Paris neighborhood guides, photo walks and walking tours: Marais Paris, Bastille Paris, Montmartre
For the 2026 solar eclipse in Paris, I had the perfect perch behind the flower box looking out my bedroom window. August 12, 2026 had been on my calendar for the past year.
Organized photo walks change how you view Paris. Montmartre was the topic of a photo walk on a warm May Day. For 3 1/2 hours we uncovered the hidden angles, lively characters and magic of Montmartre.
It is May 1, the sky is blue and it is supposed to rain at 3 p.m. You would never know it; not a cloud in the sky. This is a holiday and all is quiet. A food store in our neighborhood is open, the local cafés are closed. A …
Did you know that the Sacré-Cœur Basilica was a bombing target during the Second World War? Or that a “National Vow” from 1870 was the primary reason it was built in the first place? You might also be surprised to discover that the imprisoned Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and their family are featured …
I captured December views in Paris in a short video, featuring, Christmas windows, choirs, exhibitions, and street scenes. Wishing you happy holidays and a safe 2024! Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/TwPSRhM82WU.
Paris neighbourhoods have gone through gentrification significantly in the 2000s. Along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine n the Bastille is no exception. The furniture manufactures and sales offices have given way to clothing and sports stores. There is hope, however, because La Maison Tassin Cuir (leather) continues an upholstery tradition. Their …
While taking a shortcut through Place des Vosges, my eyes saw photographs. They really saw pictures of garbage. Place des Vosges is on annual exhibition circuit for Paris Design Week. Paris Design Week is too short! Over 350 exhibitors and I only saw three in two days! “Pictures of Garbage”, …
A Thursday edition of the newspaper, Le Parisien, carried a story with recommended restaurants on Montmartre’s back streets. The morning quest turned into more. On this quest, I experienced the sights and sounds of Montmartre on a quiet September 2021 Thursday morning along not very crowded streets. The article spoke …
One day last week the blackbirds (merles in French) were chirping away in a choral cacophony of song at at 5:30 am. I wondered if springtime was around the corner — in mid-January! That springtime moment was short-lived. Thirty-two departments, including Paris and Ile-de-France, were placed under snow warnings. Saturday …