Z = Zénith de Paris, French Faves - A to Z Challenge

 Zenith * - the highest or culminating point 
 Oxford Dictionary

Le Zenith, Parisian Venue - Creative Commons*

Z = Zénith de Paris

Zénith de Paris is an indoor multi-purpose arena in Paris, France. It is located in the Parc de la Villette on the edge of the Canal de l'Ourcq. It seats up to 6293 people which makes it one of the largest venues in Paris. 

Le Zénith was built in 1983 to replace the Hippodrome de Pantin, a circus big-top which had become the main venue for touring rock bands visiting Paris. Designed by architects Philippe Chaix and Jean-Paul Morel, Le Zénith was built on the same location as the old circus tent.

As with the Eiffel Tower, this hall was intended to be used for a fixed term of three years after which it was to be dismantled and replaced by a new hall nearby.  However, instead its success gave birth to a chain of new halls throughout France. 

Well, if something works well, why not keep it? That kind of thinking helped save the Eiffel Tower from being dismantled after the initial exhibition / World's Fair.

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Have you ever heard the name Le Zénith in regard to concert venues in France? Is Zenith (in English) a word you have used very much? 

Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

***

The A to Z Blog Challenge is brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

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References:

Zénith
Definition: The point on the celestial sphere that is directly above the observer.

Wiki on Le Zénith
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z%C3%A9nith_de_Paris

Le Zenith de Paris

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

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Y = Yé-yé Music, French Faves, or Not - A to Z Blog Challenge

French Pop Music in the 1960s. . .

Amazon Image - limited edition Album

Y = Yé-yé
Yeah-Yeah

Yé-yé was a style of pop music that became popular in France, Italy and Spain in the early 1960s. The term Yé-yé was derived from the English term "yeah! yeah!" popularized by the British Beat music bands such as the Beatles. The style expanded worldwide for a time to a specific audience.


Yé-yé Gets Around

Yé-yé music remained a mostly European phenomenon featuring young female singers. Although the Yé-yé movement was led by female singers, it was not an exclusively female movement. Ages 16-17 was the average age for performers.

As for Yé-yé girls, Sylvie Vartan, a glamorous young singer, married the rock star, Johnny Hallyday in 1965. They toured in the USA and Asia, but several years later, she was still singing girly-girl songs. Hm-mm.

Early French artists dabbling in Rock n' Roll and similar genres such as Johnny Hallyday admit that they were creating an imitation of English language Rock n' Roll, and yé-yé music helped assimilate that music in a unique, French way. Johnny Hallyday was an icon in the French speaking world from the beginning in the early 60s, and has been called the French Elvis. . .

Yé-yé style songs were trendy for a while, then faded away as times moved on. Then, in 2012 in the USA, French-Canadian actress Jessica Paré performed a cover of "Zou Bisou Bisou" (a yé-yé song) in the tv series, Mad Men, a popular show in its fifth season at that time.

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NOTE: This is not a favourite style of music of mine, but it is a 'Y' subject with a few interesting details. I prefer my French music flavoured by Stephane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, or Edith Piaf. In fact, I only learned about this novelty music during research for the A to Z Challenge.


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Have you ever heard of Yé-yé music? Do you like girl groups or pop music in this style? Did you watch Mad Men in 2012 and do you remember hearing such a song?


Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

***

The A to Z Blog Challenge is brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

****

References

Yé-yé Music
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C3%A9-y%C3%A9

Johnny Hallyday
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Hallyday

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X = X - XVIII - Nine Louis' of France, French Faves, A to Z Challenge

The Last Line of Kings in France, the Louis'. . .

Louis XIV statue at Carnavalet Musee, by DG Hudson

X = X - XVIII
Louis X (10th) to Louis XVIII (18th)

In honour of the letter X, this post will focus on a specific group of rulers in French history from Louis 10th through Louis 18th, when the monarchy ended. 

