Floral Friday

 

At a Left Bank florist, flowers spill onto the terrace of a covered market.

 

Almost winter

 

Paris in suspension between two seasons.

***

Presque hiver

As coats and scarves leave closets, trees stand half-undressed. Soon the light will turn to gray, but the real cold hasn’t yet bitten on this almost-too-cold-to-sit-outside-but-we'll-do-it-anyway evening. - BPJ 

Window Wednesday

 

 

Tudor England, frozen in time from a pub window in an English country village.

 

3 hours (or less) from Paris

Eurostar

 

London 

  

Thankful Thursday

Today is Thanksgiving, a time to celebrate and be thankful for Life's bounty.

 🦃 

- FocusOnParis returns next week -

Mocha Monday

A warming café crème on the Left Bank, served with a kiss.

 

Snowfall Sunday

 

Light snowfall with more to come forecast.

 

Stand-up Saturday

At his post, ready to pour drinks and oversee nibbles (as Aristide Bruant looks on) at the Musée de Montmartre opening.

***

Current exhibition: 

École de Paris: The Marek Roefler Collection

 

 Musée de Montmartre

12 rue Cortot 75018

 

Ends February 15, 2026

 

Four-minute Friday

 

 Next metro: 4 minutes.

 Paris, where four minutes is never just four minutes.

*** 

 A lot can happen in four minutes, the time it takes to soft boil an egg. As the metro clock counts down, outside, just above, much is going on:

- A man has lost his phone (and lifeline) in one swift scooter-by grab. He runs after the perpetrator, returns breathless, plops on the nearest bench, and tries to figure out what to do next.

- A woman on a café terrace, watching her husband discreetly ogle yet another fausse blonde for the last time, has decided to leave him, and spends her four minutes rehearsing in her head what she’ll tell the kids.

- A man seated on a fountain ledge has hit the perfect rhythm to down his sandwich baguette-jambon-beurre: bite, chew, wipe mouth, finishing in just four minutes. A true artiste.

- In a doorway a teenage girl lights her first cigarette ever and, coughing dramatically trying to pretend she’s done this forever, her friend films the occasion for her social media.

- A man in a suit has been mouthing his resignation speech to himself while staring at his reflection in a pharmacy window repeating, “Ce n’est pas vous, c’est moi!” over and over. Then walks away.

- In a dreary hospice room, alone, a man who lost a leg has just said his confession and received The Last Rites when a call comes in. It's his estranged sister, from far away. In four minutes he pours his heart into hers, and tells her that he always loved her. 

- Someone is sprinting full-speed toward the bus stop, one shoe in hand, shouting “Attendez!” but the bus driver closes the doors and drives off with zero remorse. The next bus is in four minutes. 

- At the same time a tiny dog being walked in a tiny raincoat is refusing to continue because the pavement is “too wet,” and sits in defiant protest while its owner pulls and tugs, surprised at the strength and resolve in such a small body.

All in four minutes. And here comes my train. - BPJ 

***

Yesterday, as every third Thursday in November, Paris and all of France cheered the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau.

 🍷🍷🍷 

December newsletter 

  

Thoughtful Thursday

 Toulouse-Lautrec watches thoughtfully from his Montmartre perch.

 

Wicked Wednesday

 A bright kiosk on a leaf-strewn square announces today's release of Wicked: Part II.

Teatime Tuesday

 

 

 

Teatime in the Renoir Gardens at the Musée de Montmartre.

 

*** 

 

Current exhibition:

 

École de Paris: The Marek Roefler Collection

 

 Musée de Montmartre

12 rue Cortot 75018

 

Ends February 15, 2026

 

 

   

Mustache Monday

 

 

How many moustaches have been trimmed at this salon de coiffure since 1988?

 

🤔 

 

Portes Ouvertes / Open Doors: Montmartre

 

 

MAP

 

 

Portes Ouvertes 2025

 

Thru Monday November 17   

 

From Anvers aux Abbesses

124 Artistes - 73 Ateliers

9th, 17th and 18th arrondissements

(Mainly around Montmartre)

 Discover / support participating artists and galleries.

 *** 

Painting
Watercolor

Photography 

Mixed Media

Textile

Engraving
Sculpture
Drawing
Collage
Mosaic
Ceramics
Digital art
Street Art

 Jewelry

 

 

Sitting Saturday

 

View from a bench.

 

Foto Friday

 

    

Reminder:

 PARIS PHOTO 2025

 November 13 - 16

❤️ ❤️

 

The golden hour

 Autumn leaves and lamplight.

Walking Wednesday

 

 

Shadows lengthen on a lively cobbled lane that leads to the river.

Travel Tuesday

Looking back: a view that never gets old.

(click to enlarge)

  

3 hours (or less) from Paris

Fly/Drive 

Cadaqués, Spain

 

Mouthful Monday

 

One bite of this XXL profiterole was pastry Valhalla. 

