Paris 2019

21/5/2024

Paris 2019 is the story of my return to Paris for the third time, a somewhat singular return that lasted only one day. In fact, I made this visit together with my travel partner during my stay in Brussels in May 2019. As I wrote in other posts about Belgium, I took advantage of the location of the Belgian capital to visit many other places nearby. Paris actually wasn't, however there were fast trains connecting Brussels to both Amsterdam and Paris. On my advice, I invited my partner to visit this last city, not only because it was more beautiful but also more prestigious and with more things to see. Visiting Paris in one day, or at least the main places, was not a simple thing but since I loved this city so much, I set out with dedication and managed to draw up such an intelligent itinerary that in the end I said to myself "bravo". The Brussels-Paris journey aboard the Thalys train lasted an hour and a half, an insignificant amount of time considering the distance. We left Brussels at 6:20 in the morning and at 8:00 we were already in a cafe opposite the "Gare du Norde" having breakfast.

Sacré Coeur - Montmartre - Moulin Rouge

The first useful metro to start our tour was “Le Chapelle” and was located a few blocks from Gare Du Norde. After having breakfast we walked towards the stop where we arrived after about ten minutes. The subway was elevated and made of steel and brick. Right inside the entrance there was a small ticket office where I bought two day passes sold to me by a pretty but bored girl. The station was very busy and I must say that the design of the metro combined with the comings and goings of the people reminded me a little of the atmosphere of "Les Portes de la Nuit", a color version and a little less elegant. Our first destination was just two stops away where we arrived within minutes enjoying the city views from our elevated position. The stop was “Anvers”, where just two blocks away was what is probably the most enchanting place in Paris; the “Sacré Coeur” church. If I had been romantic and in the company of the woman of my life, I would have chosen to visit that place last but in the case of my travel partner, the visit with her was purely exploratory. In this case the most beautiful place had to be seen first, so starting from the "Sacré Coeur" was also strategic from a practical point of view.
Arriving in the "Square Louise Michel", right at the foot of the grandiose monument, I had a moment of nostalgia and memories dating back to my visit in 2009. In particular, the Carrousel on the left side made me think of the laughter I had with my sister and her friends when they took a ride on the carousel. They were moments but I immediately came back to reality and began to enjoy that place in a new way. The day was gray however the "Sacré Coeur" area was very quiet at that time and not as crowded as usual during rush hours. This gave us the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the church and take photos in peace as we went up the large staircase. We reached the top after about fifteen minutes, and looking down, we could already see the first groups arriving and scattering along the lower part of the staircase. The singularity of the "Sacré Coeur" is given by its position, more than anything else the point between the church and the panorama. In fact, what is striking is the double vision that one has while being in that particular street. On one side the imposing church with its impressive architecture, in front of it, the unique panorama of Paris. Even though it was a cloudy and misty day, the view of the city from the "Sacré Coeur" was still suggestive, perhaps even more original. In fact, at that time, the details of Paris such as the monuments and the atmosphere had to be looked for because they were not clear. I have always been there with this type of weather and honestly I cannot imagine the view from the "Sacré Coeur" with clear and perfect weather where the monuments stand out clearly on the horizon. Perhaps this is also what makes that view unique, but not only this. Paris has many panoramic points, but the view from the "Sacré Coeur" has something unique, from there there is the impression of being able to embrace the whole city with a single glance, it's like a treasure hunt, with a little with patience you can see all the details of the city, it has always given me this impression. This thing has always and only happened to me there, despite the fact that I have seen many cities from many panoramic points, even from very high towers.
