Spring Snow

So, as you will have all noticed, the weather has been rather weird for this time of year. Snow in Paris in the middle of March? I don't think so! Well actually...yes.

Here is the Sacré Coeur yesterday afternoon in its' full snowy glory.

The Lapin Agile was looking very picturesque.

I went up to the Place de Tertre at midnight last night and had the place to myself. TO MYSELF!


Take at look at the reflections in the windows. Snow with added snow.


A touch of colour.


The manège at the bottom of the stairs infront of the Sacré Coeur was out of action.


Stairs in rue Cortot, by the Musée de Montmartre.


Rue de l'Abreuvoir.


An Angel!


Today we went to the Jardin des Tuileries. The snow had mostly melted. As we zig-zagged our way through the puddles this amazing woman caught my eye. 

Well caught!

Paris in snowy monochrome

It's snowing! Paris is white, beautiful and very very quiet.

I went on a long detour to get the croissants this morning. It is often said that Montmartre is like a village. Today it really felt one. People were walking in the middle of the streets as they were less treacherous than the pavements. Occasionally a car passed, but it was moving so slowly you could barely hear it. I mainly heard the crump crump of my boots in the snow.

Oddly, The park up on Avenue Junot was open (usually all public playgrounds are closed as soon as it snows). St Denis was looking even more forlorn than usual.

Here is the Place de Tertre. It was hard to take a photo that didn't have a gazillion people taking a photo in it.

The artists were not doing a lot of painting.


I've always loved this 'atelier' on rue Orchampt.


The flowers in the window boxes are valiantly struggling to survive against all odds.


Coming down these stairs was quite treacherous. Looking up them was quite magical.


The snow covered domes of the Sacré Coeur were camouflaged against the white sky.

Here is the Père Noël, this snowfall seems to be confusing him.

And here is a brave boatman rowing through the icy waters of Montmartre.

Snow, ice and blue blue skies

So we're back in Paris after our skiing holiday, curtesy of my brother who lives in Switzerland. The sun shone for us more or less non stop and I now feel recharged and ready to cope until spring, when the days get longer and the sun warmer. This is what the sky was like most days.

Through the car windscreen it looked like this.


With bright sun came sharp shadows.



There were windy days where the snow whipped up like egg whites.


Here is a photograph I took from the chair lift, more waves.


On some days there were hazy clouds.


Of course there was ice.


And icicles.

I ♥ icicles.

More snow

Yes, more snow in Paris on Saturday night and Sunday morning, and again this morning. Lots more. As I went up the hill to the bakery I saw cars slithering across rue Lepic as they tried to make it up La Butte (cars behind, naturally hooting their horns...so patiently). There were no anglophone Sunday papers in the newsagent as the delivery folk hadn't been able to 'make it up the hill'. In years to come we'll still be talking about the winter of 2010, when it snowed 10cm and we couldn't make it up the hill. 

Well as usual I had my camera slung round my neck so took a few photos. Jardin Burq was closed but I poked the camera through the fence. It's rare to see this park so quiet and empty.

I then made my way up to Place Ravignan, accompanied by pigeons.

Place Ravignan was looking as gorgeous as ever.

The café at the lower end of the Square had put a few tables outside, but was not anticipating any intrepid smokers.

The Moulin de la Galette looked rather lovely covered in snow.

Square Junot was actually open, surprisingly, but not a lot of action on the climbing frame.

St Denis, or as the 6 year old mysteriously calls him, 'Los Angeles' looked very forlorn.

I walked down the middle of Avenue Junot, because I could!

And eventually I made it to the bakery. Mmmmm...

Blanc cassé

I'm not quite sure why, but I love the expression blanc cassé, broken white, off white. It conjures up images of broken egg shells, delicate creamy meringues with soft peaks. White, with the hard edges smoothed down. In certain lights darker colours are made to look lighter, and likewise bright whites can look darker, blanc cassé. 

As we're expecting more snow this week I thought I'd gather together photos I've taken which are essentially monochrome, blanc cassé, like snow in a city. 

The Sacré Cœur on a grey day is no longer bright white but a blanc cassé that blends in with the sky.

When not a khaki green, the bark of Paris plane trees can be a chalky off white.

Then of course there is faded and aged white paint.

The Eiffel Tower looks blanc cassé on a bright sunny day.

Objects at the  marchés aux puces, flea market.

Parisian, Montmartoise chalky stone.

Camels! (Les Lelanne)...

...housed in the musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris.

The light in the magnificent  Tadao Ando Meditation Space at UNESCO, Paris, transforms the grey concrete to a delicate blanc cassé.

Christmas lights can even be blanc cassé.

Red trees? Not so much.