From the benevolent and the cunning to the Sun King and the Restorer of French Liberty, these kings managed to rule for a long time. The third race of kings to rule in France, the Capetian dynasty, male-line descendants of Hugh Capet, ruled continuously from 987 to 1792 and again from 1814-1848.


Coat of Arms of the Monarchy

Arms of the King of France (Modern)

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Louis X, the Quarreller 1314-1316

Louis X allowed serfs to buy their freedom, which was the first step towards the abolition of serfdom, he abolished slavery, and readmitted French Jews into the kingdom.

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Louis XI, the Prudent, the Cunning, the Universal Spider 1461-1483

This Louis' taste for intrigue and his intense diplomatic activity earned him the nicknames the Cunning and the Universal Spider, as he was accused by his enemies of spinning webs of plots and conspiracies.

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Louis XII Father of the People 1498 - 1515

A popular king, Louis XII was proclaimed 'Father of the People'  in 1506 by the Estates-General of Tours, for his reduction of the tax known as taille (direct land tax), legal reforms, and civil peace in France.

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Louis XIII, the Just 1610-1643

Louis XIII, a suspicious sort, relied heavily on his chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, to govern the kingdom of France. King and cardinal are remembered for the establishment of the Académie francaise and for putting an end to the revolt of the French nobility. 

Louis worked to reverse the trend of French artists leaving for Italy to work and study.  He commissioned the painters Nicolas Poussin and Philippe de Champaigne to decorate the Louvre Palace.

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Louis XIV the Great, the Sun King 1643 - 1715

Statue of the Sun King, Louis XIV, Versailles, by DG Hudson

Louis XIV's reign of 72 years and 110 days is the longest of any monarch of a major European country in history. He wanted to eradicate feudalism which persisted in parts of France and by having the members of the nobility inhabit his lavish Palace of Versailles, he succeeded in pacifying the aristocracy. Unfortunately for him, all his intermediate heirs predeceased him. He was succeeded by his five year old great-grandson, Louis XV.


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Louis XV, the Beloved  1710 - 1774
(Louis le bien aimé)

Louis the Beloved was a monarch of the House of Bourbon who ruled as King of France from September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Most scholars believe Louis XV policies damaged the power of France, weakened the treasury, discredited the absolute monarchy and made it more vulnerable to distrust. The French Revolution broke out 15 years after his death.


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Louis XVI, the Restorer of French Liberty, 1754 - 1793

Louis, the Restorer, also known as Louis Capet, was King of the France from 1774 until his deposition in 1792, although his formal title after 1791 was King of the French. He was executed during the French Revolution. Louis succeeded his grandfather, Louis XV in 1774.

Painting of Louis XVI, WC*

From 1776, Louis XVI actively supported the North American colonists who were seeking independence from Great Britain. The ensuing debt and financial crisis contributed to the unpopularity of the Ancien Regime which culminated at the Estates-General of 1789. 

Discontent among the members of the middle and lower classes resulted in opposition to The French aristocracy and to the absolute monarchy. Louis and his queen, Marie Antoinette, were viewed as representatives. In 1789, the storming of the Bastille during riots in Paris marked the beginning of the French Revolution. 

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Louis XVII the Claimant  1785 - 1795

Son of Louis XVI, who was born in Versailles and died in Paris. He was known by several names: Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy, then as Louis-Charles, Dauphin of France,and finally as Louis-Charles, Prince Royal of France.  He was the second son and third child of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. He had a short life, following the demise of his father's rule.


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Louis XVIII the Desired 1755 - 1824

Grandson of Louis XV and younger brother of Louis XVI, Louis XVIII was a monarch of the House of Bourbon who ruled as King of France from 1814 to 1824 except for a period in 1815 known as the Hundred Days. He spent 23 years in exile from 1791 - 1814 during the French Revolution and the First French Empire. He also spent time in exile for the Hundred Days, when Napoleon returned from Elba. Louis XVIII was the last French monarch to die while reigning.