Unfortunately we did not visit the church inside due to time constraints and then we walked towards the famous Montmartre district. This place is very popular for the thousands of tourists who visit it but originally it was popular because it was the artists' district. By artists we talk about Van Gogh, Picasso, Tolulose-Lautrec, painters and even writers who gathered in Montmartre because at the time it was a cheap place and you could have fun without having money. The neighborhood today is beautiful, both for its urban planning made up of narrow streets paved with cobblestones, and for the countless restaurants and shops. Today everything is more luxurious however there are street artists who sell portraits and works more or less created by them. Clearly, while the neighborhood has the poetic charm of the past, capitalism has transformed it into a terrible place to make money and bring tourists. To experience Montmartre well you need to think about the artists of the time, immerse yourself in that time with them and imagine them when they gathered and exchanged and developed ideas while drinking. That visual game that Woody Allen tried to create in the film “Midnight in Paris”.
We slowly moved away from the area to walk to the Pigalle neighborhood and go to see the Moulin Rouge. However, in the upper part of Montmartre there was another mill called “Moulin de la Galette”, I had seen it during my holiday in 2009 and I wanted to go back there. The mill was now converted into a restaurant but I remembered it with a certain nostalgia, because I didn't know it then and I remember that it suddenly appeared to me at a crossroads. Together with my partner, crossing the various possible crossroads, I started looking for the mill, only that after changing several streets, going back and taking others, I was unable to find the "Moulin de la Galette". The time available to us was short and I had to reluctantly give up. Subsequently we took one of the stairs and went down towards "Pigalle", in a corner we came across a mural depicting Karl Lagerfeld dressed as a woman and for fun, I had a photo taken imitating the feminine posture with which he had been represented.
Once we arrived at the Boulevard de Clichy we walked towards the "Moulin Rouge" where we arrived in a short time. This visit was of a popular nature, the "Moulin Rouge" was very famous and iconic but it never drove me crazy. Probably in its time it was an avant-garde, transgressive and professional place, I have never read anything captivating set there so this has always led me to consider it only an inflated aesthetic work. Both in 2009 and in the visit I am describing, passing by the "Mouiln Rouge" was like a duty, a question of respect which however never created particular inspiration or enthusiasm in me. The Cabaret was always the same, with that red that contrasted with the rest of the light-colored Parisian buildings. I always saw the “Moulin Rouge” as a building with a strange, flat architecture and the fact that the sign was distance from the mill, it has always given me the impression of a disjointed, almost modular structure. In other words, if it had been white, I don't think anyone would have noticed it among those buildings. However, that day, to ruin the hypothetical beauties of the "Moulin Rouge", there were two vans and a tractor parked in front of the building, they were probably vehicles transporting stage equipment for the cabaret. In my post on "Brussels" I already said that I don't like vans and I repeat it here, above all I don't like their design which is also based on shared platforms. These commercial and strategic vehicles for the movement of small goods require a design that harmonizes with the urban environment, they are already of considerable size, if to this we add the rectangular and anonymous shape, it is like a series of rectangles that from time to time they obstruct the beauty of the buildings. The white vans were another reason to leave the area after taking photos, even my partner agreed because she didn't find anything special there and ten minutes of taking photos were more than enough.

