the Concorde square. Impressive aren't they ?

Eating horses ?

Yes, French (very few nowadays fortunately) eat horses ! This clothes shop is a former horse butcher and they kept the old sign saying " We buy horses". I guess this only thing Virginia will like is the red !

A sunny day in Paris

Now that the canal week is over, let's go back to the center of the city and enjoy a drink on the Rue des barres cafés and restaurants.

Theme week : canal 7

As I told you yesterday the canal end (for Paris) in the Sciences park of Paris (see website). The globe is a cinema theater. You can still walk or ride along the canal outside Paris for hundreds of kilometers ...

Theme week : canal 6

Walking north along the Canl de l'Ourcq. A the end of it lies the "Cité des sciences de la Villette"

Theme week : canal 5

At the end of the Bassin de la Villette we find this nice bridge crossing the water and making the limit bewteen the lake and the canl de l'Ourcq which you can see here. The bridge is a moving one, going up when boats and barges need to go through.

Theme week : canal 4

This barge on the bassin de la Villette is called " Adelaide the Opera barge ". It's a tiny theater where they play operas and musicals. If you want to have a look at there website : here 

Theme week : canal 3

Continuing to walk north you get to the link with Canal de l'Ourcq (see the nice bridge) and the brand new building that was built when the area was redeveloped. The water is used for sports like you can see with these kids and also as a little "water-port" .

Theme week : canal 2

Here is a larger view of the Bassin de la Villette which is the biggest artificial lake in Paris. It has been filled with water in 1808 and links the Canal Saint Martin in the foreground and the Canal de l'Ourcq in the background. You can find 2 nice cinema theaters on each side of the Bassin  names MK2.

Theme week : canal

This week I am taking you for a visit along the Bassin de la Villette and Canal de l'Ourcq in the 19 th arrondissment, north east of Paris. These 2 canals leads down to the Canal Saint Martin and then to the Seine River. For the past year this area has changed quite a lot being renovated and rebuilt. Today we start with the starting point near Métro Jaurès with the fountain and in the background the Bassin de la Villette which we'll see better tomorrow.
And for once here is a second photo of the place with this sign showing the boats the distances and duration of travel to go to cities along the canal :

Sunday hobby

What do you do on a Sunday when you live on a boat in Paris ? Take care of you plant !

Jardin de l'Hôtel Denon

This tiny garden is a public garden located in Le Marais area called "The Denon mansion garden" (Hôtel in French is also used for mansion). The mansion is the splendid building you see in the background.

Midnight in Paris

Sorry for not posting yesterday but Blogger was unavailable during the whole day and it was still out this morning. Today is cinema day as some of you may know that we're in the "Festival de Cannes" (Movie festival in south of France) period. The opening movie Wednesday was "Midnight in Paris" by Woody Allen and I went to watch it yesterday night. Paris lovers will like it as it's a nice romantic view of the city, even starting with views like postcards. The movie itself is surely not one of Woody's best but it is nice to watch.

Nature in the city

It looks like country but you're in the center of Paris here. Actually the city decided years ago to stop using chemical products to destroy weeds. In some places like here they just let them grow naturally ....

Thanks for your sweet messages yesterday !