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FeedA Week in Paris
Posted by Jeremy Paton on Monday, November 7, 2011
Under: Photo Post
Arrived in Paris on Sunday last week, which feels like ages ago already. We were only in Paris for 5 days and thus had a lot to get through each day.
Unfortunately I made some serious misjudgements concerning my camera equipment, including forgetting to find my 4GB memory card and thinking a 512MB would be sufficient. Thus I have no photos of the Euro Star.
Anyways, who cares about that. This my largest post so far and thus has taken ages to upload, edit and document.
After arriving at Gare du Nord, we decided to walk to our hotel as it was only about 15min away.
View Gare du Nord, Paris in a larger map
This turned out to be a fantastic idea as it gave us time to drop our bags off at the hotel and find some good pizzas. Which we sat and ate while watching the rest of our architecture group walk to the hotel about an hour after us.
We also had enough time to find a Metro station and get a pack of 10 Metro Cards for about €12. Would have actually have been a better deal to get a Navigo Pass as this would have covered the entire week for only €18, though some told me they had to pay €22.
Was surprised to learn that the Hotel we were staying in was three stars which turned out to be strange as personally I think it should have only been two, though the breakfasts were pretty good.
I shall now just let the photos do the talking ;)
At about three we met up with our architecture tutor for the trip and caught the Metro to Champs-Elysees, were we walked down towards the Musee du Louvre.
Bubbles^^
Was only around 5 and the light was fading fast.
If there was one thing this trip confirmed for me was my need for a new camera, something on the lines of an EVIL Camera also know as a compact system camera or maybe even a DSLR. Something that can handel night time photography better than my current Sony H3.
Which would you go with the Lumix-HF2 or the Nikon D3100, leave a comment or give me a tweet @JiPaton, esspecially if you think another camera would be better!
Ah, Paris at night...
Finally made it to the Musee du Louvre and it is already almost pitch black.
After heading through the Louvre we walked to the Centre Pompidou, which actually looks quite beautiful all light up.
The following day was one of our best days in terms of weather, cleat skys and warmer.
Today we were headed for the Palace of Versailles.
We needed to catch the RER to Versailles, which we caught at Saint-Michel Notre-Dame.
The train trip was about 40min.
At Versailles there where these gigantic iron archways, which were part of some art installation, which I unfortunately did not find any explanation of. But they did make for some great photography subjects.
Heading towards the gardens, which was one of the main reasons for coming to Versailles.
The Palace and the Kings Room in the center.
One of the largest gardens I have ever seen, it was designed to extend all the way into the horizon which it almost does and stretches on for about 5KM.
More of those mysterious arches.
From this view point the ponds appear to be circles however, in fact this is an illusion and they were designed in ellips forms so as to appear circular at this viewing angle.
They where also filming something today, not sure what it was though.
As its late Autumn the sun is setting early in Europe, which did give me the opportunity to take this lovely sunset shot as well as keep trying my hand at night photography.
Taking the RER back to Paris.
The following day was awful as it rained the entire day and everything was shut because it was a public/bank holiday. However, we did get into Notre-Dame.
After Notre-Dame we had the afternoon free and we decided to head up the Arc De Triomphe.
Now if we could only figure out how to cross the circle.
Turns out there is a tunnel which leads to the island where the arch is located.
Many steps to the top.
PARIS!
Avenue Des Champs Elysees, which goes on forever.
View of Paris's CBD.
Paris is full of these Boulevards, which stretch on for miles, in every direction.
This kid is actually rollerblading down the Palais de Chailot stairs, backwards!
Contemporary architecture in the middle of Paris which was a bit of a surprise and I actually really like the building, which is The Quai Branly Museum.
Another interesting building.
The Petit Palais ^^
After looking at the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais we headed back to Notre-Dame, where we visited the La Mémorial des Martyrs de La Déportation.
And then we headed up to the Pantheon, in the area I stayed in Paris last year.
The Pantheon^^
The Institut Du Monde Arabe ^^
As well as an interesting structure next to it.
Some more, poor quality, night time shots of the Bibliotheque National De France.
The following day we decided to go up the Eiffel Tower, which presented an opportunity for some fantastic shots of the city along with the Quai Branly Museum.
Its been a very long time since I saw a tram, I am certain this would solve public transport problems in South Africa.
Ah and that was the end of my cameras pathetic 512MB memory.
