You're very welcome! It was fun to write. And yes, you're right ā there's the seasonal factor, too, when it comes to the Parisian colour palette and how the light affects it. Which means all the more reasons to go back often!
Absolutley! I love how the seasons dramatically shape the city. I come from Sydney, Australia, and in the city centre, apart from the temperature, the season doesn't change much about the city. That's what I love about Paris, that the whole city looks, smells, and sounds different as the seasons change.
Isn't it?! Think, say, of the cities built from more colourful local stone or painted in brighter shades (in southern France, Italy, for instance) and the more vibrant way their residents generally dress ... Although climate is probably a major factor.
Wow, I had no idea that the precursor to Haussmann's work was Henri VI's, and that Place des Vosges and Place Dauphine went all the way back to Henri's day.
I've noticed all these colour changes in my travels, but this piece has given me fresh eyes. I'll come back to this on my next trip to the gorgeous city š
There's a book I think you'd love: How Paris Became Paris by Joan DeJean. It covers this and so many other gems of historical information. (Actually, all of her amazing books do.) Also, Paris: An Architectural History by Anthony Sutcliffe is another great resource.
Hi Claude. That's a very good point! It's a very civilised law, that one, although I must admit I like a bit of grit and grime on an old building ā gives it more of the historic patina you expect in a city such as Paris.
As one old enough to remember Paris at a time when many buildings had not yet been cleaned, it was more than a patina -- instead of the cream-colored limestone that we see today, the buildings were a depressing, grimy dark gray. Although the grime was built up over the centuries from the burning of coal and wood, by the late 20th century the diesel in the air increased the grime, as well as giving the city a pervasive odor (that went with some other less-than-charming scents). The aspect was a City of Night, not today's City of Light.
Ha, yes. I guess there's a fine line between grime looking nostalgic/poetic/historic and just ... plain old dirty! I do, though, think something can be a bit too scrubbed, you know? Like it's all too sparkly and Disney.
What a charming walk through Paris. As a painter, the palette of Paris is quite distinctive. Iām eager to see it during all four seasons! Merci !
You're very welcome! It was fun to write. And yes, you're right ā there's the seasonal factor, too, when it comes to the Parisian colour palette and how the light affects it. Which means all the more reasons to go back often!
Absolutley! I love how the seasons dramatically shape the city. I come from Sydney, Australia, and in the city centre, apart from the temperature, the season doesn't change much about the city. That's what I love about Paris, that the whole city looks, smells, and sounds different as the seasons change.
Keen for that fashion post you alluded to. It's an intriguing idea: whether the fashion or the architecture comes first?
Isn't it?! Think, say, of the cities built from more colourful local stone or painted in brighter shades (in southern France, Italy, for instance) and the more vibrant way their residents generally dress ... Although climate is probably a major factor.
Wow, I had no idea that the precursor to Haussmann's work was Henri VI's, and that Place des Vosges and Place Dauphine went all the way back to Henri's day.
I've noticed all these colour changes in my travels, but this piece has given me fresh eyes. I'll come back to this on my next trip to the gorgeous city š
There's a book I think you'd love: How Paris Became Paris by Joan DeJean. It covers this and so many other gems of historical information. (Actually, all of her amazing books do.) Also, Paris: An Architectural History by Anthony Sutcliffe is another great resource.
I hope you can make it back soon!
Thanks for these suggestions, Katrina! I love reading about Paris, so super keen to get my hands on these :)
Unless I skimmed this piece too fast, in which case I apologize, you seem to have missed the very significant effect of the cleaning of the faƧades every ten years that originally was passed in 1852 but did not go into effect until more than century later when AndrƩ Malraux was minister of Culture under de Gaulle.
Hi Claude. That's a very good point! It's a very civilised law, that one, although I must admit I like a bit of grit and grime on an old building ā gives it more of the historic patina you expect in a city such as Paris.
As one old enough to remember Paris at a time when many buildings had not yet been cleaned, it was more than a patina -- instead of the cream-colored limestone that we see today, the buildings were a depressing, grimy dark gray. Although the grime was built up over the centuries from the burning of coal and wood, by the late 20th century the diesel in the air increased the grime, as well as giving the city a pervasive odor (that went with some other less-than-charming scents). The aspect was a City of Night, not today's City of Light.
Ha, yes. I guess there's a fine line between grime looking nostalgic/poetic/historic and just ... plain old dirty! I do, though, think something can be a bit too scrubbed, you know? Like it's all too sparkly and Disney.