The Carrousel

Sacré Coeur

View from Sacré Coeur

Montmartre

Arc de Triomphe - Trocadéro - Tour Eiffel

From the "Blanche" metro stop located in front of the "Moulin Rouge", we headed to the "Ternes" metro station, got off there and headed on foot to the Arc de Triomphe. This was a dedicated visit, as we only stopped to see the famous arch and then continue south-west. Arriving on foot from the north, the view of the Arc de Triomphe was also enhanced by the Eiffel Tower which could be seen like a mirage against the opaque background. The sight of this gigantic arch always makes a certain impression and that day was no different. Structures like this are common from a design point of view, you can see them of various sizes and built of various materials scattered almost everywhere in large cities in various parts of the world. Personally, the nature of these works leaves me a little perplexed, both due to their complexity and size. I believe that these structures had some practical function and were not just ornamental. There are people who elaborate theories according to which these arcs could have been enormous magnets, capable of accumulating or generating energy to the point of even being portals. It is no coincidence that these structures are almost always placed in strategic positions right in the center of large road arteries (or tunnels). As with the Colosseum in Rome, the Arc de Triomphe shares a fundamental artery that runs all around the structure and is continuously crossed by cars as if the work were an ordinary roundabout. One suspects that the cars, with their vibrations, create some energy which is then accumulated in the structure; who knows how much reality there may be in this provocation of mine. The fact is that in my opinion it is still inconceivable that such structures would be surrounded by practically constantly moving cars! Furthermore, this diverts attention from the work itself. That day in front of the arch of triumph, my mission was to be able to photograph the arch without the passage of the horrible cars, I must say that I succeeded several times and in a certain sense I was satisfied. But if some real artist had wanted to draw or study all the works in relief that are on the facades or assimilate the work in another way, how could he do it with that noise, with that stench of exhaust fumes and confusion created by cars? Even in this case, I believe that it is not a coincidence but something desired with malicious intentions that go beyond the need to make cars go around the arch as the only traffic solution. We are surrounded by beauty, yet the establishment does everything to try to direct our attention to futile things or in any case creates modern noises and vibrations that distract from beauty or even prevent us from perceiving it. We stayed around the arch of triumph for about 20 minutes, in which we spent more time crossing the various streets to find the corner with the best view than taking photos. Clearly there was no time to visit it or go up, however even if I managed to get some photos as I wanted, I always had a certain frustration in the fact of not being able to enjoy the work in a different, more natural way and without artificial disturbances.
After the visit we walked towards the "Kléber" metro stop which was in the opposite direction to the one we had arrived in. We took another metro line and after two stops, just before 11 AM, we got off at the “Trocadéro” station, a place I had never visited in my previous times in Paris. Despite this, as soon as I set foot in "Palais de Chaillot", I had the impression of having returned to an already existing place. This square with perfect geometries with the two symmetrical buildings on the sides and the view of Paris with the Eiffel Tower perfectly in the centre, was a dream image of mine that I always had inside me. It's not specifically Paris, but that type of symmetry that materialized perfectly at the Trocadéro. The place was an explosion of marble, a coating present on all the surfaces of the Trocadéro. I saw a bit of the lines and situations of a painting by De Chirico with the difference that in the paintings the places are devoid of people. At the Trocadéro, however, there were a lot of people but they were keen to perceive the size and depth of the place so they were not a disturbing element, not even from a photographic point of view. The square was not much higher than the city itself but high enough to offer a spectacular and deep view. The Eiffel Tower always remained the main element of the scene. Looking beyond, as well as at the "Sacré Coeur", other monuments of Paris could be identified. The plan was to get to the Eiffel Tower through the square and down the steps and it was something we did in parallel with the photos. The descent to the “Jardins du Trocadéro” lasted about ten minutes during which we took photos with the tower in the background, practically from all possible perspectives.
The photographic homage paid to the "Eiffel Tower" practically never stopped and even under the tower I took photos as had already happened, in all possible angles. However, in 2019 there was a surprise at the base of the tower, one of those of an aesthetic nature that only today's architects could invent. The “Eiffel Tower” was surrounded and closed in a plexiglas enclosure, with barriers about three meters high joined by long, narrow aluminum supports. Basically, access to the tower was protected and the horrible barrier was fixed at least three meters away from the four bases. I don't think it was a definitive installation but it was probably a construction site solution given the containers that could be seen inside the area and under the tower. Whatever the reason, I didn't like that protection at all, it gave me an unnatural “condom” sensation. However, walking all around the area, I still managed to take some nice photos and stay away from that ugliness. We hadn't planned to go to the top of the tower and the long queues to enter didn't change our minds. Not that I wouldn't have liked it but time was short and to this day I only went up to the first floor of the "Tour Eiffel" the first time I was there in 1989. On the other hand, we spent the time walking and taking photos in the “Jardins de la Tour Eiffel” and then lying down in the immense lawn of the “Champ de Mars”.
It was past noon and I wanted to stop in that area for lunch, however before going, we had time to visit something I had never seen before and it was very close; the “Bir Hakeim” bridge. This metro bridge that passes over the Seine was famous for the unique perspective it enjoys when standing underneath it. Built entirely of iron, it also rested on arched sections built of stone. He was much photographed in recent times after appearing in the film "Inception" and subsequently social networks had spread his popularity. I took several photos with a perspective that gave the impression of infinity both in the iron-only section and in the one with the arches, it was my desire to immortalize my version of the bridge. Afterwards we stopped for lunch on “Avenide de Suffren” and while I don't remember what I got to eat I remember what the waiter told me when I paid the bill using the phone. It was 2019 and this practice was almost unknown, after the waiter asked the manager if I could pay by phone, he smiled at me and told me in his English; “my man, you are in the future”.

