Author Archives: Parisian Fields

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About Parisian Fields

Parisian Fields is the blog of two Toronto writers who love Paris. When we can't be there, we can write about it. We're interested in everything from its history and architecture to its graffiti and street furniture. We welcome comments, suggestions, corrections, and musings from all readers.

The hidden city

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Parisian Fields

One of the distinct pleasures to be had in Paris is the feeling you get when you open a door into a private space. Enter a digicode and hear the satisfying click-thunk sound, or simply push open a closed but … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris architecture, Paris gardens | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Missing Christmas in Paris

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Parisian Fields

Everything had been arranged for another Christmas in Paris—plane tickets, flat rental, friends to see—and then we had to cancel. We will spend Christmas in Toronto and will have a good time of it. But what will we miss about … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris nostalgia, Paris shops, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

The story behind the sculpture

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Parisian Fields

The Rodin Museum is one of the most popular tourist sites in Paris. It encompasses a lovely old house surrounded by a huge garden, with several of Rodin’s bronze sculptures positioned here and there in the grounds. One sculpture in … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris art, Paris history, Paris museums | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Sitting on books in Paris

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Parisian Fields

The libraries, bookshops, and bouquinistes’ stalls of Paris are justly famous. So, too, are places to sit, alone or with someone else. The city offers many spots for quiet contemplation and conversation. So why not combine them? Sit on some … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris bookstores, Paris parks | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Eyes on the street

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Parisian Fields

One hears a lot about the use of surveillance cameras in England. Indeed, when we returned from Greenwich, I spotted a few lurking in photographs I had taken. Can you spot the camera in the picture below? (There may even … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris art, Paris history, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Reminders of Paris in Greenwich and London

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Parisian Fields

Ah, Paris! We still love you, and we’re coming back, but you have a rival. Thanks to the generosity of Alison and David, we had the use of a superb flat in Greenwich for a week. And perhaps because we … Continue reading →

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One address, many stories

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Parisian Fields

“What’s that building with the dome, there, on the right?” Norman pointed to a building shown in a stereographic photograph of the Champs-Elysées he had recently bought at an antique photo show. The photo had been taken from the top … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris history, Paris hospitals, Paris hotels, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Propping up Parisian trees

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Parisian Fields

Paris. City of light? Yes. Bridges? Indeed. Trees? Absolutely. The trees and their changing colours are one of the marvels of Paris. But it is no accidental marvel. Parisians work hard at maintaining their trees. Paris abounds in small parks … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris gardens, Paris parks, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Mary Callery, sculptor and collector

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Parisian Fields

Last February, I wrote a blog about the Villa d’Alesia, a small street of artists’ studios in the 14th arrondissement. In my research, I came across a photograph of Henri Matisse taken by Brassaï in 1939. The title was “Matisse … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris art, Paris history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Walking on cast iron in Paris

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Parisian Fields

Every day, hundreds of thousands of feet pound, skip, saunter, or slog across them. Yet very few people stop to look at the cast iron embedded in Paris’s roads and sidewalks. Some pieces are intricately designed; many glisten with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments