All posts filed under: Paris

Misty views of Paris from Montmartre

Misty views of Paris from Montmartre

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The weather this week in Paris has been like a yo-yo, one minute it’s glorious and the next it’s rainy. It was also during this week that there was an enigmatic mist covering the skyline over Paris, almost like a lilac blanket keeping the city warm. Whilst on the train into the city centre, I am usually blessed with stunning views of the vista with the Eiffel Tower emerging from the cityscape, however, on this particular journey La Tour Eiffel was concealed into the depths of the mist that engulfed it. Therefore, what better place to get a more fitting view than at the top of Montmartre by La basilique du Sacré-Cœur. There’s something quite magical and enchanting about such a landscape, it’s just a shame I didn’t manage to get a photo of the Eiffel Tour hiding away – next time.

Le mur des je t'aime, Montmartre

Le mur des je t’aime, Montmartre

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What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a post all about love! This week I ventured off to Montmartre, and stumbled upon an infamous sight of this area. Stretching across 612 lava tiles, this is no ordinary wall. It is Paris’ Le mur des je t’aime, a wall devoted to expressing the words ‘I love you’ in 311 various languages. It was created by Frédéric Baron and Claire Kito, who both went round the various Embassies in the city and asked their neighbours to write down the phrase in their own languages, until finally they had gathered an adequate amount of love. Furthermore, what is interesting is that the artist Frédéric Baron stated that the random red shapes which interject various parts of the tiles have a metaphorical function, representing “the pieces of a broken heart” of “which the wall tries to gather together.” You can find this interesting piece of art in Jehan-Rictus Square, which is located right by Abbesses station in Montmartre. There is even a website for the wall: http://www.lesjetaime.com

Exploring the 6th arrondissement, Paris

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The 6th arrondissement, known as offering the quintessential Parisian experience. This area of the city is beautiful – you can take a leisurely stroll around the Jardin du Luxembourg, check out some chic boutiques, visit a 6th-century Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and eat to your heart’s delight. Wanna be a true Parisian flâneur? Head to the 6th arrondissement

A hidden gem of the Art Nouveau era: 29 Avenue Rapp, 7th arrondissement, Paris

A hidden gem of the Art Nouveau era: 29 Avenue Rapp, 7th arrondissement

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This weekend a friend and I were exploring the streets of the 7th arrondissement, when unexpectedly we stumbled upon the gem that is 29 Avenue Rapp. Right in front of us was an amazing Art Nouveau building, and we just had to go and have a closer look! After some research, I found out that this building is much more famous than I had first imagined. Built in 1901, it was designed by Jules Aimé Lavirotte, a famous French architect whose theatrical designs are typical of the Art Nouveau moment, and today there are just around nine of his buildings left in the whole of Paris. It is a truly unique building, with a stunning façade that had me transfixed. Adorning the façade are beautiful sculptural designs, figurative symbols and exquisite balconies. Unfortunately (or fortunately to the residents), you cannot go inside, so one can only imagine if the interior is as opulent as the exterior. I also read online that a myth of this building is that it is “a private residence for widowed military spouses”, …

A spontaneous trip up La Tour Eiffel, Paris

A spontaneous trip up La Tour Eiffel

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My friend and I made a spontaneous decision recently to go and walk up the Eiffel Tower – and why not?! It was a beautiful, albeit cold day – the sun was out, and with the prospect of the next few days being miserable here in Paris, this was the perfect opportunity. To my surprise, I was shocked at how cheap it was for us to walk up to the second level of the tower (which is a lot higher than it sounds!). However, I’m not gonna lie, it was tough walking up all those steps, but once completed, you’re rewarded with amazing views of the city. We also timed our visit really well, as we were able to see the sun setting over Paris. A view that I recommend to everyone! You can view more photos that I took on my flickr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/roisingrace/sets/72157648139058404/