Photography | Paris

In April 2013 I went to Paris and stayed for the month with a French family in a suburb known as Le Plessis Bouchard. The idea was to improve my French. The opportunities to talk French in Paris weren't actually that great, as like in most major cities people have busy lives and don't expect to speak to strangers in the street. Add to this the Parisians' reputation of being somewhat aloof and you find casual conversation difficult.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed staying with the family and I did strike up some acquaintances while I was there, but I didn't come back a fluent French speaker! While there a friend, Yves, with whom I speak over Skype, kindly came up from Bordeaux for a few days to help me find my way around. He also introduced me to a number of organisations where there might be opportunities to help out and in so doing mix with local people. I tended not to behave as a tourist but instead I wandered the streets taking in as many aspects of the city as I could. As a result I took an eclectic mix of photographs.

I returned in 2014, again for the month of April, and once again stayed with the same family and roamed the city trying to blend in rather than appear as a tourist. My daughter and grandson came over for a couple of days, during which time I was obliged to be more touristy, visiting the Louvre and taking a river cruise.

The next year, 2015, I again returned but this time in September with Helen, and we stayed in a rather nice AirBnB apartment in the heart of the Marais district. This was always going to be much more of a tourist experience and you may notice that the photographs reflect this, although I've tried to not be too clichéd. Our trip in 2015 was a great success and so we returned in 2016, again in September, and this time to another AirBnB apartment, which while not quite as good as the previous year was very acceptable. This time we were near Les Halles and we actually preferred the location to the Marais. Our stay encompassed the weekend of Les Journées du Patriomoine, when many public buildings are opened to the public. We managed to fit in the Hôtel de Ville, the Sorbonne and the Sénat. Paris was very quiet, possibly because of the previous terrorist atrocities, which made it easier to visit usually busy attractions, such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Versailles. I took a lot of photographs and it was a challenge to reduce them to the gallery presented here. Again I've tried to select those that are perhaps more interesting or that have some photographic merit.

2013

  • Bob & Yves

    Bob & Yves

  • Street artist Montmartre

    Street artist Montmartre

  • Artist & Notre Dame

    Artist & Notre Dame

  • Artist

    Artist

  • Flea market arcade

    Flea market arcade

  • Dog at flea market

    Dog at flea market

  • Garden statues at flea market

    Garden statues at flea market

  • Bookstall - Left Bank

    Bookstall - Left Bank

  • Begging is unfortunately a common sight

    Begging is unfortunately a common sight

  • Puppies

    Puppies

  • One of many chic bag shops

    One of many chic bag shops

  • I find Paris shops fascinating

    I find Paris shops fascinating

  • A typical Parisian breakfast

    A typical Parisian breakfast

  • Before the 'love' locks were banned

    Before the 'love' locks were banned

  • Not a place to risk illegal parking

    Not a place to risk illegal parking

  • Colour themed window display

    Colour themed window display

  • A cycling party

    A cycling party

  • Novel tombstone

    Novel tombstone

  • Tomb of Emile Zola

    Tomb of Emile Zola

  • Eiffel Tower with metro train crossing bridge

    Eiffel Tower with metro train crossing bridge

  • Eiffel Tower at night

    Eiffel Tower at night

  • Horse carriage by Eiffel Tower

    Horse carriage by Eiffel Tower

  • Two urban 'randonneurs' take some additional exercise

    Two urban 'randonneurs' take some additional exercise

  • Not what you expect to find next to the vending machine

    Not what you expect to find next to the vending machine

  • Jesse at Montmartre

    Jesse at Montmartre

  • Galleries Lafayette

    Galleries Lafayette

  • Le Jardin de Luxembourg

    Le Jardin de Luxembourg

  • Les Égouts (sewers)

    Les Égouts (sewers)

  • Paris's Liberty Statue

    Paris's Liberty Statue

  • Another 'Liberty' this time afloat

    Another 'Liberty' this time afloat

  • Lamp post acrobat - Montmartre

    Lamp post acrobat - Montmartre

  • Le Moulin Rouge - Of course

    Le Moulin Rouge - Of course

  • Another colourful shop

    Another colourful shop

  • Les Grands Magasins

    Les Grands Magasins

  • Les Grands Magasins

    Les Grands Magasins

  • Sunset over the Seine

    Sunset over the Seine

  • Tea shop

    Tea shop

  • Theatre !

