Happy New Year: 2014 - 2015

Galeries Lafayette Glass and Steel Dome

I was at Les Galeries Lafayette in the run up to Christmas this year and promised myself that after going to the toy section on the 5th floor I'd treat myself to having a look at the glass and steel dome from up close. Once on the top floor I noticed a small inconspicuous flight of stairs that lead me to the roof terrace of the huge and infamous department store. In all the 21 years I've lived in Paris I have never been on this terrace. 

This is what the dome looks like from the outside. Isn't it fantastic? It looks like a UFO has just landed.

Looking west from the roof terrace you see more domes of the other Galeries Lafayette stores, with the red tipped dome of l'Église Saint Augustin in the background.

Looking south you see Opéra Garnier from the back. It seems so close.

Looking north you see l'Église de la Trinité.

South-west, you can see the gold dome of les Invalides and the Big Wheel at Concorde. The dome to the left in this photo is l'Église de Notre Dame de l'Assomption.

Looking down, there are stripes. 

Back inside the department store you can get a good look at the glass work of the cupola from the 'outside'.

And then back down the 4th floor you can get a good look at the spectacular hanging Christmas tree. 

For more photos of the glass cupola in les Galeries Lafayette click here. 

Soothing Stone

In contrast to my last post where I gathered together shiny images, today I have gathered some images of creamy golden stone. They sooth me. 

I walked past an apartment block on our street for nine years without noticing this lovely detail. Then one day, when walking on the other side of the road it came into my field of vision. Moral of the story? Change the side of the road you usually walk along, you may see something new!

Here is one of the windows in the Église Saint-Eustache, near Les Halles in Paris' 1st arrondissement. A heart with some intricate carving below.

The next two images are of the Palais du Luxembourg, in the Jardin du Luxembourg.

The facade of the Palais de Chaillot by Trocadero.

A stone wall in the Jardin des Tuileries.

The facade of the Basilica Cathedral of St Denis.

The Pont Neuf.

And finally a crow, pauses on the borders of the Seine.

Shiny Things Around Paris

On this wet rainy Friday I've gathered together some shiny things to try and cheer you up.

Some light switches at an antiques market at Place des Abbesses.



Cycle Reinor Standard.



Silver spoons.



The Géode at La Villette science museum, viewed from the south-east.



Viewed from the north-west.



Water droplets on our balcony eucalyptus tree.



A magnificent pegasus at the end of Pont Alexandre III.

A burst coffee capsule. Finezzo lungo perhaps?

And finally the cupola at Galeries Lafayette with the inverted Christmas tree glowing blue.

And finally, some mandatory shiny éclairs. Bon weekend!