I Prefer Paris

Metro Station of the Month: Chatelet- Line 4

The Chatelet metro station is my least favorite station and many of you who have used the Paris metro, probably will agree with me. It’s way too crowded, way too big (it’s the largest metro station in Paris with 5 different lines, 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14, plus three RER lines, A, and D), and way too confusing when you are switching trains.

I dread taking the 4 line the most. because the station has been under reconstruction for at least six years, and it’s dirty, overcrowded, and smelly and I always grumble about why it takes over six years to reconstruct a metro station. By now it’s taking more time to redo than Notre Dame, and the station is only 123 years old, not 800 years old like Notre Dame.

So, imagine my surprise last week when I walked down the shoddy stairway to line 4 and discovered the most enchanting and colorful murals on the walls. The stunning colors and patterns caught my eye, and I spent about 30 minutes admiring them up close and photographing them.

I discovered that the RATP (the Paris public transportation network) invited street artists Yann l'Outsider, Julien Colombier, Arnaud Liard, and Pastel to create the murals, working on them at night between October 13 and October 31.

 Experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens, and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Shopping Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, Emily in Paris tours, and Chocolate and pastry tours.

Tours start at 250 euros for up to 3 people, and 85 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you, my insiders, Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

 

Metro Station of the Month: Tuileries

The Tuileries metro station has gone green.

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted something in the Metro Station of the Month series.

I’ve stopped at the Tuileries station on the 1-line countless times over the last 18 years, and there wasn’t anything remarkable about it, just a typical metro system. The other day I got off at the Tuileries to meet my clients for a chocolate and pastry tour and was pleasantly surprised when the walls were decorated with a bevy of flowers, fruits, and plants. I couldn’t find any information about the changes at the station, but I will keep you posted.

CLICK HERE to view the  other Metro Stations of the Month.

Metro Station of the Month: Saint Germain des Pres

The last time I updated the Metro Station of the Month was in 2017. If you are new to Eye Prefer Paris, I started the Metro Station of the Month in 2007 and every month for a few years I would feature a unique metro station. Since the metro stations were finite, I pretty much stopped publishing the feature when I ran out of stations. Occasionally, a metro station will be revamped, and I will write about it. 

I was getting off at the Saint Germain des Pres metro station last week and noticed a new installation celebrating the artists, writers, and musicians who lived in Saint Germain, which was a hot bed for the creative arts community for most of the 20^th century. Some of the featured talents include Miles Davis, Juliette Greco, Jacques Prevert, Marguerite Duras, Francoise Sagan, Romain Gary, and Sonia Rykiel, whose photos adorn the walls with cool graphics spelling out Saint Germain des Pres. 

CLICK HERE to view the other Metro Stations of the Month.

Top photo-Miles Davis and Juliette Greco

Georges Hugnet

Romain Gary

Amelie Nothomb

Francoise Sagan

Marguerite Duras 

Sonia Rykiel

Jacques Prevert and Léopold Sédar Senghor

Boris Vian

Romain Gary 

 

Metro Station of the Month: Assemblee Nationale 3

I update this section every once in a while.

The Assemblee Nationale metro station on line 12 seems to go under renovation every few years. When I first wrote about the station in 2007, the walls of the metro platform resembled large-scale abstract paintings with architectural shapes.

The next version was in 2015 when they stripped away the abstract walls replacing them with photo collages representing The Assemble Nationale with large type phrases and words placed over them. (Click here to see).

Last week the walls were yet again changed. The current version of the stop again has photo collages interspersed with aluminum reflective panels. It was tricky getting photos as I wanted to avoid having a reflection me taking the photo. The theme is similar to the last rendition with large type spelling out keywords of the French Constitution such as order, republic, citizenship, society, values and of course, Liberte, Egalite and Fratenite.

The stop is in close proximity of the headquarters of The Assemblee Nationale, the lower house of the French Parliament, much like the House of Representatives in the U.S. It consists of 577 deputes/delegates.

Accidental self-portrait

I want to thank everyone for their suggestions and comments about the Book of the Month yesterday.

 Eye Prefer Paris Book of the Month, The Velvet Hours by Allyson Richman.

Click here to order

Eye Prefer Paris Photos

I am happy to announce a new series of Eye Prefer Paris photos. Give the gift of Paris to  yourself or your Francophile friends, relatives, colleagues and co-workers.

• I’ve listed 20 new photos on my Etsy page for easy shopping.
• Photo prints come in two sizes, 8”X10”, $35 each plus shipping and 11”X14”, $50 each, plus shipping.
• They are printed on Fuji crystal Archive metallic paper with rich satin gloss finish and are unsigned and unframed.
• Shipping is $6 per photo in continental U.S. and shipping time is 3-5 days via USPS.
• I can also ship them UPS or Fedex for an extra charge.
• If you are ordering photos as a gift, I can write a personal note card if you send me your text.

Click here to see full selection of images.  
https://www.etsy.com/shop/EyePreferParis?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Below are some sample images.