    Theatre !

  • Transilien Train interior

    Transilien Train interior

2014

  • Romantic wedding photos - pity the sun wasn't shining

    Romantic wedding photos - pity the sun wasn't shining

  • Modern monument - Bois de Boulogne

    Modern monument - Bois de Boulogne

  • Beach Volley Ball - Boise de Boulogne

    Beach Volley Ball - Boise de Boulogne

  • Camel ride - Jardin d'Acclimatation - Bois de Boulogne

    Camel ride - Jardin d'Acclimatation - Bois de Boulogne

  • Lake - Bois de Boulogne

    Lake - Bois de Boulogne

  • Poster - Jardin D'Acclimatation - Bois de Boulogne

    Poster - Jardin D'Acclimatation - Bois de Boulogne

  • Brazilian Carnival - Jardin d'Acclimatation

    Brazilian Carnival - Jardin d'Acclimatation

  • Brazilian Carnival - Jardin d'Acclimatation

    Brazilian Carnival - Jardin d'Acclimatation

  • Dragon - Bois de Boulogne

    Dragon - Bois de Boulogne

  • Seine view with boat and bridge

    Seine view with boat and bridge

  • Canal Saint-Martin

    Canal Saint-Martin

  • Old high-level railway as a green walkway

    Old high-level railway as a green walkway

  • Colourful shop - Montmartre area

    Colourful shop - Montmartre area

  • Marché des Enfants Rouges

    Marché des Enfants Rouges

  • Parisians relaxing - often with a book

    Parisians relaxing - often with a book

  • Statue in a small local gardens

    Statue in a small local gardens

  • View from the Montparnasse Tower

    View from the Montparnasse Tower

  • My grandson Jamie - Montparnasse Tower

    My grandson Jamie - Montparnasse Tower

  • My daughter in the Apple Store - charging her phone!

    My daughter in the Apple Store - charging her phone!

  • Melee in front of the Mona Lisa

    Melee in front of the Mona Lisa

  • Wedding dress - Galerie Lafayette

    Wedding dress - Galerie Lafayette

  • Typical French vegetable market stall

    Typical French vegetable market stall

  • Poisonnerie

    Poisonnerie

  • Locomotive in exhibition

    Locomotive in exhibition

  • Another 'Love Lock' is added

    Another 'Love Lock' is added

  • The Metro and the Moulin - Two icons of Paris

    The Metro and the Moulin - Two icons of Paris

  • Petanque!

    Petanque!

  • When the sun comes out Parisians relax

    When the sun comes out Parisians relax

  • Unusual street scupture

    Unusual street scupture

  • Water Spouts

    Water Spouts

2015

  • Helen - write your own message by the Seine

    Helen - write your own message by the Seine

  • Panels replacing the original mesh to deter 'love locks'

    Panels replacing the original mesh to deter 'love locks'

  • Daumesnil

    Daumesnil

  • Very expensive shoes by Dolce & Cabbana

    Very expensive shoes by Dolce & Cabbana

  • Doll Museum

    Doll Museum

  • Eiffel Tower at night

    Eiffel Tower at night

  • Evening sky over the Seine

    Evening sky over the Seine

  • Expensive cars outside expensive hotel

    Expensive cars outside expensive hotel

  • Fountain - Place de Vosges

    Fountain - Place de Vosges

  • Helen outside a restaurant called Helen

    Helen outside a restaurant called Helen

  • Kiosk at night by the Eiffel Tower

    Kiosk at night by the Eiffel Tower

  • One of many fashion establishments in Le Marais

    One of many fashion establishments in Le Marais

  • They will put locks wherever they can!

    They will put locks wherever they can!