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Did you know there were so many Louis' in France history? Do you know who the Sun King Louis XIV was or Louis XVI, who ruled at the time at the time of the French Revolution? Were you aware that the French monarchy helped support the Colonies' War for Independence?

Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

***

The A to Z Blog Challenge is brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

***

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References:

List of French monarchs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_monarchs 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_X_of_France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XI_of_France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XII_of_France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XIII_of_France


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XIV_of_France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XV_of_France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XVI_of_France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XVII_of_France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XVIII_of_France

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W = Wrought Iron French Style, French Faves - A to Z Challenge

French wrought iron is one of the most decorative and finely made elements used for architectural interest.

French Wrought Iron and Cartier Store on left,  Paris, by DG Hudson

W = Wrought Iron

Ironwork can be any weapon, artwork, utensil or any architectural feature made of iron which is used for decoration. There are two main types: wrought iron and cast iron.

From medieval times, ironwork has flourished as decoration on doors, windows, balconies, and funereal monuments, and to offer security against robbers or raiders. Ironwork was used in Notre Dame de Paris, the Eiffel Tower, Canterbury and Winchester Cathedrals.

During the Baroque and Rococo periods of the 16th century, ironwork became ornate, elevating it from its more common uses and establishing it a desired architectural addition.

Eiffel Tower Wrought Iron at Dusk by DG Hudson

Wrought iron is quintessential Paris, but also appears in other cities in Canada (in Montreal) and the USA (in New Orleans). 

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Conformity and Cleanup

The street plans and distinctive appearance of buildings and wrought iron railings seen in the center of Paris today is largely the result of Georges-Eugène Haussmann's renovation of Paris, which was commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III between 1853 and 1870. 

Wrought Iron Railing on Window, Paris Apartment, by DG Hudson

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Architect and Designer of Wrought Iron

Hector Guimard (1867 - 1942), a French architect and designer, is now the best known representative of the Art Nouveau style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and its application to architecture and ironwork.

The building shown below is a work of French designer Hector Guimard, signed in stone.

Hector Guimard's building, WC*

The curious, inventive Guimard was also a precursor of industrial standardization, insofar as he wished to diffuse the new art on a large scale. His greatest success in France – in spite of some scandals – was his famous entrances to the Paris Metro.

The entrance of the Porte Dauphine metro station in the 16th arrondissement of Paris is shown below.

An Entrance to Paris' Metro, by Hector Guimard - WC*

Guimard's fear of war forced him into exile in 1938 and he died, his past accomplishments unheralded.  He is buried in New York City.

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Do you like the look of wrought iron embellishing buildings? Have you seen any cities with extensive wrought iron details on its architecture? Did you know the lower edge of the Eiffel Tower had such intricate styling?


Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

***

The A to Z Blog Challenge is brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

***
References:

Wiki on Ironwork

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironwork

Hector Guimard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_Guimard 

Haussmann's Renovation of Paris
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haussmann's_renovation_of_Paris

Image credits

Hector Guimard building

This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons.
I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so:
I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

Porte Dauphine metro station 

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. From Wikimedia Commons.

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V = Viaduct, The Millau, French Faves - A to Z Challenge 2015

In southern France, near Millau, there is a bridge called the Millau Viaduct, or the Millau Sky Bridge. 

Millau Viaduct, Millau, France - WC*-GNU License

Why is it called Sky Bridge? Why not? The viaduct seems to float so very high in the sky. The bridge is a time-saver and a view protector, designed to fit into the view, rather than obstruct it. The Millau Viaduct spans the valley of the River Tarn and provides a quicker way to cross the distance between Paris and Barcelona, Spain. It is the world's tallest and longest cable-stay designed bridge, amazing the world with its new inventions and techniques.  

Construction began in October 2001, and since then, the bridge has been consistently ranked as one of the great engineering achievements of all time. Sky Bridge was contracted to alleviate traffic problems during the holidays. This viaduct was inaugurated on December 14, 2004, and opened to traffic on December 16, 2004. The cost was 400 million Euros, approximately.

