Postcards from Paris: {La Journée du Patrimoine}

The country of France gave us a little gift this weekend, free entry to all of it's many national treasures.

One building which was constructed purely for governmental purposes yet still exudes beauty is that of L'Hotel de Ville. Initially receiving my attention due to this famous photograph, I've since established a human-like personality to Paris' City Hall, one that takes on multiple activities throughout the year. For example, participating in La Nuit Blanche with light motifs sprawled across it's facade, and during the Winter season an iceskating rink is set-up in front, sparkeling white lights covering the rooftop, and numerous metal barrels on the outskirts of the courtyard give off the smokey scent of roasting chestnuts. In Spring and Summer, the double-decker carousel right in front of L'Hotel de Ville runs steadily and the scent of the season is barbe à papa. It feels natural to take on an air of royalty just by walking in front of building, and noticing the extravagant carved stone details. My intrigue for it's interior only increased when one of my favorite designers, Dries Van Noten chose the city hall as a backdrop to introduce his Fall 2010 collection.

Since it was the annual weekend of La Journee du Patrimoine, I joined three fellow American girls to take advantage of the city's offerings. Waiting in line, we were amused by a musical trio, who performed purely for the sake of entertainment. With their exuberant and energetic contenance, one would assume their happiness came from a guitar case filled with coins and varied colored Euro bills, but in fact such a treasure chest was no where to be found. It was the crowd they fed off. We all had shared enthusiam, giving and taking. Our applauds were their source of energy. 

The interior is just what one would expect based on the exterior; carved scrolled ceilings of gold, warm-toned murals, crystal chandeliers, parquet wood floor, stained glass windows, and a grand library covered with books, wall to wall and floor to ceiling.
It is a City Hall to match it's city.

Bisous,
Reba

Disclaimer: One of these days I will be able to capture motion with better aesthetics, until then I can't help but still share.