 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

Metro Station of the Month: Newly Renovated Louvre-Rivoli

It took almost three years for the redesign of the Louvre-Rivoli metro stop to be completed when it was unveiled last year. I was disappointed to find they had not replaced the vitrines of replicas of the treasures of the Louvre. Much to my relief the vitrines were recently restored in the past few months. It’s always been one of my favorite metro stations because I always felt like I was getting a mini visit to the Louvre while waiting for the train.

The collection includes a bust of Marie Antoinette and statues of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, Milon de Crotone, a Greek 6th century wrestler, the Virgin of the Annunciation, Appolon, God of the Arts, The Empress of Livia, the wife of Roman Emperor Augustus, Gudea, the Prince of Lagash in southern Mesopotamia, Socrates, Diana, Goddess of the Hunt in Roman mythology, Artemis- Diana of Gabii, the King of Babylon, Captive-The Dying Slave by Michelangelo, Goddess Nepthys, sister of Isis and Osiris, Osorkon, second King of Egypt's 22nd Dynasty, and Venus de Milo.

Louvre-Rivoli Metro
Line 1

Marie Antoinette

Milon de Crotone

Virgin of the Annunciation

Gudea, the Prince of Lagash

Osorkon

Socrates

Venus de Milo

Goddess Nepthys

Captive-The Dying Slave

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 3, 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $30 for a 3-month subscription plus shipping or

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 3-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Metro Station of the Month: Porte Dauphine

I retired my Metro Station of the Month feature a number of years ago as I ran out of noteworthy stations. However, every once in a while I find one of interest.

For years I read that the Porte Dauphine metro stop was one of the last three remaining original metro kiosks designed by Hector Guimard. The other two are Abbesses and Chatelet but Porte Dauphine is unique because it’s the only enclosed one. The stations are emblematic of classic Art Nouveau style, which Guimard was associated with inventing. The station was inaugurated on December 13, 1900 as the western terminus of Line 2.

Guimard designed 141 metro kiosks between 1900 and 1912. Unfortunately almost all the kiosks were demolished in 1921 and after WWII. Porte Dauphine Metro was classified as an historical monument in 1978.

After you exit the metro station, you can walk through the lovely Bois de Boulogne and stroll down the Ave. Foch, one of the most exclusive residential streets in Paris.

 Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

My offer of a 12-month subscription with an extra month free is good until October 31, so remember to order now before the offer ends.

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

 

Metro Station of the Month: Argentine

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a Metro Station of the Month.

I’ve passed the Argentine station on the # 1 line many times without ever getting out and was always curious about why the station had that name.

Last month I had to exit the stop for an errand I was running and took the time to explore.  The Argentine station was opened in 1900 and originally called Obligado, named after the Battle of Vuelta de Obligado, an Anglo-French victory over the Argentine Confederation in 1845. The name was changed to Argentine in 1948 when France wanted to honor Argentina because they were a big source of aid to France during WW II, when they shipped large quantities of beef and grain when France was struggling.  

The station was renovated in 2008 and now has eight panels in different colors with photos representing the culture, and landscape of Argentina. It was inaugurated in 2011 in the presence Pierre Mongin, CEO of RATP, the ambassador of Argentina, and the Minister of Tourism.

The stop exits on to Ave. de la Grande Armee in the 17th arr.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Abstract Metro Photos Series 4

Here is my latest series of my Abstract Metro photos.  All photos are taken with my I Phone 5 (dying to upgrade to a 6 but my contract isn’t up till December) while waiting for the metro.

If you would like to order a print of any in the series you can email me at [email protected] The size is 8" X10" and price is $40 each or two for $75, unsigned and unframed and can be shipped in the continental U.S. for $6.

Here are links to past Abstract metro photo series.
http://www.ipreferparis.net/2014/08/abstract-metro-photos-.html
http://www.ipreferparis.net/2014/09/abstract-metro-photos-2-.html
http://www.ipreferparis.net/2014/11/abstract-metro-photos-3.html

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

 Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Metro Station of the Month: Marcadet- Poissonniers

I hit pay dirt last week with my excavated metro station photos. Coming back from lunch near Montmartre, the metro stopped at Marcadet- Poissonniers on line 12. I noticed this metro station was being excavated the same way as the Louvre-Rivoli metro I photographed last year and hopped out immediately to do the same. I love the rich textures and blues, yellows, and greens. The stripped tile walls look like contemporary abstract paintings.

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

 

 

 

Metro Station of the Month: Assemblee Nationale 2

I photographed the Assemblee Nationale metro in 2007 but recently the station had a makeover and I thought I would post new photos.

The Assemblee Nationale is similar to the Congress in the U.S. On the platform are posters with bold graphics of some of the ideas and values the French Constitution conveys. A few panels contain copy about how the Assemblee Nationale was started after the revolution and its mission.

Assemblee Nationale Metro
Line 12

I just bought a new camera, a Sony Hybrid 6000. What do you think of the photos?

   New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour