27.5.09

Champ-de-Mars


(My first day back from Sweden; I had nothing in reserve and had to go out “hunting” despite the rain.)

Between the Eiffel Tower (see previous posts) and the 18th century Military School (Ecole Militaire) you will find the Champ-de-Mars (“Campus Martius”, “Field of Mars”). From being vegetable gardens, later used for horse races and especially as a military training camp and after having hosted some Universal Exhibitions (1867, 1878, 1895 – when the Eiffel Tower was erected – and 1900) it’s today of course quite park like. (The photo from the top of the Tower was taken another day.)

It’s surrounded by some nice apartment buildings. (It seems that the prices in the neighbourhood dropped when the Eiffel Tower was built... they have risen since.)

The flowers had somehow suffered from thunderstorms and heavy rain during the preceding night. Fortunately there are some places to sit down for refreshments and to hide from the rain.

I could draw your special attention to two monuments to be found here. They are both recent; the first one is the “Human Rights Monument” from 1989 (by Ivan Theimer) , celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Revolution and especially of the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizen”. It has some Egyptian influence with its two bronze pylons, which, as the door on the backside, are covered with illustrations, signs, symbols and texts referring to Human Rights.
Several events took place on the Champ-de-Mars during the Revolutionary years, including the “Fête de la Fédération” on July 14th 1790, one year after the Bastille, to celebrate the establishment of the short-lived constitutional monarchy - a constitution grudgingly accepted by King Louis XVI -, which some then expected to be the “happy end” of the French Revolution.

The other monument is the “Monument to Peace” (see also top picture) by Clara Halter and Jean-Michel Wilmotte. It dates from 2000. The word “peace” is written in 32 languages. You are supposed to be able to leave your personal peace message electronically or by slipping your notes of prayers into some openings on the wall. The monument has of course a perfect place here on the old “battle field”.

I met a Japanese married couple and some workers on their way to climb painting the Eiffel Tower.

45 comments:

Ruth said...

A swat team to paint!

Too bad it rained for the new married couple.

Welcome back, Peter, missed you!

Cezar and Léia said...

Welcome back Peter! ;-)
Beautiful flowers and this lovely Japanese couple is a "plus"in this post, an ODE to LOVE and good sign!
Léia

Anonymous said...

Love all the photos!

Shionge said...

There is always new discovery around the Eiffel Tower ~ the people, noise, colours, activities...love them all :D

I have yet to see wedding couples and painters so that's something new :)

Karen said...

How lovely and so green. I walked from the Ecole Militare the day I went to La Tour and went to the top.
What a great batch of photos you've taken. Welcome back.

SusuPetal said...

Welcome back, Peter.

I especially like that photo with that Japanese married couple, it's fun and filled with love.

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Welcome back Peter!

Thanks for a very interesting set of pictures here, along with some very informative accompaniments.

alice said...

Contente de te retrouver!

Olivier said...

c'est pas gentil de venir au champs de mars quand il n'y a plus Ebena ;o)) Belle photo des mariés.

hpy said...

Fotographié ainsi le monument de la paix ressemble à un aigle de guerre!

claude said...

Il s'en est passé et il s'en passe des choses dans ce champs !
Joli post, Peter, très instructif.
J'espère que tout se passe bien chez toi en Suède.

Cergie said...

Même sous la pluie, Paris est toujours Paris, cela donne une atmosphère particulière à ton message. Mélancolique. Peut-être à l'unisson avec ton humeur en rentrant de Suède ?
Avec le monument de la paix tu as donné une vision très personnelle de la Tour Eiffel. J'aime assez le coin de parapluie dans la photo des mariés.

margarida said...

Peter, what great, great photos!
I love 'Champs de Mars', when I stay in Paris I leave the train there and from C.M. I go about the city. And what a city it is!
Nice of you to visit my 'place' :)
I left you a tiny surprise. Or two... ;)
check it out!
Hur står det till, Peter? :)))

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Thanks for bringing back good memories Peter...We stayed not far from there..., truly amazing!! Thanks for sharing.

I have been to visit Jilly's blog, she did a few great posts about Monaco and the Grandprix, My husband was there with Williams F1 who he works for!!

delphinium said...

on dit: mariage pluvieux, mariage heureux. Les Japonais se marièrent et eurent beaucoup d'enfants. :-)

Mona said...

Welcome back Peter! :)

Gosh..it looks cold in France...and rain! ...we could do with some !

Love the pictures! I hope that the Japanese couple lives happily ever after! :)

Blind Fly Theater said...

Love the shots of the Monument to Peace... I too believe it is places in the perfect spot, and with the perfect materials (transparent as to highlight the beauty surrounding). Great post, Peter...
David

Unknown said...

Wonderful post, as usual! I especially like the 1st shot and the 3rd set of photos if you count from the end. Gorgeous compositions!

Alain said...

Amusant, le couple qui pose (pas les japonais).

Starman said...

Is that M. Sarkozy going to paint la Tour?

