French Empire Style

The Church of the Madelaine, above, was started as a monument. Construction was started during the Emporer Napolean's reign.
Below, the gate of the Tuileries garden next to the Louvre has many reminders of French Empire style. That is pronounced Em-peer!

Classical allusions in the statuary.

Rectilinear planning lines interrupt the trees in rows and the statuary.

Note the classical arch and the Louvre in the distance.

Paris Belle Streets

The florist shop above was as beautiful as a painting.
People gathered at the neighborhood cafe below on a warm sunny September afternoon.

Art Nouveau makes the subway entrance above and the bread shop below quite beautiful.

Wide open plazas invite families on a Sunday morning.

Paris Streets Can be Hard

Boulevard vistas and uniform facades, above, were created by Baron Hausmann in the 19th Century. Washington DC was modeled on Hausmann's Paris. Today Paris (and DC) have car traffic that has to negotiate the diagonal boulevards.
Paris, below, has a weekly roller blade event that closes streets as the thousands of participants roll past.

There are quite a number of homeless people evident on Paris streets, despite generous social services. The two ladies below are doing their wash in water running in the street gutter.

The wide boulevards are also inviting for walkers with their dogs.

Visiting With Bob and Ann in Paris

Bob and Ann have been coming to Paris for the month of September for 38 years.

They were great tour guides full of helpful information.

Below, Bob takes Alan and Cyane on a tour of the super upscale Fauchand food emporium.
Everything was bathed in a pink glow.

We liked the bottles of Petrus wine for 6,000 Euros a bottle.

Bob and Ann's apartment, below, in the Fourth Arondissement.

Paris: Our Apartment for a Week in the Fifth

Alan found an apartment to rent for a week in Paris.
The Fifth Arondissement is next to the Sorbonne and the Pantheon.
Lots of movie theaters, students, street life, good places to buy food, and watch the sky.

Alan really enjoyed buying the Pariscope weekly to map out movie schedules.