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'Behind closed doors' is the best description for much of Paris because it is the secrets... the surprising finds... that are the most entrancing...
Last week as Jeanne and I walked with Australian author John Baxter through his Parisian neighbourhood I was delighted to find this hidden courtyard. We passed through the most non de-script gates... I would never have noticed them... to find such beauty and loveliness... It made me realise how much we miss... how much can escape us... even when we think we are being our most observant...
A cobbled courtyard, wonky walls, paint that has seen better days...shutters askew and tumble down plants... I adored this shabby chic scene of Paris. I loved that this courtyard had aged, that it was nowhere near perfect... that some might even refer to it as 'broken down'. It was hard to imagine that we were in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés... that we were in the centre of a busy metropolis... It was as if time had stood still.
Nothing perfect... complete shabby chic... I found this charming... xv
This is exactly the sort of delight that I love to find in Paris......17 sleeps and counting!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLinda x
So much beauty to be found in imperfection, isn't there? And the surprise of discovery is always such a fresh jolt, especially when we 'see' something that we have walked by a million times before...
ReplyDeleteBon weekend!
PS. Beautiful photos...
One of my favorite things about Paris and all of France...the unexpected! Glad you found this charming corner.
ReplyDeleteI agree,it is most charming, love it. x
ReplyDeleteI think that's one of the best things about Paris - all the hidden treasures. You never know what you will find when you enter a set of gates. And the French have a way with shabby - they can make it look spectacular with such ease.
ReplyDeleteI love exploring these magical places ... You do beautiful photos! Thank you that I look at them! :)
ReplyDeleteDear Vicki,
ReplyDeleteYour Paris' posts are wonderful! I so enjoyed all of them! And today's is just awesome!The imperfection is so charming!
Thank you for sharing with us all these treasures!
Happy weekend!
xx
Greet
The unexpected is such a joy in Paris.It has a way of tempting you to look down little walkways and peeping into courtyards when a car enters behind a wonderful door.I love the pictures just lovely Thankyou Vicki.x Trish
ReplyDeleteI would love to live there,
ReplyDeleteit's so warm feeling and charming.
yvonne
I think only when one has the time can we expect to find these lovely vignettes of times past. Just wonderful, Vicki. It really does look as if time stood still, right there in that exact spot.
ReplyDeleteDear Vicki, Didn't I give you a copy of that remarkably lovely, little (perhaps 6"x6"), and extraordinarily useful book "Quiet Corners of Paris"?
ReplyDeleteAny fan of Paris should buy this book (it's quite available on Amazon). It's written in English, with photographs by Christophe Lefebure illustrating each of the 90 or so "secret gardens" of Paris....cloisters, mostly-forgotten courtyards, passages, tiny arboretums, the gardens of obscure museums no one visists anymore. In short?... all the places which, if you know where to find them (and the book is very good at directions, addresses, etcetera), you can step in and find yourself wondering "Wait?...am I still in the middle of an enormous city?". All of these "quiet corners" are quite well-maintained....the fact is simply that no one thinks of (or recalls) them very much, and they're never mentioned in the guidebooks...and most of them are charming refuges for ten or so people, at most.
My mother-in-law (French, as you'll know) loves this book. Two of the "quiet corners" are within a block of her own mother's former Paris apartment (now ours), so my mother-in-law has spent decades trotting past them without knowing they existed.
thanks for the intriguing post,
david Terry
www.davidterryart.com
Yes you did David... and I love it... xv
DeleteI too love things that have been kissed by time. This is so pretty and peaceful
ReplyDeleteEvery garden needs this. When designing new gardens I always include portions of it.
ReplyDeleteHistoric gardens always have it.
It? The Poverty Cycle.
Improves things with intellect, passion, desire.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
Being in the moment, allows for those moments-the unexpected. What a beautiful courtyard. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
ReplyDeleteHi Vicki, I love your comment: "nothing perfect". How often we try to make our lives perfect--when it is the imperfect that gives life and interest. I'm working on accepting the imperfect in me and others--what a journey. Be well. Mary
ReplyDeleteAnd you discovered this enchanting courtyard on a walk with Monsieur Baxter, no less. What a fun day you must have had! Did he treat you two to some of his wonderful stories about Paris? Bon weekend, Vicki. Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)
ReplyDeleteLove the colours and the textures in these images. France has such a different beauty than what we have here in the Pacific Northwest. I think the light is much brighter.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful courtyard!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday.
Karen
.. lovely post .. I have always been truly amazed at what we don't see beyond those gates .. I take pictures, when one is left ajar .. but I think if I just opened a few, what would happen? Probably nothing as they are usually various apartments behind, no?
ReplyDeleteIt's the wabi-sabi of Paris! I love it...
ReplyDeleteWishing you a smooth blog transition next week, chere Vicki! Can't wait to see what you have created...
Bon weekend!
xoxo,
- Irina
I have loved courtyards for so long now and would love to build my own home with a beautiful courtyard someday~Cheers Kim
ReplyDeleteI think "cobbled courtyard" has to be one of the loveliest word combinations. Ever.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots, I wish that I lived there!
ReplyDeleteYes! It's the imperfect and the timeless that always steal my heart. What a gorgeous discovery--the kind you can only find when you let curiosity and a willingness to wander guide you! Love. xo Gigi
ReplyDeletesecret courtyards - I used to love spying them through gates - you might get a quick glimpse if someone was coming out/going in! Paris is always full of secret places!
ReplyDeleteSharon
Beautiful, absolutely shabby chic!
ReplyDeleteIn Budapest there're so many potential courtyard, but unfortunately so far away from shabby chic....
Have a fabulous weekend!
Tibs
http://shoptravelfood.blogspot.com
It is true that Paris has so many hidden treasures for those who take the time to look. I am forever looking in entryways, courtyards, pushing in doors etc. SO much to discover. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI love the hidden pockets of Paris. But I love finding spots that are so "not Paris" within the city even more!
ReplyDeleteI just love this!!! it reminds me of home!!!The home of my childhood!
ReplyDeleteCompletely charming! I love the different textures on the walls and that little rounded top window near the top floor. The character of this courtyard is truly cozy, I would have been squealing with delight if I was with you.
ReplyDeleteA perfect place to sketch, I loved walking through Paris sketching all the fabulous charming bits of loveliness
Xx
Callie