Bonjour Beautiful Paris

As tourists these are the amazing sites we see, the beautiful and inspiring part of the city. I do love the tones of the sunbleached faded shades of the buildings, above just outside my hotel window. Then below, the totally breathtaking Louvre Museum, originally built as a fortress and then in 1364 Raymond du Temple, Architect to Charles V, began to transform the fortress into a splendid royal residence.

I love this shot of the main Louvre Pyramid, built in 1989, such a landmark of Paris. The clouds overhead above and below remind me of Gothic Paris from many years ago, below the guardians of Gothic architecture the Gargoyles show us the mysterious and exotic side of Paris.

Below - The Ferris Wheel in the Jardin des Tuileries, on the Louvre side, apparently it looks good at night??

Below, the Metro entrance at the Palace Royal, at Place Colette, so stunning - it took me a while to work out it was a Metro! Right next to the Metro I listened to classical music being played - an Orchestra on the street, how lovely.

Then there is the realisation you have walked for an hour to come back to where you have started from, oh well in such a beautiful city who doesn't want to walk! ....Just when I was needing inspiration, I found Astier de la Villatte, so lovely I felt like I could move straight in. A small store of 3 rooms which used to be an artists supply store, the cupboards holding the brushes and paints - the current owner has renovated it, but saying that it is still very original with the peeling walls, but not the new mean't to be peeling look we are seeing, these are actually peeling! Shiney antique wallpaper and chandiliers which blended in so well they looked like they had been there for years. I just love how they left it, cleaning away none of the history. The little private stairway's where so original I had a flash back to Jonnie Deep in Sweeney Todd, I could imagine the beautiful Helena Bonham Carter sitting in the corner!

Then on to Galleries Lafayette, the ladies store that was built in 1912 has to be the most beautiful department store in the world! I ran out of batteries so you will have to believe me! The grandeur of the Art Nouveau store is 10 stories high with the most amazing glass dome shining down through each floor. Above is Le Bon Marche, which means "the good market" or the "good deal" founded in 1838 in a small store and this store was originally constructed in 1867, it maybe not as beautiful as Galleries Lafayette, but oh so chic!

Taking about chic - I am loving the Fiat Abarth 500 series, very hip! Abit more Italian than French but looked right at home on the streets of St Germain! Below is the foyer of my favorite boutique hotel in Paris the Hotel du Petit Moulin in the Haut-Marais. Each time you stay you will more than likely get a different room, each designed by Christian Lacroix and sitting behind the facade of the oldest bakery in Paris which dates back to the 1900 century. People in the neighbourhood say that Victor Hugo came here to get bread! Missing my beautiful room in already!