Thursday throng

 

Fresh from the Louvre, hordes of tourists wander Place du Tertre looking for a crêpe.

Sitting Saturday

A portrait artist has left his post to get coffee.

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

 

Watermelon Wednesday

 

 

A wheelbarrow of watermelons steals the spotlight at Place du Tertre.

 

Table Tuesday

 

 

Early morning lineup of tables on Place du Tertre before the throngs arrive.

Morning meditation

 Quiet time as the city of Paris sprawls below in the distance.

***

Atop Montmartre in the tender embrace of dawn, Paris stirs. Cobblestones gleam with the first light's kiss and the air, crisp and full of promise, carries the scent of blooming trees as the city stretches beneath a sapphire sky. An empty bench to pause and reflect, a lone streetlamp and shuttered storefronts brace in anticipation of the day's bustle. In the distance, Paris shimmers, a silent witness to its awakening streets. - BPJ

 

Twinkling Tuesday

 

Last days to sparkle with holiday splendor.

Above: Le Moulin de la Galette

Below: Place du Tertre 

 

Night stroll

 

 

 A starry night, an after-dinner promenade. 

Café calling

 

Atop the butte a café's warm glow calls on a cold wet night.

Sipping Sunday

Hot spiced wine, hot chocolate, mint tea, coffees and fresh orange juice stand in the courtyard of Église Saint-Pierre de Montmartre.

 

Sweet Saturday

 

Salted butter caramels piled high in a shop window off Place du Tertre.

 

Corner café

 

 

 

A café on Place du Tertre literally in a corner.

 

Window Wednesday

 

Night view overlooking the square of Place du Tertre, "the most romantic part of Paris."

***

Joyeuse Saint-Valentin

💖

Holiday holdout

 

Paris can't seem to get enough of the holidays.

Place du Tertre

 

Café Noël

A café-brasserie on Place du Tertre decked out for the holidays.

 

Saturday sitting

A portrait artist on Place du Tertre.

 ***

When a gift backfires...

 

Some years back I commissioned an artist on Place du Tertre to do a portrait from a beautiful photo of my mother when she was young. It was to be a surprise, and from the samples of portraits-from-photos displayed at his stand I felt he would be up to the task to do the best job as there was quite a bit of competition around to choose from. 

 

I didn't care about the price (about 300 euros), only the quality, and happily agreed to pay in advance - only to cringe the second I laid eyes on it almost two weeks later. I'd asked him to take his time to do a good job but it looked nothing like her and barely resembled the photo. The first obvious faute was an enlarged chin, just enough to give the face an aspect of a Don Martin drawing from MAD magazine, and no, he wasn't a caricaturist. 

 

 Of course she hated it too, and ever since I tell anyone considering getting their portrait painted in Paris by any of these roving artists to always try to observe them sketching someone live, in person, first. 

 

And should they want a portrait painted from a photo, not to risk it unless convinced of the artist's ability to capture an image precisely, which is difficult to know in advance. Most, like I did, simply take their chances. - BPJ

 

A place in the sun

 

Shadows lengthen off Place du Tertre.

 

Christmas blues

"Christmas isn't over until we say it is!"

 

In France, we love holidays and try to prolong the Christmas season for as long as possible. Decorations, cards, holiday wishes and even galettes des rois (so far we've had three) are tout à fait normale until the end of January. - BPJ

 

Above: Place du Tertre in Montmartre

🌲

 

Mona Monday

La Jaconde gets a new look.

Moules Monday

 

A waiter balances marmites filled with steamed mussels, accompanied by frites.

 (click to enlarge)

La place

 Place du Tertre on a black and white day.