A Parisian on holidays

Guess where ?

Winter break

Leaving tonight for a well deserved winter break. See you in a fortnight !

Pancakes

Do I really need to comment this picture ?

Cirque d'hiver

The "Cirque d'hiver" (Winter Circus) located in the 11th arrondissement of Paris was built in 1852. It hosts real circus shows and sometimes other shows. 

Notre Dame

An exceptional moment of blue sky at Notre Dame Cathedral in this cold, windy, stormy and snowy winter we have this year in Paris.

Velib

Velib is Paris free bike network. There are about 20 000 bikes available in the City that you can take at a station like this one and leave at any station you want. You only have to subscribe for 1 day (1 euro) 1 week or one year (that's my subscription). Then the bike is free for 30 minutes which gives time to easily go from one point to another. If you need more time you just need to park you bike, wait a few minutes and take another bike for again 30 minutes. If you want to know more about Velib you can go on the official Velib website.

BNF

The BNF for Bibliothèque Nationale de France is the National Library also called François Mitterand Library (former French President). It's in the south east of the city, an area that has been completely re-built these last years. The library is made of 4 towers looking like open books with  a large garden in the middle. 

The boats on the river banks offer cafés and concerts like the red one called "Bateau Phare". 

Snow again

Yesterday we had a very short but strong snow storm in Paris. It did not last long but snow on the river always adds a little " je ne sais quoi" to the scenery.

Chanel

A Chanel window at the Galeries Lafayette department store

Airport

Airport day today. I went to Budapest for a business meeting so today's photo is a view of the new Air France Terminal E at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Very nice with a mix of glass and wood.

Marché des enfants rouges

The " Red children market" as we can translate it, is the oldest market place in Paris.  The name comes from an orphanage of the 16th century located there which used to dress in red the children that they took care of.  When the orphanage closed in 1777, the place became a market.

Now you can find there a compact indoor food market with a small iron-gate entrance that’s easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. The nice thing about the market is that many of the stands sell fresh prepared food that you can eat on tables spread out through the market.

Cancan

The famous Moulin Rouge cabaret, where we still can see "Cancan"danse. In fact I've never been to a show there but I like the building. I also love the Baz Luhrmann movie taking place in an imaginary Moulin Rouge.

Mona

She's definetly the star of the Louvre Museum.

Paris under the snow

I woke up this morning and discovered this view from my window. It doesn't encourage me to go to work. I'd rather stay home, take my camera and walk in the city ...

Theme Day - Paths & Passages

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Paris, New York

Statue of Liberty in Paris is near the Grenelle Bridge on the Île des Cygnes , an island in the river Seine. Dedicated in 1889, it looks towards the Atlantic Ocean and hence towards its "larger sister" in New York Harbor, which had been erected three years earlier.

Seine river in winter

The "Passerelle des Arts", also called "Pont des Arts" (Arts Bridge) is one of my favourite spot in Paris. The view from this brige is absolutely gorgeous, I post a picture from the bridge next time. This picture is taken from another bridge accross the Seine River and in the background you can see the Louvre Museum.

Inside the Guimet Museum

The Guimet Museum is dedicated to Asian Arts. This little boy is one of my best friend's son and he was very impressed by the Indian godess.

Opera

Sunset on the roof top of the Palais Garnier which is also called "Opera de Paris".

Tuileries again

Still in the "Tuileries garden" where you can find lots of these chairs to enjoy the place (great in spring when the first sunny hot days come). 

In the background you can see the "Louxor Obelisque" of the "Concorde square" and the "Arc of Triomphe" far behind. The "Champs Elysées" avenue is located between these two monuments.