The huge piers, 340 metres high, surpasses the height of the Eiffel Tower and were positioned to millimetre accuracy using the same system that locates lost nuclear submarines. See diagram which follows. 

Comparing the highest Pier (P2) of the Millau Viaduct with the Eiffel Tower
CC* - Roulex_45

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In June 2010, Richard Hammond of Top Gear, featured this magnificent structure in his “Engineering Connections” BBC TV program

Youtube about the Millau Viaduct:
Scroll down the page to the Millau Sky Bridge video at the link below.

http://www.azsfrance.com/midipyrenees/the-awesome-millau-viaduct


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Have you heard of the Millau Viaduct or the Millau Sky Bridge? Would you like to see it? Do you like bridges? 

Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

***


The A to Z Blog Challenge is brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

****
References:

Wiki on Millau Viaduct
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_Viaduct 

Images:

Millau Viaduct

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled GNU Free Documentation License.

Comparison Diagram - Millau Viaduct and the Eiffel Tower

Height diagram comparing the highest Pier (P2) of the Millau Viaduct in France with the Eiffel Tower. Author: Roulex_45
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.

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U = Underground Paris and Urban Explorers, French Faves - A to Z Challenge

Deep beneath the city, in caverns and connecting tunnels, you may see the intrepid Cataphiles, urban underground explorers of a different Paris, one many of us will never see.

A partially flooded section of rue de la Voie Verte, CC* by Thomas Baselius in Jan 2006

U = Underground and Urban Explorers

Cataphiles tour the former 'mines of Paris', albeit illegally. These underground tunnels connect a network of unused caverns or former mines.  The Catacombs of Paris is only one subset of the whole system, which spans 170 miles (280 kilometers) in length.

Entrance to the Catacombs is restricted. The tunnel system is complex, and it's easy to get lost. Some tunnels have plaques indicating the name of the street above, but some do not. Some passages are low, narrow and at times, partially flooded. Aging telephone wires, pipes, and other detritus can make the trek dangerous. Cave-ins do happen, but they are rare. 

Paris monitors some of the caverns and the E.R.I.C. special police patrol the catacombs. A good guide is indispensible and even they occasionally refer to a map. Due to the possible dangers, accessing the catacombs without official escort has been illegal since November 1955. Those caught are fined 60 Euros, or $77. 

How do they get into these off limits mines? 
Secret entrances exist throughout Paris, and sometimes it is possible to enter the catacombs via the sewers, the metro and certain manholes. Some unofficial visitors hold keys to certain official entrances. On rare occasions, people use these access points for meetings with others, to hold exclusive parties or simply to explore.

The term Catacombs refers to a small part of the underground network where the remains of several million Parisians were transferred in the 1780s from the overflowing city cemeteries. That ossuary is open to the public and is visited by many tourists.

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Refer to DG's previous post:
Underground Crypt under Notre Dame and the Catacombs

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Would you go exploring underground in Paris, with a guide? Have you see the Catacombs of Paris, which is open to the public? Does the idea of being underground bother you?

Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

***

The A to Z Blog Challenge is the brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

***

References:

View of Rue de la Voie Verte, Underground, (today called rue du Père Corentin) at a partially flooded section
 Picture taken by Thomas Baselius in January 2006
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cataphile Cataphile

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/21/world/europe/for-paris-cataphiles-the-secret-is-out-on-their-cherished-underground.html?_r=0 NY Times article on cataphiles

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/02/paris-underground/shea-text Nat'l Geographic article on Paris Underground

 Paris Underground
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/30/133308592/parisunderground

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T = Tea and Tea Shops in Paris, French Faves - A to Z Challenge

A cup of Tea. . .join me for tea. . .how do you like your tea. . .tea for two. . .

