
Fall in Paris is beautiful, and I was lucky to have a few gorgeous and sunny days. While I was there for Photo Paris, I took a break from the photo fair to go to the beautiful bridge, the Pont des Arts.
Chasing the sun near Pont des Arts
I’ve been to Paris before, about twenty years ago, and I was amazed to remember some of the spots and metro stations. Even with my dated memories, I was happy to see how easy it was to find the Pont des Arts.
Everyone seemed to be at the Pont des Arts] soaking in the sun – it was packed! The views of the River Seine were beautiful, and I was delighted to see a few bouquinistes (booksellers of used and antiquarian books) along the banks.
When the sun went down, I walked over to the Louvre Museum, where the buildings are beautifully lit up, and where the mysterious-looking glass pyramid sits in the middle of the square. I decided to sit down for a while to enjoy the people posing in front of the buildings and listen to their excitement.
Don’t you love long lunches? A city like Paris is perfect for a long cafe lunch where you can enjoy the city life and watch the world go by. I chose a simple and friendly place to do just that, and I planned to go for a long walk and photograph afterward.
I roamed in and out of alleys and wide avenues, and I was absorbed and intrigued by the perfectly displayed wares in shop windows. How can anyone live here and not go broke? The window presentations are beautiful, and I wanted everything I saw! I went from one shop to the next, dreaming of buying it all: the beautiful chocolate trees, the patisseries, the lovely clothes, and the bijoux.
And all of a sudden, the day was gone. It was dark, and I found myself on a narrow street with no phone signal and no idea where to go. The more I walked, the darker it got. It took a good 30 minutes and the help of a kind Parisian to find the metro station.
The moral of the story? Don’t have long, late lunches during the fall in Paris if you have more exploring to do! Daylight is short and precious.
Pont des Arts
I love the idea of traveling with a purpose. My trip to Paris was not a touristy trip, although I did hire a private guide to take me on a walking tour and a Paris By Night tour.
The Paris Photo fair was such a pleasure, and I was in awe of being surrounded by those gorgeous images; I can hardly wait to return to Paris again next year, then visit the galleries in London and Berlin.
It’s fun to go on last-minute trips, but they require a lot of flexibility in terms of planning.
I wanted to stay in the 6th arrondissement, but it was not meant to be. I could not find a room within my budget, and many were going as I searched – I was getting a little panicky.
However, I was lucky to find the small, charming, and well-located Hotel Cler on the 7th arrondissement. It turned out to be the best location for me because it was a 10 minute walk from Paris Photo – the reason I went to Paris.
A walk in the park
My hotel was within walking distance of the Paris Photo Fair and the Eiffel Tower! I photographed the tower at night, under the sun, and through fog. It was delightful to walk under the beautiful autumnal trees and to see the city life bustling around the backdrop of the famed tower.
Rue Cler is a semi closed-off cobble street with a daily street market, a few good restaurants, fantastic chocolate shops, and the Mariage Frères! The other very important thing is that it was a block away from the metro for easy access, and there were many bus stops all around.
Louvre
I may stay there again on my next trip!
Marguerite
More posts by me
Marguerite Beaty, Blogger, Photographer & Artist
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