Below: the unfolding drama of that chocolate pour

 

 

Cemetery Sunday

 

 

Autumn leaves of bright reds and yellows overlook a section of the Montmartre Cemetery.

 

***

 

On the heels of Halloween:

 

Carved from a former gypsum quarry, the sprawling Cimetière de Montmartre is widely considered to be haunted - not just by ghost-hunter TikTokers and superstitious tourists, but in Parisian folklore, documented sightings, and even official police logs.

 

Local tales of shadowy entities scaling the craggy walls after dark and slipping under doorways in surrounding streets - especially those near the bridge nicknamed le pont des âmes, the Bridge of Souls where tragic energy lingers - abound. The entrance gate on Rue Rachel is believed to be the official “spirit doorway,” and 2 a.m. is branded l’heure des malédictions et des âmes agitées, the hour of curses and restless souls. 

 

Beliefs about living near the dead are as varied as a Left Bank cheese planche. Some cultures burn sage, others hang garlic in windows for protection. Others are convinced their tap water will be contaminated. Whatever the belief, the common thread to avoid bad luck and illnesses is, “Don't live too close.”

 

Like Ichabod Crane, nearby residents can be seen scurrying home before nightfall. Some are so busy watching their backs as the sun goes down they've been known to develop whiplash. 

 

The good news? Aside from occasional weeping, giggling, and whispering (in French), you have very quiet neighbors. - BPJ

 

***

 

Some illustrious residents:

 Writers Alexandre Dumas fils, Stendhal, Zola (just his grave; his remains were moved to the Pantheon)

Dancer Vaslav Nijinsky

Composers Jacques Offenbach, Hector Berlioz

New Wave filmmaker François Truffaut

Family Sanson, notorious executioners during the French Revolution

 

Sitting Saturday

A portrait artist has left his post to get coffee.

Above: French singer/songwriter/actor Serge Gainsbourg keeps an eye on things until his return

 

Fortress Friday

 

The medieval Conciergerie from the Pont au Change.

 

Window Wednesday

A night gallery calls from the street.

 

***

 

Gallery hopping in Saint-Germain-des-Prés

 

When: November 6, 2025

Starts: around 6:30 PM

Why: C'est Paris!

Where: begin at rue des Beaux-Arts, rue de Seine, and side streets

 - Meet the artists -

 Then squeeze in at LA PALETTE CAFÉ (43 rue de Seine) to recover - BPJ

 

Table Tuesday

A solitary sugar dispenser on a bistro table.

Mocha Monday

 

 

Hot coffee in the heart of Strasbourg's Old Town on a brisk morning.

 

PARIS - STRASBOURG

 3 hours (or less) from Paris

 ***

AI evaluations: Focus On Paris

"FocusOnParis.com is more than a photo blog—it’s a slow-burn love letter to the city, delivered in squares and captions that feel like whispered secrets...." - See About page for more

 

 

Sunset Sunday

 

 

This kissing spot in Paris is pure gold. 

 

***

 

While updating USA Today's Paris city guide a few years back, I added a new subcategory, "Most romantic kissing spot in Paris." Today this Montmartre hideaway still checks off all the boxes for a stratospheric smooch: an Eiffel Tower view complete with Paris rooftops from atop a plunging stairway, loads of privacy and, if timed just right, the setting sun. 

 

Getting there: At #23 Avenue Junot enter the black gate behind the lamppost and follow the cobblestone path to the troglodyte "Witches Rock" just in front of the entrance of Hôtel Particulier - where you've reserved a table? - and kiss away to your heart's desire. - BPJ

All Souls Saturday

 

Some souls to remember.

La Toussaint - All Souls Day

***

Flowers conceal a 3000 m² open space memorial dedicated to the victims, survivors, and families affected by the November 13, 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris and Saint-Denis, inaugurated in June 2025. Traversable paths link the church to the Hôtel de Ville and blend memorial gravity with everyday urban flow. The space is open daily to all and serves as a hub for gatherings, quiet visits, or simply passing through. - BPJ 

Jardin du 13 novembre 2015

 (Jardin mémoriel des attentats du 13 novembre)

  

Place Saint-Gervais 75004 

Freaky Friday

 

Le Grim Reaper drops in for a coffee break.

 

Happy Halloween 2025

 

🐈‍⬛

 

***

 

"Starting at 7 p.m., the must-see rooftop in Montmartre's 18th arrondissement will be decked out in flamboyant colors for a mystical evening, where every soul—living or almost living—is invited to dance between the sky and the stars."

 

HALLOWEEN 2025

Friday October, 31

 

El Dia De Los Muertos

Terrass Hotel

12-14 rue Joseph de Maistre 75018

 

7 PM til 12:30 AM

 

👻 See you there! - BPJ 👻

 

Thursday threesome

Lost in the rhythm of the Marais.