Arc de Triomphe

Trocadéro

Champ de Mars

Bir Hakeim Bridge

Uder Bir Hakeim

Pont Alexandre III - Champs Élysées - Place de la Concorde

After lunch we took metro C at “Champs de Mars” and we stopped at the “Invalides” station. It was 2 PM and the metro dropped us off right outside “Port Alexandre III” which was the first place to see after lunch according to my schedule. This monumental bridge, already used as a location by famous photographers, had been made even more popular by models and subsequently ordinary people looking for artistic photos. What ordinary mortals don't understand is that any place that is advertised online, perhaps with the help of a tag, stops being exclusive but becomes popular and automatically inflated. If a famous photographer has chosen a certain place it is because as an artist he first analyzed it and captured the beauty in the smallest details, the common person notices nothing except copying the pose he saw on his social network and copying it in a horrendous way. Having said that, I personally don't recognize myself among the plebs who copy each other and in front of the bridge I began to admire and photograph the structure. The peculiarity of the "Pont Alexandre III" was more in the decorations than in the structure itself as perhaps happens with modern bridges. There the particularity was given by various elements such as the four towers each composed of four columns with Corinthian capitals and surmounted by four golden statues (one for each tower) at the top, plus other statues at the base and other works in relief. Every single tower was already a monument in itself and they can be appreciated perfectly because they were at the four corners of the bridge. The other peculiarity was the iron street lamps, with decorations at the base and also at the top. Then looking at the span of the bridge you could appreciate many other decorations including faces and a statue placed in the center in the highest part of the arch. The large stone statues of lions that were placed at the entrance to the four corners were also very beautiful.
Once over the bridge there was another important building whose name itself rises to magnificence, the "Grand Palais". This palace was imposing and beautiful and it is best to look at it from the opposite side of the street to appreciate it better. With a more neoclassical façade composed of columns, it was characterized by a steel and glass roof which actually illuminated the entire exhibition area with natural light. In recent years in this building, Karl Largerfeld has created beautiful sets for the Chanel fashion shows. Being a place that hosted events, even when we passed by, the place was cordoned off and there was a constant coming and going of black cars arriving and picking up very elegant people. In front of them there was the "Petite Palais" perhaps even more beautiful although smaller. In fact, its entrance was composed of a very high arch and a design that developed in depth like that of some cathedrals. It was placed high up and accessed by a staircase, an Art Noveau style gate completed the beauty of this central part which in my opinion captured more attention than the "Grand Palais".
The next destination was the "Champs Élysées", the famous street in Paris also known for hosting the major fashion design shops. We walked along it to the Louis Vuitton store, where two red Ferraris parked outside added the sense of luxury. My mind went back to 2009 when I did a shopping in that store that was beyond my means. I bought a pair of shoes and a belt where I essentially paid for the brand but not the for quality. I had to have the shoes repaired by a shoemaker a few years later as if they were fake reproduction shoes.
From there we took the metro and stopped at “Place de la Concorde”, a place I wanted to visit again. Characterized by the large Luxor obelisk and the two fountains, for me the place has both a photographic value and pleasant memories dating back to 2009. I'm not here to elaborate what meaning or use this and other obelisks scattered around some cities around the world may have, but in my case I just wanted to appreciate this from a photographic point of view, as well as the fountains around it. I had taken some nice photos in 2009 and wanted to try to reproduce them even better. In general at “Place de la Concorde” it was a pleasant moment where together with my partner we took photos of each other from the perspective of the “Fontaine des Fleues”, subsequently we moved to a street that had a symbolic value but only for me which in a certain sense I also made my partner appreciate.

