Paris1972-Versailles2003

Ok so why not stay in wonderful beautiful gorgeous Paris. A showcase of my belle France and on the Ïle de France region , both no 75 city and department. Again, see my other posts on it, this one in my black and white series, no pictures!

I have written a couple post on the Bourse de Commerce. However, that is mostly was old history, the place is getting a revolutionary new look and only delayed by the virus , now expected to open in Spring 2021. Let me tell you a bit more on the Bourse de Commerce or better then will be the bourse d’arts ::)

I like to bring you to light another wonderful building in Paris seldom seen yet I know it well in business and very few pictures allow.  The Bourse de Commerce de Paris is a circular plan building topped by a dome located on Rue de Viarmes, in the neighborhood of the Halles of the 1éme arrondissement or district of Paris.  The monumental entrance opens with a portico, located to the west of the building facing the Rue du Colonel-Driant, summoned by a pediment carried by four fluted Corinthian columns, which surmount three allegorical figures, representing the city of Paris flanked by Abundance and Trade.

The Bourse de Commerce is a new presentation site for the Pinault Collection, in Paris. Dedicated to contemporary art seen through the prism of the collection, it will presents thematic hangings and monographic exhibitions, but also new productions, commissions, carte blanche and in situ projects. Open to all audiences and to all artistic disciplines, the Bourse de Commerce offers educational programs, conferences and meetings, screenings and concerts, and performances.  Again, postponned and now again schedule opening to the public for spring 2021.

This monumental and architecturally listed building will house a program of exhibitions designed from a collection of more than 5,000 works. Among the artists in the spotlight: Charles Ray, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Marlene Dumas, Tatiana Found, Julie Mehretu, Philippe Parreno or Martial Raysse, for the headliners, but also many artists from generations, cultures and practices very diverse, and in a spectacular location to say the least.

Located halfway between the Pyramide du Louvre and the Centre Pompidou, this majestic circular building, dating from the 16C with the famous Medici column, where Nostradamus went to make his observations of the stars, then rehabilitated in the 18-19C , has not only been scrupulously restored up to the 19C aerial mounted canvas, “the panorama of commerce” representing an allegory of the world and of exchanges between all the continents, but revisited and projected into our time by one of the great masters of world architecture and traveling companion of François Pinault for all of his museums.

This flagship of Parisian heritage of 13,000 square meters will have been released to the public, offering 2,800 square meters of exhibition divided into seven different spaces, from the most monumental of 600 m2 to the most intimate 250 m2, and of varying heights far from the standardization of white cubes of contemporary art , to which are added a 300 seat auditorium and a black box, a place specially designed for multimedia installations and experimental projects. They will be deployed around the heart of the project, with a famous 9 meters high concrete cylinder, a rotunda entwined by a poetic staircase that stands in the center of the circle formed by the metal dome of the building that is dated from 1810-1812 , the first in France at the top of the building, the visitor will find a belvedere, offering a bird’s eye view on one side of Paris, on the other, of the rotunda, as well as “La Halle aux grains”, the restaurant of 120 places managed by Michel and Sébastien Bras.

Stay tune , it will be awesome as anything in my beautiful Paris! Hope you enjoy the post and keep an eye open for the grand opening in 2021.

Some webpages to help you plan and updated are

The Bourse de Commerce, Pinault foundation: https://www.boursedecommerce.fr/

The Paris tourist office on the Bourse de  Commerce, Pinault Foundation: https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/176761/Bourse-de-Commerce-Collection-Pinault-Paris

Another wonderful building in my eternal Paris. The Bourse de Commerce will be invaded by the arts in 2021.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

Always looking for my photos, I have to tell you is not an easy task when I have overlooked a lot of them and now trying to find them! I did came up with one on the Hôtel de Ville of Paris and will tell you a bit more on this spot. Of course, will cut short the text as already plenty written on it.

