Living about 30 minutes from Paris, I usually find myself visiting at least once a month, if not maybe more. But most of the time, I’m usually rushing past some of the most famous landmarks to get to where I’m going, whether it be a dental appointment, dinner with friends, shopping, or catching the latest American movie in English. (Side note: All American movies are dubbed into French and unless you’re in a major city, you can’t see the latest releases in English.) Although Paris is one of the most photogenic cities in the world, I’m usually just taking a quick iPhone photo here and there while I’m on my way to something else.
I found an opportunity to dust off my DSLR when I had friends visit this past May. They wanted to visit the Louvre, and while I love the Louvre, I preferred to take some time alone during their visit to explore the surrounding areas and photograph what I see. The results are as follows:
Le Village Royal is a private passageway housing exclusive boutiques such as Dior. The main attraction of this passageway was the Umbrella Sky Project…Most of the day was rather gloomy and cloudy (I mean this IS Paris after all), but I was happy to catch a very momentary glimpse of sunshine to see the adorable shadows of these umbrellas.These colorful umbrellas created a nice atmosphere for the sculptures of Dirk de Keyzer, a Belgian artist.Place de la Concorde: This Fountain of the Rivers, built in 1840, represents the rivers of France and the main harvests that benefit from them.Walking through the Jardin des Tuileries and appreciating the surrounding Parisian architectureUnder the Louvre pyramid. Insider’s note: Most people tend to stand in a massive line through the Pyramid to get in. A better option is to enter through the attached mall, called the Carrousel du Louvre (entrances are on the Rue du Rivoli, near the Arc du Carrousel, or through the Metro station Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre). The fun Palais Royal, right across the street from the LouvreThe Palais Royal was built for Cardinal Richelieu in the 17th century and later became a royal residence. However, the interesting part of this area is this artwork installation called “Les Deux Plateaux” (by Daniel Buren), which consists of these modern black and white striped columns of varying heights against the 17th century classic backdrop.The columns of the Palais Royal can get quite busy, so it was nice to find a bit of respite in the Jardin du Palais Royal.For a little break, I recommend Café Kitsuné, located in the Jardin du Palais Royal. Although not cheap, their matcha lattés are excellent and the adorable fox biscuit was almost too cute to eat. Almost.
I really enjoyed this afternoon of taking photos in Paris. I would have taken even more, but it was at this point that the clouds opened and the rain started pouring down. But only living 30 minutes away, there’s always next time.
Stunning photos. I wish I had seen the umbrella exhibit in person – you caught it at just the right time!
Thanks! Yes, I was fortunate to catch it right before it left. I think they have other exhibitions in Europe, and now that you’re here, it’ll be a lot easier to check out. 😊
Je Parle Franglais 
Excellent commentary, photos, & travel tips!
Thanks Rockie! 😘
Stunning photos. I wish I had seen the umbrella exhibit in person – you caught it at just the right time!
Thanks! Yes, I was fortunate to catch it right before it left. I think they have other exhibitions in Europe, and now that you’re here, it’ll be a lot easier to check out. 😊