Unfortunately I made some serious misjudgements concerning my camera equipment, including forgetting to find my 4GB memory card and thinking a 512MB would be sufficient. Thus I have no photos of the Euro Star.
Anyways, who cares about that. This my largest post so far and thus has taken ages to upload, edit and document.
After arriving at Gare du Nord, we decided to walk to our hotel as it was only about 15min away.
View Gare du Nord, Paris in a larger map
This turned out to be a fantastic idea as it gave us time to drop our bags off at the hotel and find some good pizzas. Which we sat and ate while watching the rest of our architecture group walk to the hotel about an hour after us.
We also had enough time to find a Metro station and get a pack of 10 Metro Cards for about €12. Would have actually have been a better deal to get a Navigo Pass as this would have covered the entire week for only €18, though some told me they had to pay €22.
Was surprised to learn that the Hotel we were staying in was three stars which turned out to be strange as personally I think it should have only been two, though the breakfasts were pretty good.
I shall now just let the photos do the talking ;)
At about three we met up with our architecture tutor for the trip and caught the Metro to Champs-Elysees, were we walked down towards the Musee du Louvre.
Bubbles^^
Was only around 5 and the light was fading fast.
If there was one thing this trip confirmed for me was my need for a new camera, something on the lines of an EVIL Camera also know as a compact system camera or maybe even a DSLR. Something that can handel night time photography better than my current Sony H3.
Which would you go with the Lumix-HF2 or the Nikon D3100, leave a comment or give me a tweet @JiPaton, esspecially if you think another camera would be better!
Ah, Paris at night...
Finally made it to the Musee du Louvre and it is already almost pitch black.
After heading through the Louvre we walked to the Centre Pompidou, which actually looks quite beautiful all light up.
The following day was one of our best days in terms of weather, cleat skys and warmer.
Today we were headed for the Palace of Versailles.
We needed to catch the RER to Versailles, which we caught at Saint-Michel Notre-Dame.
The train trip was about 40min.
At Versailles there where these gigantic iron archways, which were part of some art installation, which I unfortunately did not find any explanation of. But they did make for some great photography subjects.
Heading towards the gardens, which was one of the main reasons for coming to Versailles.
The Palace and the Kings Room in the center.
One of the largest gardens I have ever seen, it was designed to extend all the way into the horizon which it almost does and stretches on for about 5KM.
More of those mysterious arches.
From this view point the ponds appear to be circles however, in fact this is an illusion and they were designed in ellips forms so as to appear circular at this viewing angle.
They where also filming something today, not sure what it was though.
As its late Autumn the sun is setting early in Europe, which did give me the opportunity to take this lovely sunset shot as well as keep trying my hand at night photography.
Taking the RER back to Paris.
The following day was awful as it rained the entire day and everything was shut because it was a public/bank holiday. However, we did get into Notre-Dame.
After Notre-Dame we had the afternoon free and we decided to head up the Arc De Triomphe.
Now if we could only figure out how to cross the circle.
Turns out there is a tunnel which leads to the island where the arch is located.
Many steps to the top.
PARIS!
Avenue Des Champs Elysees, which goes on forever.
View of Paris's CBD.
Paris is full of these Boulevards, which stretch on for miles, in every direction.
This kid is actually rollerblading down the Palais de Chailot stairs, backwards!
Contemporary architecture in the middle of Paris which was a bit of a surprise and I actually really like the building, which is The Quai Branly Museum.
Another interesting building.
The Petit Palais ^^
After looking at the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais we headed back to Notre-Dame, where we visited the La Mémorial des Martyrs de La Déportation.
And then we headed up to the Pantheon, in the area I stayed in Paris last year.
The Pantheon^^
The Institut Du Monde Arabe ^^
As well as an interesting structure next to it.
Some more, poor quality, night time shots of the Bibliotheque National De France.
The following day we decided to go up the Eiffel Tower, which presented an opportunity for some fantastic shots of the city along with the Quai Branly Museum.
Its been a very long time since I saw a tram, I am certain this would solve public transport problems in South Africa.
Ah and that was the end of my cameras pathetic 512MB memory.
In : Photo Post
Tags: "a week in" "paris" "eiffel tower" "university of kent" "architecture"
Welcome to Jesar|Arts, I am Jeremy Paton a freelance web-designer, photographer and student. This is my blog where I will post news about the site as well as a little bit about my day to day life.