The bus line 72 have taken a few times and took the picture while passing the Hôtel de Ville of Paris. The line runs from the Parc de Saint-Cloud to the Gare de Lyon. It has nice bus connection with the line 82 at Pont d’Iéna , bus 85 at Châtelet and bus 96 at the Hôtel de Ville. The bus line 72 has stops in very popular places in Paris and is an ideal bus to take above ground to see more of the grandeur of Paris. The popular stops I can remark are at Pont d’Iéna, Pont de Bir-Hakeim, Palais de Tokyo, Alma-Marceau, Grand Palais, Concorde, Pont de Solférino, Pont Royal , Pont des Arts , Pont Neuf-Quai du Louvre, Palais-Royal, Pont Louis-Philippe ,Pont Marie, Pont d´Austerlitz, and the line start in Paris proper at Porte de Saint Cloud and ends at Gare de Lyon. The RATP line is shown here : https://www.ratp.fr/plans-lignes/busratp/72

It is a great way to see Paris when your legs are a bit tired of the wonderful walks, much prefer above ground, and see Paris more.

Here if you wish but will tell you the bus ride is better , you can come in on metro line 1 and 11 going up the stairs you have sortie or exit no 5 to Hôtel de Ville or exit 2 Rue de Renard to Centre Georges Pompidou as most often taken here. I have it on line 1 but you can see all the lines here: https://www.ratp.fr/plans-lignes/metro/1

A bit of the history I like on this area

The quai de l’Hotel-de-Ville , where bus line 72 passes, is a quay located along the Seine river, in the Saint Gervais and Saint Merri neighborhood or quartiers of the 4éme district or arrondissement of Paris The quai de l’Hotel-de-Ville, has a length of 535 meters and 24 to 32 meters of width , and begins at the Pont Marie and rue des Nonnains-d’Hyères and ends at the Place de l’Hotel-de-Ville – Esplanade de la Liberation.

In 1254, it was a path that bordered the Seine. It was called the chemin aux Merrains, or rue aux Merrains, to the lumber merchants. From the 15C, the city laws or   acts designated it under the name of quai de la Grève, or quai de Grève. Gréve means strike on a level square, covered with gravel, on the river. Before the Place de Grève, today Place de l’Hotel-de-Ville – Esplanade de la Liberation, was raised and the quay was paved. The Quai de l’Hotel-de-Ville was created in 1867-1868 from the merger of the part of the Quai des Ormes located between the rue des Nonnains-d’Hyères and the rue Geoffroy-l’Asnier with the part of the quai de Gréves located between this last street and the Pont d’Arcole bridge.

At the corner with rue de Lobau: homage to the Nueve. On the jardin des Combattants (see post) in memory to the Spanish republicans who fought along the French resistance against nazi Germany and did entered Paris first with Leclerc division!

At the square you will find an equestrian statue of Etienne Marcel ,exactly at 94 quai de l’Hotel-de-Ville. This bronze statue of Etienne Marcel, provost of merchants from 1354 to 1358, inaugurated in 1888. Symbol of the revolt of the Parisian bourgeoisie against the monarchy, it is wearing a chaperone in the colors of red and blue of Paris, a rallying sign of his supporters. He brandished the parchment of the Great Order of the Reformed of 1357. Etienne Marcel was assassinated on July 31, 1358, near the Porte Sainte-Antoine.

The Pont d’Arcole bridge, (see post) has 80 meters long and 20 meters wide, was built in 1854 as a single arch. It is the first bridge without support on the Seine entirely made of iron and no longer of cast iron. The bridge connects the Quai de Grèves, the Quai de l’Hotel de Ville and the Place de l’Hotel de Ville on the right bank to the Quai de la Corse and the Quai aux Fleurs on the Île de la Cité.

There you go folks another dandy anecdote of beautiful Paris and my rounds around the city. As said ,tried all modes of transports, the best in the city is walking but if tired take the bus. Hope you enjoy the post.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!