Port Alexandre III

Grand Palais

Petite Palais

Champs Elysées

Place de la Concorde

Rivoli - Jardin des Tuileries- Louvre

Rue de Rivoli was the final “protagonist” of New Year's Eve 2010, a tragicomic night in which the most grotesque things possible happened on that street. In fact during that New Year's Eve of my previous visit to Paris, around 2 AM we wanted to go back to the hotel, however it was impossible to find a taxi. This was a problem for the multitude of people who were out and about that night, together with my group of friends, we witnessed some unpleasant scenes of couples arguing over this reason. The night was very cold and one of my friends, in Rue de Rivoli, had started calling all the possible taxis until he got into one and indicated with his hand that we should follow him. We were happy but personally I was a little suspicious and in fact when I arrived there with the others I saw my friend who had gotten out of the car again arguing with the taxi driver. Basically speaking two different languages, they didn't understand each other and the taxi wasn't actually available. However, the scene of two people arguing in different languages that night on Rue de Rivoli has always remained in the memory of everyone in that group. Having returned to Paris in 2019, I therefore also had to return to Rue de Rivoli and pay homage to that night. This street is also beautiful in itself because on one side it is marked by the border with the "Jardin des Tuileries" where a pleasant sidewalk runs parallel to the gardens which are protected by a high railing. On the other side the sidewalk is covered by porticoes along a row of three or four blocks. It was a beautiful and elegant street and during the return to Paris, I explained the events of New Year's Eve 2010 to my partner and subsequently I paid homage to the street by sitting at a bar where my partner and I drank and relaxed for half an hour.
After the break we immersed ourselves in the “Jardin des Tuileries”, a very beautiful place with dirt roads and impeccably maintained green lawns. During my trip in 2009 I neglected these gardens which I re-evaluated in 2019. The place was beautiful both to photograph and to use as a location to be photographed. The various chairs were scattered a bit so they were used by people both for this purpose and for their original function. Walking through the gardens we ended up in a part where there were a series of high hedges and it was singular how from a place full of people we had moved to another which managed to create incredible privacy and intimacy. So we only used the hedges as a location, but I regretted not having used them for some other purpose of a more transgressive nature, assuming that my partner had agreed.
We walked for about half an hour in the park until we arrived at the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, another arch that is very small in size compared to the more famous one but equally beautiful. I remember that in 2009 this was a structure that I didn't know and that had struck me a lot, another example of beauty that is "hidden" in plain sight. In fact, this work suffers from competition from the more famous Louvre where it appears. The Louvre in turn suffers from the more recent competition of the steel and glass pyramid, a structure which in a certain sense opened my mind but in a different way. In fact, immediately after the arch and beyond "Place du Carrousel" the view opens onto the immense Louvre palace which in that part has a U shape. However, after the glass pyramid was built, it takes center stage above all as different construction element. Not only is the design different and covers the view of the building but the materials used are the poor ones of today; steel and glass. Even those who are not familiar with architecture immediately have a feeling of "different" when looking at the pyramid, but it doesn't rationalize the scene. I once liked these more modern structures because they contrasted with the classic ones which I saw as more monotonous. The real problem was that I didn't have to study the most ancient structures in depth and I had to understand their singularity on my own without anyone explaining to me. In the end it was a question of sensations, like when I look at a beautiful girl and don't know why I like her. It was like this for the ancient works and at the same time I perceived the ugliness of the modern ones.
Throned in front of the Louvre in 2019 I had a further flash that that pyramid had been installed on purpose to distract people from true beauty. Sometimes the details are important and when, in the large square, someone had the idea of also installing platforms for photographic purposes, I understood that nothing is left to chance. The scene that arose in front of the Louvre then, as I believe even today, was of dozens of people queuing to climb onto the various platforms spread in parallel in front of the pyramid. The photo was not just any photo but a "challenge", managing to play with perspective to ensure that those on the platform give the impression of holding the pyramid from the top. There are different things like this in the world but that day when I arrived at the Louvre and saw that miserable sight of people with their arms raised, I thought that there couldn't be anything more stupid. In other words, people arrive at the Louvre, wait their turn to get on the platform, then waste ten minutes until they manage to take the perspective photo and then get in line to enter the museum. In all this they ignores and pays no attention to the majestic structure of the Louvre itself. Only with some details of statues or columns could fine art photos be obtained and even if there are few real photographers, ordinary people could still focus on those details rather than take the same shot that they all have to post on a social network! Well, I don't believe that all of this is causal, I believe that in unsuspecting times it was all designed to arrive at this; place a different element to distract people, who mistake ugliness for originality, not seeing beauty but copying each other in a vortex of polarization. Personally, as far as I could I tried to photograph "also" the Louvre palace but I must say that the pyramid is positioned in such a way as to be annoying. Furthermore, having only a wide angle and not being able to make close up on the statues or other details of the building. Without a doubt, when I’ll return to the Louvre, I will start photographing starting from the details of the building, completely leaving out the pyramid which I really hope not to see again, perhaps due to structural damage of a natural nature (or if it exists, even divine).

