Visiting Paris is...

... a pain in the neck. Literally! But I take it with a smile. As they say: "Beauty knows no pain." - and for this beauty I will endure it any day!

Pont d'Iéna at the foot of the Eiffel Tower

Where does the pain come from? 
From constantly walking with my head turned upwards.

Why? 
Because that is where Paris hides her most beautiful jewels in plain sight. Granted, not always so easy to see with the naked eye, but with the help of a zoom lens on a camera, ...well, ...Wow!

So where exactly are these jewels? 
In the exquisite architectural details all over the city.

Hôtel de Ville (City Hall)

The Louvre

The Louvre

Institut de France

Musée Carnavalet

Notre-Dame Cathedral

The best are those patiently waiting to be painstakingly stripped of the city's pollution and nature's contribution in wrapping them in a beautiful patina, highlighting their intricate details. 

Basilica Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre

Institut de France

Institut de France

Musée du Luxembourg in the Luxembourg Gardens

Above the Tower Door at the Musée National du Moyen Âge, formerly Musée de Cluny

Equestrian statue of Saint Louis at Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre




And when my neck can no longer hold up to the strain, I just need to lower my chin to be blown away by the patina on statues and monuments. 

Église Saint-Eustache with the L'écoute sculpture by Henri de Miller

Monument to French painter, Jean-Antoine Watteau, in the Luxembourg Gardens

Joies de la famille by Horace Daillion in the Luxembourg Gardens

Sainte Clothilde in the Luxembourg Gardens

Statue of Chevalier de la Barre in the Nadar garden, at the foot of the Basilica Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre

Equestrian statue of Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, King of the Franks, in front of the Notre-Dame Cathedral




Even on tombs and tombstones.

Montmartre Cemetery

Montmartre Cemetery

Montmartre Cemetery

Wandering through Paris in this fashion, also takes its toll on my feet, my shins and my knees. Things like side walks and bollards keep appearing from nowhere, tripping me up! But hey, when I sit down at the end of the day to look at my photos, it's all worth the bruises and the crick in the neck! And the excitement starts bubbling up inside of me for tomorrow's stroll among the jewels.


If you're new to my blog, you may also enjoy my post on Patina in Paris and this one on Patina at Musée Carnavalet.


Happy Painting!

Tania
xxx

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