Jardin des Tuileries

The Jardin des Tuileries is one of Paris's most visited gardens thanks to its central location between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde. As such the Tuileries are part of a grand central axis leading from the Louvre all the way to La Défense, the city's business district.

In the early 16th century the area was a clay quarry for tiles (tuilerie in French, hence the name). After the death of her husband Henri II in 1559, Catherine de Médicis had a Palace built at the tuileries, the Palais de Tuileries. The palace featured a large garden in Italian style, reminding her of her native Tuscany.
Kids can also enjoy the playground located centrally in the park where many a mum brings their children to play and meet up with other parisienne kids, of course all are dressed so trendily. My son found the play area great fun, even down to the water pump, beats a bubbler..
The Librarie des Jardins is a little gem set near the gates of the garden where I found some great examples of botanic illustrations dating back centuries. They also have a good collection of childrens illustrated books.

Undergoing renovations at the moment the famous silver balls are carefully protected from dust and debris. The Palais is a magnificent statement in architecture.

Get away from the busy Parisienne streets at Palais Royale, this restaurant is so tranquil.

The Shisheido shop window is an elaborate testimonial to Georgian and Victorian chic. Not an easy shot - but you get the picture.

At the large gallery on your stroll through what feels like cloisters at Palais Royale.

We have all been seeing birdcages in print, on handbags, mousemats and posters - here is a sweet display in another shop along Palais Royale.


Lush canvases in galleries display alongside unusual shops, yet all balance at this fabulous bijoux arcade of ateliers at Palais Royale.

A beautiful handmade kimono at the kimono shop.

I thought this window set up looked a little like my bexpert etsy shop banner design. This shop is also at the Palais Royale.

Palais Royale

	Essential Architecture- Paris Jardins du Palais Royal
architect	Jacques Lemercier
location	Paris 1st - métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre- 6 rue de Montpensie 75001 PARIS Surrounded by beautiful covered galleries, this park was the site of many historical events.
date	1634
style	French Baroque
construction	Stone
type	Outdoor space/ Park Palace
	Palais-Royal and its gardens, in a Paris map, 1739. The palace itself fronts on its small square. The Place du Louvre is at upper right. Napoleon opened the Rue de Rivoli along the Louvre's wing, then Haussmann swept away intervening structures.
	Philippe I, Duc d'Orléans
	Gardens of the Palais-Royal: The illustration, from an 1863 guide to Paris, enlarges the apparent scale. The modern planting keeps the central lawn, fountains and clipped trees.

Spiral Staircase

The spiral staircase here takes on new meaning. I'm used to the little versions but this is an artform unto itself.

Gifts at Galerie Vivienne, Paris

Take a look at the gifts in the window of this Children shop.

Galerie Vivienne

Galerie Vivienne is a fabulous shopping arcade dating back to 1823 housing quaint Parisienne bookshops sharing space with designer ateliers, cafes, art shops and more.

It is curious in its location as it lies between rue des Petits Champs, rue Vivienne and Passage des Petits-Pères which are all joined together in forming Galerie Vivienne. Nearest landmark is the largest Library in France Bibliothèque Nationale which the Galerie stands behind.


Initially called after Marchoux, the arcade soon changed its name to Galerie Vivienne and was opened to the public in 1826 as a commercial area that housed fashionable shops. Because of its central location it quickly became very popular and was much frequented.

Its a great place to duck into away from the street noise of Vespas charging down narrow streets and police sirens - a dreamy serene conservatory like roof covers soars overhead letting in natural light to the central area where even the tiled floor down to the chalkboard menu outside a cafe pose artistically.

Passage of culture… at Galerie Vivienne

Art gallery - Palais Royal

This very special place has held up to its vocation by continuing to seduce well-heeled Parisians with its high-end boutiques ... A tour of our favorite spots.

Access to Galerie Vivienne by the
- 5, rue de la Banque, 2nd
- 6, rue Vivienne, 2nd
- 4, rue des Petits Champs, 2nd

- At 8: the charming small art Gallery of Martine Moisan, who shows contemporary artists such as Christian Benoist, Jean Noviel or sculptors like Hélène Jousse or François Mayerass. On Saturday (for adults) and Wednesday (for children) she's also getting drawing lessons in the morning for budding artists as well as older ones wanting to discover the Gallery, its architecture or its visitors...

Drawing lesson : 25 € / 3 hours
Tel: 01 42 97 46 65

...

- At 29: Drop in and take a look at the creations of florist-landscapist Emilio Robba considered as the haute couture designer of the flower! This Italian, who worked for a long time next to Pierre Cardin, creates ultra-trendy artificial flowers of amazing perfection and landscaped environments that are considered today as real works of art

Tel : 01 42 60 43 46

www.emiliorobba.com

stunning ambiance

at the lower level of the boutique

...

- At 35: take the time to sit down for a proper English tea at A Priori Thé, so British, sheltered by the passage since more than 20 years... On the menu, Damman brews, an amazing cheese-cake and marvelous scones. With raisins and lemon. If it's raining... reserve ahead of time for a week-end brunch !

Plat du jour : 16 €
Cup of tea : 5,50 €

Tel : 01 42 97 48 75

-At 58 : small stop to pick up a few rare books... old books or arty books at the bookshop Gallery Lettres et Images hosted by Catherine Aubry.

Tel : 01 42 86 88 18

Jaimee Rose - stylist from Arizona Republic newspaper USA - goes nautical

On the Lido Deck: Chairs by Philippe Starck. Pillowsrope.)On the Lido Deck are chairs by Phillippe Starck.





I will continue with excerpts from France in the following posts and at this moment remembered that I haven't yet linked to photographs of the prints I have made which now hang in Jaimee Rose's apartment.

Jaimee featured my items in her blog - bought a load - and since got all photographed. Her Phoenix apartment is decked out with a nautical theme which I absolutely love.. Here's a a selection. Jaimee has Phillippe Starck Chairs on the Lido Deck with pillows made by her mother. 

She kindly says her favorite finds were the nautical signal flags. Each has a meaning that other sailors can recognize and read. She was inspired by the ones she saw flying over the Coronado Yacht Club and was thrilled to find "Australian Artist Rebekah Williamson, who sells prints inspired by the flags on Etsy. 

Displayed at home, the flags actual meanings send cheeky messages. Code Y: for example: I am dragging my anchor. Code Z: I require a tug. The prints are $20.- each and are available in primary or custom colours at www.bexpert.etsy.com 

It's been 17 years since I worked in Paris, for an Ice show as secretary, the venue was Palais de Sport, Place de la Porte de Versailles;a good location, though not particularly central. However, my apartment at the time was at the metro stop Ecole Militaire - where the Military School is located - a splendid piece of architecture with a specific purpose of training poor gentleman and making soldiers out of them.


The Royal Military Academy was founded by Louis XV in 1751, with the help of Madame de Pompadour and the financier Duverney. Its objective was to make poor gentlemen into military men. Napoleon Bonaparte was trained here in 1784. The architect of the building, constructed in 1752, is Gabriel. The chapel where Napoleon graduated was not completed until 1769.



I was also stationed at Bercy on the outskirts of Paris.

I've been back several times since but this last trip was particularly special as I had time to see the lesser known areas.
Just tucked behind L'Opera, Boulevard Haussman and rue 4 Septembre is a very small street, there are many, this one called rue St Anne, set in the 2me arondissement houses a number of little hotels one Hotel Beaudelaire Opera. Its a cute hotel small but perfectly formed slap bang in the middle of central Paris, a stone's throw from Loevre, Palais Royal, Banque and Bourse.