Rue de Rivoli

Jardin des Tuileries

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

Louvre

Pompidou- Notre Dame- Panthéon

From the Louvre we took the metro and after two stops we got off at “Hôtel de Ville”. From there we headed to the “Centre Pompidou” where we arrived at around 4.30pm. I have always been attracted to this structure since I first saw it in a middle school textbook. What struck me about the work above all was the facade with the tunnel-shaped external staircase and the design as if it were a permanently mounted scaffolding. The other facade, which I only discovered in 2009, was characterized by wide and tall pipes of different colors which gave the impression that the building was a bizarre factory. It was a structure totally out of context but I have always seen it as a work of modern art, as a singularity that in the end does no harm. Like in a video game from the eighties when by passing a level you move on to a totally different scenario and then another. Visiting the "Centre Pompidou" even if only from the outside always stimulates me and it was like this also in 2019, unfortunately I have never visited it inside and I don't know if it will be a positive thing or a disappointment, perhaps also for this reason I leave this thing for the future.
After leaving the “Centre Pompidou”, we set off on foot to reach the “Notre-Dame de Paris” cathedral. We first passed in front of the beautiful "Hôtel de Ville" building and then crossing the "Pont d'Arcole" we walked along the street until we reached the intersection with "Rue du Cloitre Notre Dame". Unfortunately, a month earlier the cathedral had been the victim of a strange fire that was almost destroying it, so I was very sad because in reality during the new visit I also wanted to go up to the roof of Notre-Dame. I knew it wouldn't be possible to get close to the cathedral but what I saw left me further perplexed. The Cathedral was not simply closed, but all three access roads on the side were cordoned off with police garrisons. The square in front and also the "Double" bridge were blocked and there was no way to get closer to the cathedral. One might think that it was a safety issue due to a potential collapse that the "experts" hypothesized. However, following my instincts and my sensations, when I arrived at the intersection mentioned above and saw that type of control, it gave me a different sensation. The fire that affected the cathedral was anomalous and created a dramatic spectacle. There are people who study cathedrals hypothesizing that they were power stations from the past. If this is the truth, a person can become suspicious because it is well known that fires develop by chance and always for the same reason they destroy important things, things that can be indirect evidence of something that we cannot imagine. When I saw the police controlling access to the cathedral, I had the impression of someone who was controlling someone who was doing a dirty job and not someone who was watching over the safety of citizens and tourists. There is a big difference in being careful whether someone enters a place that is off limits for their safety or whether they enter to spy or steal secret information.
From the northern corner, the roofless and spire-less cathedral looked like a skyscraper from the past, a double tower building but built of stone and not steel and glass. It had a strange effect on me as if it were an unfinished building, demonstrating the aesthetic perfection with which works like this were conceived. However, I was happy to see the main facade which was not particularly damaged or darkened by fire ash. We remained in the closest visible part for a short time and then with a wide turn we crossed the westernmost bridge to change perspective and see Notre Dame from other angles. It was difficult to get a complete view of the main facade, however near the "Double" bridge we managed to get an interesting glimpse where the absence of the roof was not even noticeable. The large trees on the banks of the Seine did not help to have a total view but they were very choreographic. We continued walking along the Seine and when we arrived in front of the side nave, there, looking at the cathedral, we could see the signs left by the fire. The absence of the roof was striking and the scaffolding for the work they were carrying out was burned in the central part. The large rose window was covered by a transparent cloth while the small one above it was black at the top. The side view of Notre Dame was definitely more dramatic but less than I expected. We remained there wandering around the cathedral and on the banks of the Seine for about half an hour, after which we headed towards a street that I had fallen in love with during the 2009 visit; Rue de la Huchette. Through this narrow street full of shops with neon signs, we headed towards the “Saint-Michel Notre-Dame” stop, where I had another incredible sensation.
