Ah, Royalty.50
More than just that statue of Louis XIII makes my favorite mini-park in the heart of Paris royal. As you can read if you enlarge the left-hand photo above, this site once housed one of the loveliest residences of France’s kings. Until, that is, Catherine de Medici tore it down in 1583 to install a horse market. Then Henry IV decided on a royal square – these days more likely known as a real estate development scheme – of which three sides would be sold to the highest bidders of, no doubt, the ‘right’ background. The fourth side, natch, was reserved for royalty. It was renamed Place des Vosges in 1800 – when royalty was still out of vogue, before Napoleon ended France’s first republic by deciding he was an emperor – because, wait for it, they were the first department to pay their taxes! 🙂
Ah, Royalty.49
Islands.79
Last entry was light in the darkness, this entry is islands in the city of light :-). Above you see both Ile de la Cite (with the towers of Notre Dame shortly before its formal reopening) and, if you look closely enough, the northernmost bit of Ile St Louis, both floating in the splendid early dawn still of the Seine, back in late October. All the images below show one or both islands as well.
Urban Entrances.149
A sampling of photos from my three late-October nights & 2+ days in Paris that I feel contain “entrances.” May our exit from 2024 and our entrance to 2025 be alive with grace and joy.
(so much world, so little time....) 