Virginia said...

I'm here to serve Peter. ALl you have to do is give me an assignment and I"m on it!
V

Shammickite said...

You pictures remind me of my visit to the Eiffel Tower. Yes, I know it's a tourist trap, but I just had to go up the tower, may never have another chance!
Guess what, Peter.... my new grandbaby was born TODAY!

Adam said...

Welcome back - I hope everything is well.

I love the couple you've captured in your first picture!

krystyna said...

Even in the rain day you like to be with your camera to catch the beauty of Paris.
The Eiffel Tower, photo nr1, is my fav., and it is interesting what you wrote about two monuments.

Nice to see you again, Peter!

Parisbreakfasts said...

Love love love your brilliant solution for the 1st picture...
I never thought of doing that and it's sooo graphic!
Love the workers too especially.
Merci
Carolg

Azer Mantessa said...

The word peace in my language is

AMAN

Now you have to put it there :-)

*kidding*

Marie-Noyale said...

Glad to see you are back.
Hope you are on your way to enjoy the beautiful Parisian weather!!!
So they paint the Eiffel tower even when it rains...
Funny to see that only the photographer needs the umbrella,not the bride and groom!!!

Mo said...

I have friends who live in this area. Always lots of weddings. Have you seen the 'come by the bus lot' weddings? Very interesting. The package tour for weddings. So you get a dozen or so bridal couples sharing the costs of photographer, bus and not sure what else.

PeterParis said...

Ruth:
I guess that the married couple was already married since some time. It seems to be fashion to come to Europe (or elsewhere) for marriage photos! ? ... and rain should bring luck to the marriage they say! :-)

Léia:
Thanks! An ode to love sounds nice! :-)

Denise:
Thanks, kind of you! :-)

PeterParis said...

Shionge:
The painters are back every seven year only! :-)

Karen:
A nice walk ... not under the rain I hope! :-)

SusuPetal:
They had an official photographer and must have spent at least half an hour... :-)

PeterParis said...

Rakesh:
Thanks! Happy you appreciate! :-)

Alice:
Content de te retrouver ici! :-)

Olivier:
Désolé; j'étais absent! :-)

PeterParis said...

hpy:
Quand tu le dis... Oui, peut-être! :-)

Claude:
Merci, ça va à peu près! :-)

Cergie:
J'aimai aussi assez le petit coin de parapluie. Les mariés étaient couverts, le photographe non! :-)

PeterParis said...

Margardia P:
Du talar svenska? I have now seen your nice surprises! Sincere thanks for these special attentions! :-)

Anne:
Will there be any Grand Prix in Paris one day? Discussed, but... :-)

Delphinium:
On dit ça, en effet! :-)

PeterParis said...

Mona:
The sun should be back tomorrow! ... and the rain where you are? :-)

SparkleMirror:
Beuatiful yes, but a bit grey of course! :-)

JM:
Thanks for these nice compliments! :-)

PeterParis said...

Alain:
Tout le monde pose devant la Tour! :-)

Starman:
So you recognised him; good! :-)

Virginia:
I will bring you a list; see you next week! :-)

PeterParis said...

Shammickite:
That are really great news!!! :-)

Adam:
Yes, first I thought they disturbed my picture, but then I liked them also to be there! :-)

Krystyna:
Well, it was raining, but I knew that I had to post, so... :-)

PeterParis said...

ParisBreakfasts:
Good that I choose the right one as top picture then! :-)

Azer:
I think it was one of the 32! :-)

Marie-Noyale:
Maybe the painters were only scrapping? I didn't ask. :-)

PeterParis said...

Mo:
No, I didn't know and haven't seen, but it must certainly exist! This one was obviously organised by an hotel. :-)

Catherine said...

J'aime ta première photo. Très créative. Un beau message.
Le monument pour la Paix est parfaitement pensé. Que demander de plus que de découvrir le mot Paix décliné dans plusieurs langues. Comme une union internationale autour d'un beau concept.

Virginia said...

Peter, We ate a picnic lunch on these very grounds today and the kids had a fun on the little playground. See my post in an hour or so. WE also had a nice but pricey glass of wine and glacé at Cafe de l'homme! I'm thinking we paid up for that gorgeous view from the terrace, oui??
V

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

Hey Peter welcome back, its great to have you back in blogland , and even the rain made you NOT stop to make wonderfull photo's of Paris,

see you ! JoAnn/Holland

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

Hey Peter welcome back, its great to have you back in blogland , and even the rain made you NOT stop to make wonderfull photo's of Paris,

see you ! JoAnn/Holland

PeterParis said...

Catherine:
Oui, il faudrait que la paix soit prononcée - et appliquée - dans TOUTES les langues! :-)

Virginia:
Few things are free of charge! :-)

JoAnn:
Thanks! I would of course have preferred it a little bit more sunny! :-)

richard said...

I liked the couple in the first picture, almost posing for you? An echo of the newlyweds

PeterParis said...

Richard:
Almost! :-)