The Grilles of the Luxembourg Garden: photography exhibitions

The Grilles of the Luxembourg Garden: photography exhibitions. On the perimeter of the Luxembourg Garden – Jardin du Luxembourg – is a large black iron fence – railings topped with gold-coloured arrows. It is called the Grilles du Jardin du Luxembourg – the Grilles of the Luxembourg Garden. In 1865, during Louis Napoleon’s reconstruction of Paris, theContinue reading “The Grilles of the Luxembourg Garden: photography exhibitions”

The Crossed Bridge: from butcher to bookshop to café

The Crossed Bridge: from butcher to bookstore to café. At 62 Rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement of Paris is Le Pont Traversé: The Crossed Bridge. Once a bookstore, and now a café. Le Pont Traversé has a history.  The writer and poet Marcel Béalu (1908-1993) founded the bookstore in 1949.  He was born onContinue reading “The Crossed Bridge: from butcher to bookshop to café”

Rue de L’école de Médecine – a street of many names

Rue de L’école de Médecine – a street of many names. Rue de L’École de Médecine – School of Medicine Street – is a street of many names. It is located in the Odéon and Monnaie districts of the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It meets at Rue Dupuytren and ends at the Boulevard Saint Germain. AmericanContinue reading “Rue de L’école de Médecine – a street of many names”

Luxembourg Palace – the Senate building – in Paris is undergoing a restoration

Luxembourg Palace – the Senate building – in Paris is undergoing a restoration. Previously the Luxembourg Palace, the Senate building in the Luxembourg Garden is undergoing restorations. It is located at 15 Rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement. Marie de Medicis, wife of Henri IV of France, bought the land and commissioned plans in 1612Continue reading “Luxembourg Palace – the Senate building – in Paris is undergoing a restoration”

Odeon Theatre – two fires and from local hall to European theatre

Odéon Theatre – two fires and from local hall to European theatre. Irish author James Joyce visited the Odéon Theatre on the rue de Corneille in the 6th arrondissement of Paris quite often. If not inside, then outside on the cloisters. He said of the Odéon Cloisters in 1903, ‘It was an appropriate enough meetingContinue reading “Odeon Theatre – two fires and from local hall to European theatre”

French illustrator Antoine Meurant and the streets of Paris

French illustrator Antoine Meurant and the streets of Paris. In its gallery-restaurant Le Select in Montparnasse, Paris, there is a solo collection of illustrations by Antoine Meurant.  The collection of illustrations are everyday views of Paris and Parisian streets.  Antoine Meurant has also illustrated Le Select – the American Bar and Restaurant established in 1925Continue reading “French illustrator Antoine Meurant and the streets of Paris”

A puzzling fresco – the Tangram Building, Paris

A puzzling fresco – the Tangram Building, Paris. The Tangram Building in Paris is a building with a large, coloured fresco in enamelled glass, in the design of a tangram. A tangram is a puzzle consisting of flat polygons, called tans, which are constructed to form shapes. The tans are used to create minimalist designs that are: ‘eitherContinue reading “A puzzling fresco – the Tangram Building, Paris”