Saint-Sulpice

At this 17th-century church—the
second-largest in Paris—you
can see something beautiful
everywhere you look.

[Linking back to Macro Monday.]

la fontaine . . .

in front of Saint-Sulpice church.  It was built
in 1833 as part of a big program to
improve the city's water supply.  Each of the
four statues is a religious figure who was
known for his eloquence—this one is a preacher
with the appropriate name of Esprit (Fléchier).
I love this fountain but I wish they hadn't
plopped it down right there where it kind of
blocks the front of the church.

pied-à-terre

I have an acquaintance who is lucky (and wealthy) 
enough to own an apartment in Paris and I was lucky 
(and needy) enough to get to borrow it once, in the time 
bdc (before digital cameras). It was lovely to wake 
up to this view—through the old wavy-glass 
windows—of the local rooftops across rue Jacob. 

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.] 

Paris in Winter

I found myself stuck one night with a friend on the
covered terrasse of the Café de Flore (poor me, I know),
when an unexpected snowstorm came up and we
were hardly dressed for this kind of weather.  Although
showers are frequent in Paris, snow is rare. There may be
a dusting, but the highest one-day snowfall ever
recorded was only a bit over a foot—and that was on
March 2, 1946 (another good day for a brandy at the Flore). 

Mme. Defarge, je présume

This Parisienne d'un certain age was
enjoying a beautiful early-spring day
in the Jardins du Luxembourg.  She had
a great face and a chic outfit—but
all I could think of was the tricoteuse
in Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities.

Care for a café?

I found seats for us here at Café Mabillon,
on the corner of Blvd. St. Germain
and rue de Buci, right in the heart of
St. Germain (all the tourists are a couple 
of blocks away, at the Deux Magots).

And our color-coordinated
waiter is cute too!