This metro station was very characteristic for its design, with two flights of lateral iron stairs that from an intermediate level gave access to the last flight of stairs that led to the platforms. I immediately noticed the originality of the station also for the slightly art nouveau style which gave it the importance of an ancient place. It was an atmosphere that reminded me of places seen in Fritz Lang's film Metropolis, therefore also a sort of retro-futurist style. From the tracks you could also see how the external part of the stairs was painted red, a detail that seems strange with the context but which at the same time gave the place even more character. Even though I was impressed, I didn't immediately take photos of the station details, leaving this thing for the return. We headed to Saint-Geramin des Prés, a place that had stuck with me in 2009 and I wanted to see again. What struck me then was the elegance of the neighborhood beyond the famous church. Unfortunately in 2019 the atmosphere was not the same and after walking through the neighborhood, we stopped in front of the church to take some photos. After a few minutes it started to rain and noticing that my partner was not impressed by the place I decided not to stay any longer. In doing so, I left the beautiful memory of 2009 unchanged and did not transform it into a new one for 2019 which could perhaps become unpleasant in the hypothetical circumstances that were arising. Upon returning to Saint-Michel, climbing the iron stairs I stopped on the last floor to check a giant map of the city and see the last route we had to take on foot. While I was there with my partner, a very young girl approached me, very beautiful with very expressive blue eyes. She spoke English with a clear French accent and she turned to me to ask me about the metro. At first I thought that she trusted me because I was with a girl and in any case it wasn't the first time that someone stopped me on the subway for information simply because I'm the only one in such a context who is never in a hurry. However, the little girl looked me straight in the eyes and looked for excuses to continue talking even if at the same time she seemed shy and a little anxious. To tell the truth, I wanted to investigate why the young girl was attracted to me but then I remembered that I wasn't alone and that my partner was starting to get impatient even though she wasn't a jealous person. I also thought that the girl might be a pickpocket, but even in that case there were some anomalous things in the modus operandi. I reluctantly left the conversation with that girl and the episode made me forget that I had to take photos at the station. Without a shadow of a doubt, the next time I return to Paris, I will start my visits from the “Saint-Michel Notre-Dame” station, both for the photos and because I want to relive that moment with the girl in a certain sense.
After the episode we headed towards the last destination along Rue de Saint-Jaques until we crossed the street that took us to the Panthéon. In reality this beautiful neoclassical style structure was not the main thing I wanted to see even though I love this type of works. After taking photos with the Pantheon, we headed towards the nearby church of Saint-Étienne, where in a secondary entrance, Woody Allen had shot one of the most important scenes of "Midnight in Paris". Watching the film when the protagonist finds himself sitting on the staircase, I thought that the location was fake, recreated in the studio. When I found out that the whole area was real and it was the church of Saint-Etienne, I immediately put the place on my list of things to see. I have a particular relationship with my dreams which are constantly a mix of projections of things I have experienced and visions of places and situations that I do not know and have never experienced before. Seeing a location with a strong dreamlike impact (in the film, in that scene set in the staircase, the protagonist wakes up after a night of drinking and begins a series of experiences with characters from the past that we will never understand if they are dreams or reality) gave me a strong motivation beyond the place on itself. In a certain sense, that location took on the materialization of my fantasy-dream because I thought it didn't exist in reality. Clearly I didn't experience anything of what the protagonist of the film experienced but for me it was enough.
That had been the last visit of a day planned somewhat as a challenge, however the good times continued with a dinner in a restaurant in the Sorbonne square and subsequently with clear and pleasant memories of waiting for our train at the Gare du North. My last visit to Paris has romantic notes even if it wasn't my or my partner's intention, it's probably the city that predisposes to events of this nature. Despite or perhaps because of that always gray sky, Paris inspires and is like a hymn to love and romance. I am convinced that with a few changes I can write a story inspired by that day and as soon as I find the right inspiration I will start working on it. In the meantime I enjoy my memories and the beautiful photos I took that day.