TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

The Luxembourg Garden is one of the favourite places for the people of Paris to go for relaxation and a bit of exercise. These photos from 1994 explain why it is so popular.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

Just three of the many reasons we love Paris: beautiful buildings like the Madeleine, outdoor markets, and the Seine. These photos are from our 1994 vacation.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

These photos of Notre Dame in Paris were taken in 2008 when the cleaning and restoration of the cathedral had been underway for 17 years. This has enabled us to greatly admire the beauty of the sculpture. Featured in the first photo is the beautiful tympanum of the central door of the cathedral's west front. It dates from the 13th Century and depicts the last judgment. The twelve apostles, six on each side, have been given individual facial features. These as well as the carved figures in the second photo look real enough to be people who actually existed.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

This street scene, photographed in Paris in 1994, shows the typical built form of the central city that provides a lot of density while at the same time keeping everything at a very comfortable human scale. I could walk here for hours, just to enjoy taking everything in. An architect named Barry Sampson once told me of his belief that what people most like to look at is other people, and Paris would definitely be evidence of that!

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS

This photo, taken in 2008, features the tour boats, called Bateaux Mouches, which take visitors on the river Seine. The river, the historic artery of the city, has been connected by canals to other rivers: the Rhine, the Rhone and the Loire. Because travel via the rivers of France was of such importance historically, many of the famous landmark buildings of Paris have been built on the banks of the Seine. This is what makes a trip on a Bateau Mouche so interesting.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS

One of our favourite things to do in Paris is to walk in the Latin Quarter, as we did this day in 1997. There are small sidewalk cafes, old churches, brasseries, and a great variety of different shops. Because so many interesting things catch the eye, we are always intrigued by what may be just around the next corner.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

At the Luxembourg Gardens, which we visited for the first time in 1994, there are always many people having a relaxing time and enjoying the lovely surroundings.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

One of the many wonders of Paris, the Pantheon, built between 1758 and 1789, is an example of neo-classical architecture. It was photographed in 1997.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

When you visit France, be sure to try the trains, which I think must be the best in the world - clean, very fast, modern and not overly expensive. The photo, of the Gare de Lyon, was taken in 2008.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

While the interior of Notre Dame is not the most beautiful medieval cathedral we have seen, it is certainly one of the most important landmarks in Paris, and the exterior will stand up to comparison with any other cathedral. Notre Dame lends its character beautifully to the surrounding area making it a pleasant and enjoyable place for a stroll.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS

This photo of the Paris Opera, sometimes called the Palais Garnier after Charles Garnier the architect, was taken in 1994. One of the major landmarks of Paris, the Opera is a famous example of the Beaux Arts style, a type of neoclassical architecture which was taught in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and which influenced American architecture from about 1880 to 1920. Although the facade is quite ornate, I greatly admire the building. It was one of the major improvements undertaken for Paris by Emperor Louis Napoleon under the direction of Baron Haussmann. It opened its doors in 1875 and seats 2,200 people.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS

The left bank of the Seine in Paris is noted for its vibrant street life and sidewalk cafes. This famous bistro, the Cafe de la Paix, opened its doors in 1862. When we stopped there in 1994, it was a reminder for us that the left bank - or La Rive Gauche as it is called in French - was once the home of many of the world's best painters and writers.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS

Pont Alexandre III on the Seine was constructed between 1896 and 1900 for the Paris exhibition. Its style is Art Nouveau and it has four gilt-bronze statues. The one in this 1997 photo is of Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS

The photo, taken in 1997, is of the Grand Palais, a glass exhibition hall built for the Paris Exposition of 1900. It is impossible to select one photo to represent the beauty of Paris. No matter where you walk in the central city, you are presented with a feast for your eyes. Great attention to detail - and the importance given to the context in the design of buildings - are in evidence everywhere. Like many North American town planners and architects, we admire Paris as a fine example of an urban place that looks good, works well, and does not require the use of high-rise densities.