TEA, even the word conjures the exotic, the fragrant, and the relaxing aromas of tea. How do I love thee? Well, let me see. . . there is Chinese tea, English Tea, French Tea, and Japanese Tea. We are discussing hot tea in this post, not iced tea,

Antique Bavarian Teacup, by DG Hudson

T = Tea and Tea Shops
A hot drink served in a porcelain or ceramic cup

The tea trade in France began to boom in the middle of the 17th Century. King Louis XIV, the Sun King, and the French East India Company searched distant lands for exotic goods, as did other countries. It was a time for exploration, a time to search for routes to the East. They wanted sources of tea, spices, silk and other goods.


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Following are a two well-known tea shops in Paris. The tea cups featured in this post are from my own collection.


Mariage Frères

30-32 rue du Bourg-Tibourg
75004 Paris
France, Marais, 4th Arr.

"Mariage Frères ** is a French gourmet tea company, based in Paris. It was founded on June 1, 1854 by brothers Henri and Edouard Mariage.

For over 130 years the company was managed by four generations of Mariage tea merchants who maintained a wholesale-only business from the Parisian warehouse.  The first tea emporium and tea salon, located on rue du Bourg-Tibourg, opened in the same building where Henri Mariage had his offices over 150 years ago.

Today, the company operates over 30 Mariage Frères points-of-sale within France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan.  There are four Mariage Frères tearooms in Paris."

(This) **Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License


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Real Old Willow and Chinese Motif Tea Cups, by DG Hudson

A Proper Cup of Tea. . .

My first cup of hot tea was from a Canadian friend, when I was new to Canada. She was born here. The next time, a couple of Scottish ladies I worked with told me exactly how to make the perfect cup of tea and what to have with it. I've had tea at the Empress in Victoria, BC, with crumpets and genteel white-haired British ladies dressed to the nines. 

I soon discovered that nearly everyone has their own way of having tea. Some like it steeped a little, some like it steeped a lot. There are delicate teas, smoky teas, fragrant teas, green teas and black teas. There are blends, and there are different ways to drink it - with cream or milk, plain, with lemon, and evaporated milk or condensed milk.  And now there are special varieties of tea at coffee/tea shops which don't even taste like tea (more like spice).

Porcelain Antique Teacup, by DG Hudson

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Angelina

Angelina, Tea Salon, WC

Founded in 1903 by Austrian confectioner, Antoine Rumpelmayer (1832-1914), Angelina has been a Parisian institution for more than a century. Located beneath the arcades of the busy rue de rivoli, across from the Tuileries gardens, this tearoom is most famous for its African Hot Chocolate, a thick, luscious concoction that has been compared to a melted chocolate bar.


Elegant service in a Belle Epoque decor, designed by architect Edouard-Jean Niermans, make Angelina a popular destination among tourists and locals.  Sundays are especially busy and there's often a line-up at the door.

Note: Marcel Proust and Coco Chanel were regulars here. 

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Do you like hot tea? Have you had tea in Paris or London? Can you get a hot tea where you live? Would you like a drink that tastes like a melted chocolate bar?

Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

***

The A to Z Blog Challenge is brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

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Mariage Freres

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariage_Fr%C3%A8res

http://www.mariagefreres.com/

Angelina
http://www.chocoparis.com/angelina/

A list of more Tea Rooms in Paris

http://www.chocoparis.com/paris-tea-rooms/

History of Tea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_tea

France's silent tea revolution

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26962095

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S = Seurat, Georges-Pierre - Artist, French Faves - A to Z Challenge

An Artist who was point-on in his painting of an era. . .

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte - WC*  by Georges-Pierre Seurat

S = Seurat, Georges-Pierre


Born December 2, 1859 - March 1891, George-Pierre Seurat was a French Post-Impressionist painter and a draftsman. He is known for his innovative use of drawing media and for devising the painting techniques known as Chromoluminarism and Pointillism.


