Dear Subscribers,
There was a mix-up yesterday and I posted two blogs at once- 69 Bus Route & below it, Iris Apfel at Le Bon Marche. My apologies for the repeat today.
A few years ago I thought of an experiment where I would travel the different public bus routes of Paris and photograph what I saw. Time and other projects got in the way and I put the project on the back burner but a month ago I became re-inspired and decided to do it.
I started the experiment on a Saturday morning in late February, taking the 69 bus westward beginning at the Saint Paul stop on the rue de Rivoli across the street from my apartment and ending at Champ de Mars, in front of the Eiffel Tower. It was a typical February morning in Paris, overcast with the threat of rain, temperatures in the low 40s F. I took the first seat on the mostly empty bus as you enter on the left side, right in back of the driver. It was still early enough that the city was still quiet with not too many people out and not much car traffic.
The route is as follows: rue de Rivoli passing the shopping area by Chatelet, the Louvre, turning left into the courtyard of the Louvre going by the glass pyramid, crossing over the Seine on Pont du Carrousel, driving along the Quai Voltaire with its high end antique shops and the classic restaurant Voltaire, the d’Orsay museum and the Legion of Honor, up Blvd. Saint Germain, turning on to rue de Grenelle into the 7th arr. passing Invalides, ending at Champ des Mars with the Eiffel Tower within spitting distance.
Since the windows in the bus have a slight tint to them, the photos have a green hue to them. These are pure street photos with little editing or Photoshop. I was tempted to straighten the photos but wanted to retain the integrity of the experiment.
The return bus wasn’t for another 15 minutes so I dashed to a café for a café noisette. The eastern route went along rue Saint Dominique, up the boutique lined rue du Bac, over the Pont Royal, along the Quai Francois Mitterand and Quai du Louvre, passing the pet shops and flower shops on Quai de la Mégisserie, Hotel de Ville and then Saint Paul. I decided to stay on the bus till the end. We went by Place de la Bastille and the Opera House, up the narrow rue de la Roquette, Pere Lachaise cemetery, finishing on Place Gambetta where the 20th arrondissement Mairie is located.
I’ve never explored this part of the 20th arrondissement and decided to stroll around the neighborhood. I discovered an excellent food market, Marche Belgrand, located between Rue Belgrand, Rue de la Chine and Place Edith Piaf, and picked up some inexpensive produce and a mini veal roast.
I am not that familiar with the buses of Paris, as I mostly take the metro, so if anyone knows of some scenic or interesting bus routes I should take, please let me know in the comments section.
Place Baudoyer market, Marais
Hotel de Ville
Hotel de Ville
Louvre
Entrance to Louvre courtyard
Louvre
Quai Voltaire
Legion of Honor
Blvd. Saint Germain
Invalides
Champ de Mars
Esplanade des Invalides overlooking Pont Alexander and Grand Palais
rue du Bac
Pont Royal
Quai du Louvre
Quai de la Mégisserie
rue Francois Miron, Marais
Bastille Opera House
July Column Place de la Bastille
rue de la Roquette
Place Gambetta
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