French Friday: La Galerie Vivienne

May 19, 2017 (139/365)

« La découverte est un plaisir aussi subtil et intéressant que la connaissance. » - Jacques Lamarche 

It's the middle of May, but today's wind chill feels like 34° F. This weather reminds me of one February afternoon in Paris. I was strolling on the Right Bank when it began to drizzle. To escape the chill, I wandered through the arcades of the rue de Rivoli and the Palais Royal until I found myself at the entrance of the Galerie Vivienne. I was familiar with many of Paris' covered passages, but had never intentionally sought out this famous 19th Century precursor to the modern shopping mall. With its mosaic floors and glass ceilings, its cafés, shops, and amazing used bookstore, the Galerie Vivienne is a treat for the senses, made even more delightful by its unexpected discovery.

Inspection

May 16, 2017 (136/365)

"Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain." - Henry David Thoreau