  • Degas - Musée d'Orsay

    Degas - Musée d'Orsay

  • Musée d'Orsay

    Musée d'Orsay

  • Street scene - Musée d'Orsay

    Street scene - Musée d'Orsay

  • Statue - Musée d'Orsay

    Statue - Musée d'Orsay

  • Sacré-Coeur viewed through Musée d'Orsay clock face

    Sacré-Coeur viewed through Musée d'Orsay clock face

  • Panthéon - La Convention National

    Panthéon - La Convention National

  • Voltaire - Panthéon

    Voltaire - Panthéon

  • The Seine at night

    The Seine at night

  • Street lamp with Notre Dame in silhoette

    Street lamp with Notre Dame in silhoette

  • The Seine and Notre Dame

    The Seine and Notre Dame

  • A rare 'Selfie'

    A rare 'Selfie'

  • Sénat - Le Jardin de Luxembourg

    Sénat - Le Jardin de Luxembourg

  • 'A Stone in my Garden' feature

    'A Stone in my Garden' feature

  • Helen and Stormtrooper - Disney Store

    Helen and Stormtrooper - Disney Store

  • The Montmartre street artist setting up

    The Montmartre street artist setting up

  • Unknown soldier - Arc de Triomphe

    Unknown soldier - Arc de Triomphe

2016

  • Feature in the Palais Royale Gardens

    Feature in the Palais Royale Gardens

  • Ferris wheel being dismantled -Place de la Concorde

    Ferris wheel being dismantled -Place de la Concorde

  • View of La Defense from Arc de Triomphe

    View of La Defense from Arc de Triomphe

  • Arc De Triomphe staircase

    Arc De Triomphe staircase

  • Evening boat aprty

    Evening boat aprty

  • View from Eiffel Tower

    View from Eiffel Tower

  • View from Eiffel Tower

    View from Eiffel Tower

  • Galerie Vivienne

    Galerie Vivienne

  • Hands sculpture

    Hands sculpture

  • Hotel de Ville Councillors chamber

    Hotel de Ville Councillors chamber

  • Hotel de Ville

    Hotel de Ville

  • Textile exhibit at Hotel de Ville

    Textile exhibit at Hotel de Ville

  • The chapel at les Invalides

    The chapel at les Invalides

  • A tomb at Les Invalides

    A tomb at Les Invalides

  • Arts et Metiers Métro station themed on Jules Verne

    Arts et Metiers Métro station themed on Jules Verne

  • Cluny La Sorbonne Métro station

    Cluny La Sorbonne Métro station

  • Monet Gallery - The Orangerie

    Monet Gallery - The Orangerie

  • Evening view of Notre Dame

    Evening view of Notre Dame

  • Palais Garnier Opera House

    Palais Garnier Opera House

  • Opera House ceiling detail

    Opera House ceiling detail

  • Joinery shop - Passage Bourg l'Abbe

    Joinery shop - Passage Bourg l'Abbe

  • Indian Cuisine in Passage Brady

    Indian Cuisine in Passage Brady

  • Bric-a-brac shop in Passage Grand Cerf

    Bric-a-brac shop in Passage Grand Cerf

  • National flags - Sénat

    National flags - Sénat

  • Sênat Chamber

    Sênat Chamber

  • Sénat Library

    Sénat Library

  • Sénat - dedication to Marianne

    Sénat - dedication to Marianne

  • Gowns at the Sorbonne

    Gowns at the Sorbonne

  • The Sorbonne

    The Sorbonne

  • Exhibition - Sorbanne Courtyard

    Exhibition - Sorbanne Courtyard

  • Staircae - Sorbonne

    Staircae - Sorbonne

  • Lecture Theatre - Sorbonne

    Lecture Theatre - Sorbonne

  • Sait-Eustache Church

    Sait-Eustache Church

  • Les halles sculpture - Saint-Eustache Church

    Les halles sculpture - Saint-Eustache Church

  • Novelty mirror - Versailles

    Novelty mirror - Versailles

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