His large scale work, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, was painted between 1884 - 1886. This painting altered the direction of modern art by initiating Neo-impressionism. It is one of the icons of late 19th Century painting.

Artist Georges Seurat (1859-1891) WC*PD

In 1878, he moved on the Ecole des Beaux-Arts but his formal artistic education came to an end in November 1879, when he left to serve a year of military service.  Seurat's first exhibited work, at the Salon of 1883, was a Conte' crayon drawing of Aman-Jean. 

Georges-Pierre also studied the works of Eugene Delacroix, and his use of colour. He departed from the Impressionist style by preparing for the work with a number of drawings and sketches, before starting on the canvas. Impressionists preferred to work 'in the moment' creating their paintings in the field all in one session, without sketches or previous studies of the subject.



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Cirque

English: The Circus

Georges Seurat,  Le Cirque, WC-PD *

Disillusioned, Seurat and some of the other artists he had met set up a new organization, the Societe des Artistes Independants. His ideas on pointillism influenced his fellow painters, Charles Angrand, Henri-Edmond Cross, Albert Dubois-Pillet and especially Paul Signac.

So, it seems there were Indies in art at the end of the 19th Century, just as there are in writing.

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Have you heard of Seurat? Do you like the pointillism style? 


Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

***

The A to Z Blog Challenge is brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

***

References and Image Credits:

Georges Seurat Wiki
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Georges_Seurat_019.jpg

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Portrait of Georges Seurat
This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

This applies to Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years

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A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte  by Georges-Pierre Seurat, Wikipedia Commons

This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art.
This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less.

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Cirque

This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less.The work of art depicted in this image and the reproduction thereof are in the public domain worldwide

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R=Rue de Rivoli, French Faves - A to Z Challenge

On this street . . .there is much to do and see: shops, bistros, historical places, and arcades. In one section, the tourist shops, in another the high end hotels. 

Rue de Rivoli street sign - CC

R = Rue de Rivoli

The Rue de Rivoli is one of the most famous streets of Paris. It was named for the Battle of Rivoli, one of Napoleon's early victories against the Austrian army in 1797. A Paris municipal building is shown below, in the Marais section of the street.

A Marais section of the rue de Rivoli, Creative Commons, PD

Beneath the rue de Rivoli, runs one of the main brick-vaulted oval sections of the sewers of Paris. Above the street, you will see 18th century houses which have survived and are still used as apartment residences, short-term rental apartments or boutique hotels. 


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Closeup of the Details on Louvre building by DG Hudson

North of the rue de Rivoli is the Opera Garnier, also called the Paris Opera. See the A to Z letter 'O' for Operas of Paris.

East along the rue de Rivoli in the gilded statue of  Joan of Arc, She sits astride her steed, never daunted, facing the oncoming traffic. In the image below the Louvre Museum is on the right, the Hotel Regina, with arcades at the street level, is behind the statue.

Joan of Arc, Place des Pyramides, Paris by DG Hudson

The new street that Napoleon Bonaparte pierced through the heart of Paris took for one side the north wing of the Louvre Palace (before it became the Louvre Museum) and included the Tuileries Gardens.

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Do you know the history behind the rue de Rivoli? Have you heard of this famous street, or the older part of it, the Marais?

Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, and if you are part of the A to Z Challenge. I'll be sure to check your blog, and reciprocate. If you're not in the challenge, thanks for stopping by to visit! I try to reply to all comments.

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The A to Z Blog Challenge is brainchild of Lee, at Tossing It Out.  Please visit the A to Z blog site to find out more information and the participant list.  There are also Twitter and Facebook presences if you want to check those!

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References:

Wiki - Rue de Rivoli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rue_de_Rivoli 

Rue de Rivoli -  DG's post A to Z Challenge 2012 

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Image Credit: Rue de Rivoli, in the Marais - Paris

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.
This licensing tag was added to this file as part of the GFDL licensing update. I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

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Image Credit: Rue de Rivoli street sign

Author: Edal Anton Lefterov
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

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