 

Corner café

 

 

One of the most photogenic cafés in Paris.

 ***

 

 PARIS PHOTO 2025

 November 13 - 16

 

"A vibrant cultural program that makes it the unmissable gathering for market players: a landmark exhibition of a private collections, thought-provoking conversations, the Elles × Paris Photo program, book signings, Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards, partner exhibitions and much more." See you there! - BPJ 

 

Treeful Tuesday

 

 

Today's treeful happens to be an eyeful.

 

Mocha Monday

 

 

Strong coffee with a pastry Saint Honoré to share takes the cake.

 

La Grande Épicerie

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

24 rue de Sèvres 75007

Savory Saturday

 

 

Confit de canard, preserved duck leg, that humble yet sublime staple on many a bistro lunchtime blackboard.

 

 

 

*** 

 

Duck Duck Go:

 

Known to disappear off plates the moment its crispy skin crackles under a knife, confit de canard originated in the sun-dappled Gascony region of France. A simple culinary masterpiece, it showcases the rich, succulent flavors of duck preserved through a time-honored technique that involves slow-cooking duck legs in their own fat at a low temperature which creates a tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture and flavor.

Traditionally paired with crispy potatoes (pommes de terre sarladaises) preferably cooked in duck fat or, as above, served atop a purée of fresh potatoes to allow its rustic flavors to shine, it can also appear with nothing but a mixed-greens salad to balance its richness, and has become one of the highlights of classical French cuisine. - BPJ

 

Floral Friday

 

Square René-Viviani through roses.

Throwback Thursday

 

 A "living statue" street performer at La Rochelle's Vieux Port (Old Port) defies gravity.

Brittany / Normandy / Poitou-Charentes

 3 hours (or less) from Paris

 

 

Waiting Wednesday

 

Almost time for Mass to start inside Nôtre-Dame de Paris.

 

Treeful Tuesday

Autumn approaches in silence.

 

***

 

As we head into peak foliage season, Paris in the fall is a photographer’s dream.

Here are some leafy ideas for where to capture nature's palette:

 

- Montmartre: tree-lined cobblestone streets; hidden gardens and squares; climbing vines

 
 - Seine riverbanks: trees near Pont Neuf and Île de la Cité

- Jardin des Tuileries: early morning mist; golden hues prominent along paths and around the Grand Bassin

 

- Jardin du Luxembourg: chestnut trees; leaves floating in the Medici Fountain

 
- Parc des Buttes-Chaumont: a lake w/swans; waterfall; clifftop classical "temple"

 
- Bois du Boulogne: dense woods, paths; a lake w/small boats

 

- Parc Monceau: Corinthian columns surround a tranquil pond; scattered leaves of mixed colors

  
- Jardin du Palais Royal: tunnels of trees; leaves of golds, violets, yellows, reds - BPJ

Museum Monday

 

 

The Musée de Montmartre celebrates the opening of a spectacular new exhibition.

 

Above: private invitation champagne reception in the enchanting Renoir Gardens

 

 

École de Paris: The Marek Roefler Collection

 

 Musée de Montmartre

12 rue Cortot 75018

 

Ends February 15, 2026

 

 

 

[Tamara de Lempicka, Portrait of a Russian Dancer; Henri Hayden, Chess Players]

 

(click to enlarge)

 

*** 

 

Highlighting art critic André Warnod's 1925 term "École de Paris" for international artists who made Montmartre and Montparnasse pre-World War I hubs of creativity, this diverse group - mostly Jewish artists from Central and Eastern Europe, plus talents like Picasso (Spain), Modigliani (Italy), Foujita (Japan), and Rivera (Mexico) - nurtured avant-garde styles like cubism, fauvism, and expressionism. The exhibition showcases Polish masters from Marek Roefler’s collection, including Ossip Zadkine, Tamara de Lempicka, Moïse Kisling, and lesser-known figures like Henri Hayden, Eugène Zak, and Mela Muter.

The sheer number of works and artists is overwhelming. The show traces a north-south path through these iconic districts, blending influences from Cézanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh with unique styles shaped by intellectual freedom, supported by figures like Guillaume Apollinaire and Max Jacob. Part of the museum’s focus on artistic diversity and Montmartre’s legacy, it is backed by Poland’s Embassy in France and the Polish Institute in Paris, in partnership with Villa La Fleur museum in Poland and the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, with a companion publication.  - BPJ

 

Starting Sunday

A marathon week of open-house vernissages in galleries throughout Paris starts today.

 Information:

 STARTING SUNDAY OCTOBER 19, 2025

***

COMITÉ PROFESSIONNEL DES GALERIES D'ART

Serene Saturday

The Seine quietly glistens under a morning sky.

 

Floral Friday

 A wall of flowers shields a café terrace from the bustle outside.