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

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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.

Le Petit Nicolas

This picture is taken on the rue de Rivoli entrance of the City Hall where an exhibition of "The Little Nicholas" is taking place.

The "Little Nicholas" is a comic book created by Sempé and Goscinny (Astérix) in the late 50's and still very popular. Not only because our Président's first name is Nicolas and is ...  little !

Picard

"Picard " are shop where you can buy good frozen food.  Working Parisians often shop there since you find these shops in every area and they sell good quality food. 

I pictured that one because it must be the best located Picard shop in Paris. The building is old and nice and the address is "Place du Panthéon" right in front of the beautiful Pantheon on top of the Sainte Geneviève mountain (which is actually a hill as you may have noticed Paris is not in a mountain area). 

Théâtre de l'Odéon

This pathway is part of the Odéon Theatre in the 6th arrondissement. Located near the Luxembourg gardens and palace to wich this pathway leads it first opened in 1782 to house France's national theatre, the Comédie Française, and is one of the five national theatres in France fully funded by the Ministry for Culture. I have been working in this part of Paris for some times and I do regret it as one can imagine since I now work in the suburb.

Spring in Luxembourg garden

Although the sun did not appear this week-end in Paris, the Luxembourg garden have their spring look.

Alexander Calder at Beaubourg

I went to see the Alexander Calder exhibition yesterday at Beaubourg (Georges Pompidou Center Museum). An absolute not to miss beautifull exibition if you're in Paris.

The museum also shows a Kandinsky exhibition which is great too. Sun is gone and has been replaced by rain so it's a good time for cultural activities!

Notre Dame from Saint Julien le Pauvre

Yesterday I wrote about the nice view we can get of Notre Dame from the garden of the Church of Saint Julien le Pauvre. Here it is.

As you can see we had a beautiful blue sky this week in Paris. Unfortunately the forecast is bad for the week-end.

Saint Julien le Pauvre

The Eglise Saint Julien le Pauvre (French for Church of Saint Julian the Poor) , is a Melkite Greek Catholic church. 

It was first a small chapel in the time of Lutèce and was destroyed in 886. Built in Gothic style during the 13th century (it was finished around 1240) this "new" church is known as the oldest church in Paris. It is located in the 5th arrondissement, on the Left Bank of the Seine River not far from Notre Dame cathedral.  Don't we feel like being somewhere in Greece ? 

The little garden around the church is very nice and romatic and offers a perfect view on Notre Dame.

Storher inside

As promissed yesterday : a look through the window at Storher on the deli side.

Stohrer outside

This is an "historical" patisserie shop located rue Montorgueil in the 2nd arrondissement. The whole street which has became pedestrian is by the way very typical and this shop was created in 1730.

The pastry cook who opened the shop was Nicolas Stohrer. He invented a famous pastry here called "Baba au rhum". It's now also a deli and a caterer that you can ask to deliver food for hapenings. The shop is now classified as an historical building for the paintings inside made by painter Paul Baudry who also painted the inside of the Paris Opera.

The shop has it's website but only in French.

Tomorrow I will show what you can buy there ... 

Picasso

They are doing some construction work at the Picasso Museum in Le Marais and they had that great idea to hide the working area with this huge mirror wall. 

Ostrich

I discovered this ostrich on the wall yesterday when walking around in the 11th arrondissement (you can see it better if you click on the picture). 

The little "house" on the pavement in the center is a place where they sale newspapers and magazines. We can see an add for "Courrier International" magazine with Barak Obama on the cover. Nice to finally see a magazine saying good things on an American president !

I also like this composition because that's a different Paris than the nice and very elegant Haussman buildings of the west side.

Window

Just because I liked this window on a building not far from where I live.

New Paris

This is not a usual view of Paris but the city is not only a "museum" type city. It's still living and creating new areas like this one in the 13th arrondissement close to the Bibliothèque de France (National Library). This picture is taken on the corner of the Rue Neuve Tolbiac and the Avenue de France.

Another renovation

Another poster hiding this time the renovation of a part of the Law Court building, quai des Orfèvres on the "Ile de la Cité".

Stange building

No, we're not in a cartoon but in the 16th arrondissement of Paris where this building is beeing renewed. They covered the whole building with this great "trompe l'oeil".

Sunset

Sunset on the Ecole Militaires at the end of the Champs de Mars (lawn starting from the Eiffel Tower to this building : the Military school).
The tower in the background is the Montparnasse Tower, the highest building in Paris.

Saint Germain L'Auxérois

Right in front of the Louvre stands the church of Saint Germain l'Auxerois. Its bells are famous as the most beautifull in Paris.

Arc

This is a view of the Arc of Triomph that stands at the top of the Champs Elysées avenue. The square where it's located is called "Place de l'Etoile" which means "star square" as all the 12 straights avenues around it meet there.

The other Pyramid

The other Louvre Pyramid located in the Caroussel Mall.

More

Concerning the controversy ... I am on the side of the ones who love it. Got tons of pictures of it and I thought a birthday would at least justify this second shot.

Leaving tosay for a short vacation in Britany (west of France by the Atlantic ocean), I'll try to continue posting but I may miss one day or more.

Happy birthday too !

The Eiffel Tower is not the only one to celebrate a big birthday this year. So is the Louvre pyramid celebrating its 20th birthday this week. 

Desined by the architect PE, the pyramid was completed in 1989 and triggered considerable controversy at that time. It has now become a landmark for the city. 

Hotel de Ville

This view is a part of Paris Town House roof. The building is located on the Place de Grève in the 4th arrondissement and that's where the mayor office is. It's a very nice building which was built in 1628. You can have a virtual tour of the Hotel de Ville on its website. 

Forum des Halles

Located in the center of Paris, the "Forum des Halles" is the most visited shopping center in the city. It was built on the former central food market called "Les Halles" in French which was moved outside Paris in the '70s.

It's now getting old and a very big project to renew this area is on the way.

Pont de Bercy

The Pont de Bercy links the left bank to the right bank in south east of Paris. The big building in the background is the French Ministry of Economy and Finances.

Père Lachaise

Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris, France (48 ha, 118.6 acres). Located in the 20th arrondissement where I live, it is reputed to be the world's most-visited cemetery, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the graves of those who have enhanced French life over the past 200 years. A lot of famous people are there as Balzac, Molière, Edith Piaf, Jim Morisson ...

The cemetery was established by Napoleon I in 1804. You can have a virtual tour of the cemetery on this website : Pere-Lachaise.com

Spring

Spring is back and the magnolia in our building's courtyard is beautiful on this sunny sunday... and I am not running the Paris marathon ...

Boulangerie

Do I really need to comment ?

Walking on Paris

Some of the comments of yesterday post talked about this spot in the Orsay museum where you can walk uppon a Paris model. The picture is not really good but I thought it could show the place to those who did not see it yet. In the museum this place is right in front of the opéra model I posted yesterday.

Opera model

As Joan told us in her comment on my Musée d'Orsay post, there is a model of the Opéra house in that museum and there it is. It's a cut of the whole building so that anyone can see how it was built. Great to see how high above and deep below the stage it is. 

Bateaux mouches

That's the more yellow I found for this month's Theme day. The Bateaux Mouches company is the most famous boat tour on the Seine. Really worth it if you come to Paris.

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