Paris Rouge - Fun at the Colonnes de Buren

As soon as we get settled in our apartment, I get anxious to visit one of my favorite places, the Palais Royal. There is always so much to see and photograph. The Buren Columns are always full of kiddos playing and climbing, while adults take their photos!

La neige à Paris

For the four trips to Paris in January, only once, ONCE, was I lucky enough to experience a magical snowfall, January 2010.  That morning held another delightful surprise. For the first time since I had visited Paris, the construction walls had been taken down overnight to reveal the newly restored Colonnes de Buren!  I'm grateful for the wonderful memories of that morning walking through the Palais Royal with Mary. 

Scoot!

As many of you know, street photography in Paris, I really love. I hope to visit the Palais Royal many times in the next two weeks and find more families and cute kids!

Un Moment de calme

This sweet petite fille was so engrossed in her book, that she and her friend who was seated right behind her, were oblivious to all that was going on around them at the Palais Royal.

Le petit garçon et son caneton

Enjoying a walk through the Burn Columns at the Palais Royal

Regardez Papa!

What could be more fun than finding this trop mignon petit garçon posing on one of the Buren Columns at the Palais Royal. His parents were happy for me to take his picture, and I think he was pointing out to Papa, the crazy American lady taking his photo!

Colonnes de la pluie

I'm working on a new photo essay for Bonjour Paris. I chose one of my favorite places in Paris, the Palais Royal. I know the Buren's Les Deux Plateaux was and remains a controversial installation but for me as a photographer.... j'adore!

Un jour de pluie au Palais Royal

Mini Meeps, l'acrobate!

While posing on the Buren Columns at the Palais Royal, Meeps decided to show off her acrobatic skills!

Rayures

 

Buren's Les Deux Plateaux has, since its installation in 1986,  evoked the usual love/hate discussions in Paris.  I will admit that I have always loved them.  Maybe it's the fact that I had to view them behind walls during the multi million dollar restoration from my first visit in 2007 till the miraculous day in January 2010, when the walls came down overnight, and I finally had a shot at them, I don't know. They are graphic and offer me a zillion photo opportunities. J'adore!

La Neige - les colonnes de Buren

Here at home, we have had an unexpected snowfall with extremely cold temps.  It reminded me of the unexpected snowfall in Paris, January, 2010.  That was a  magical morning for me.  The Buren Columns had been enclosed for renovation for several years and magically that morning, the walls had come down and I saw them for the first time ......with snow.  Another Paris Moment I shall not forget.

Quoi ???

This adorable boy, who you have met before, stopped jumping from column to column and became fixated on something we could not see.  Now that I have time to study the photograph, I think he was looking through the metal grilles to the water below.  Perhaps he spotted the coins below, thrown by Parisian lovers?

La Famille

If I had to guess, I'd think this was a family visiting Paris. Dad was very focused on capturing his adorable family of four on the Buren columns. I didn't blame him a bit. In fact, I hung back and got a lot of shots myself. Their faces here show that they had grown a bit weary of the photo shoot. I can relate to that.

A la pêche aux euros

We happened upon Monsieur, dangling a line in the water below the Daniel Buren's Les Deux Plateau at the Palais Royal.  Pourqoui??  Peter has a few words with him, and he explained he was catching euros on a magnet.  He did not share how many he's captured.

Un bon livre au Palais Royal

The day I arrived in Paris last January, as Peter and I walked through the Palais Royal, we spotted these two adorable young girls seated on a Buren Column,  enjoying their books amidst the flurry of activity going on around them.  The weather was quite chilly but children of all ages ran and climbed among the columns with their parents happily chasing behind or pushing strollers, while others rode bikes or scooters amongst these very graphic and controversial pillars. Another reason I love Paris, readers everywhere!

I just received news last night that the Girl's Guide to Paris has chosen my blog as one of their best Paris blogs!  I'm am very honored and I hope you will check out their site right HERE!

Noir et Blanc

I've been designing my newest weekly planner calendars on Blurb this week.  I"ve already published my PTML color and now I'm almost finished with my black and white one.  I found this shot of Daniel Buren's Les Deux Plateaux at the Palais Royal.  Taken last January on a rainy day, quelle surprise, I still find them graphic and fun to photograph. You either love them or you hate them. I've grown quite attached.

This weekend I've joined Jame's Weekend Reflections......at last!!!

Walking In

I've already posted at least two photographs from this stroll through the Palais Royal, that rainy day last January. Fini? Bien sûr que non!!!  This chubby cheeked boy was just walking into my shot. I have more. I hope you won't mind.

Taking Care of Business

I can't imagine being so blasé about living in Paris that I would be talking on my cellphone while weaving between the colonnes de Buren  at the Palais Royal.  Unlike the yesterday's photo where I more or less composed the photo and then the father and son walked into the shot, this one was taken on the fly. You do what you have to do!

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Paris Rouge XL -Les Garçons Très Mignon!

Buren Columns, Palais Royal 

Translate that!

Colonnes de Buren - Open For Business

Many of you will remember when I was in Paris last week, I posted photos of the Buren columns in the snow.....without the bright red security wall around them. For as long as I've traveled to Paris, they have been "under wraps" during their controversial refurbishing. I've posted several shots that I captured by pushing my lens up against the plastic window. Not very satisfying. Well imagine my delight when the wall came down overnight, just in time for the snowfall on Saturday! To prevent accidents I suppose, the area was still cordoned off with yellow police tape.....until our very last night. ( I think the Parisian photography gods really do like me!) We cut through the Palais Royal on our way home and VOILÀ!!! It was almost dark, but there were a few kiddos already having some fun. This one's *not quite sharp, but I really love the silhouette!

My friend Peter has a nice post about the columns today as well. I slipped him the hot tip that they were open for business just before I left. Jump over to his blog and read about the history. I just love when he does all the work and I just sit back and link! :)

* I seem to be apologizing for "not quite sharp" photos a lot lately. I promise this is the last marginal photo I'll post. Merci for your patience and understanding!

Here's a great 360 view provided by my dear reader Maxime!

MERCI to my dear PJ , Pensacola Daily Photo, for featuring my Paris calendar on her blog here. I need all the free advertising I can get! All proceeds from the calendar (over there on the sidebar) will go to support my Paris addiction. I promise!!