15.1.10

Palais Royal ... at night


The “Palais Royal” is today normally to be visited during daytime and perhaps preferably during the greener months. I already made a post about it in July 2007 (the photo here), where I also gave some historic information. Maybe a few words anyhow: Originally the palace was built as a residence for the Cardinal Richelieu, in the early 17th century. Richelieu donated it to the Royal family and this is how it got its Royal name. Among its inhabitants you may note the young Louis XIV and his mother, Cardinal Mazarin, and several members of the Royal Orléans family, who opened the garden to the public, had great parts rented to shops and cafés and had the colonnades constructed.

Especially during the revolutionary years, there was a lot of activity in the garden and the nightlife seems to have been active. Today, the gardens are closed in the evening except for some parts which give access to some restaurants, theatres... On the way home after a blogger dinner a couple of days ago, I took the opportunity to show what the late nightlife around “Palais Royal” looks like today. I confirm that it’s quite calm and dark.

Most of the bars on the place and around were closed or closing.

The famous restaurant “Le Grand Vefour” with more than 200 years behind it had still a number of late guests. It used to have three Michelin stars (actually macarons), but lost one in 2008. It’s still excellent, but you should perhaps check the menu prices before entering.





Most of the shop and gallery windows under the arcades were dark, but I found some light.

There are some nice things to see also in the surrounding narrow streets. One of the photos here is from the outside of the beautiful "Théatre Palais Royal”. It is about as old (end 18th century) as the “Théatre Français”...

... more known as “La Comédie Française”, the French National Theatre, which has been housed here since 1799. The night performance was just over when I passed. Just in front of the theatre is the very specific metro entrance on which I also made a previous post. You can see it on the top picture.

The “Palais Royal” is today also the home of the Ministry of Culture and the “Conseil d’Etat” (the Constitutional Council) of which we can see the main entrance at the “Place Palais Royal” where we also can see the facades of (a part of) the Louvre, and the exclusive antique shop and gallery centre, “Les Antiquaires du Louvre”, at present under facade restoration (see also previous post), the reason for its special "wrapping".

I found some still remaining Christmas decorations. When looking closer, you could see that they were made by empty plastic water bottles.

I wish you a nice weekend!

35 comments:

cathyswatercolors said...

Peter,I'm sure you have heard this before,but it bares repeating, your posts are beyond amazing;the photo's,history, maps, and the adventure of it all. It is such a pleasure to read about a place I long to travel to.
What a time you must have traveling about in the evening photographing these amazing sites. I love the chandeliers, they looked like floating jellyfish? So much to take in, thank you and please never stop!

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Splendid pictures! The edifice has rich character!

Vagabonde said...

Plastic bottles for a Christmas tree – that’s a super good idea and a great way to recycle. As for the restaurant Le Grand Vefour I have never been there and with the dollar the way it is – I don’t think I’ll ever visit it in the future. I just posted where we had lunch here near the park last week, I converted the price of the meal in euros just to show how inexpensive it was – it was about 4 euros – just think of it, a lunch plate, with chicken or other meat or fish with 2 vegetable and bread. Of course that is Georgia country cuisine, not New York gastronomy.

Olivier said...

la premiere photo est magnifique, on croirait que le palais royal a une couronnes toute illuminée

claude said...

Ce post est royal, Peter !
Il est beau, Pas laid du tout...
Le sapin de Noël en bouteilles en plastic est une vraie curiosité et d'une grande originalité.
Tu es royal aussi.

Cezar and Léia said...

This post is a dream!
I really loved that cool idea about a Christmas tree made of plastic green, it's great!
And of course, loved the pictures of Palais Royal at night.
Have a great weekend dear Peter
hugs
Léia

Adam said...

A very complete post as usual! There is something rather spooky about your night photos here, as I imagine there is about the Palais Royal in the middle of the night!

hpy said...

Je n'ai jamais encore vu la station de métro avec son nouveau décor en vrai! Zut alors!

Bagman and Butler said...

Yes...Shicat said it well. Always astounding! You are returning Paris to the glory days of expatriot culture...from poetry and fiction to digital photography. I place you in a line of greats -- Moliere, Gertrude Stein, Hemingway, Peter.

Anonymous said...

The empty spaces were haunting and beautiful.
So much so that when I came upon the picture of the crowds outside the theatre, I wished they'd go away - because they were ruining the mood.
Oh well.
Have a great weekend.

Jim

delphinium said...

moi je sais pas, je dois être une puriste mais une sapin de Noël avec des bouteilles en plastique, ce n'est pas un vrai sapin de Noël. Moi j'aime les vrais sapins de Noël, ceux qui sentent le bois, qui ont de vraies aiguilles qu'ils perdent tout le temps de Noël et qui finissent dans la rue pour que la voirie les ramasse pour en faire un feu de joie. C'est cela pour moi un vrai sapin de Noël mais c'est vrai, je suis une vieille puriste. Et puis je t'ai déjà dit Piteur, tu ne dois pas te promener dans les ruelles sombres la nuit, ça peut être dangereux. Bises et bon WE

Cergie said...

Peux tu nous comminiquer le prix du menu dégustation, du Grand Vefour ? C'est pour la prochaine réunion de bloggueur.
Tu en es ?

Flo de Sendai said...

you make me miss Paris......

Claudia said...

Beautiful and haunting night photographs. I love that Christmas tree made of green plastic bottles. Have a good weekend!

Karin B (Looking for Ballast) said...

I keep running into references about the Palais Royal but have yet to visit! I am glad you mention it here for I really have been intending to go and this is sort of like the Universe communicating, "Do it, already!" :) Maybe this weekend, if it is not too cold.

I am very thankful for your writing the history of this place. I find knowing the background of a place helps create context and more meaning to the visit.

Also, I am completely envious of your night shots! It is so hard for me with my current equipment to get a decent night shot. Yours are wonderful! Kudos on getting such good photos.

Be well, Peter and bon weekend to you.

Karin

Catherine said...

La Station Palais Royal....Comme des perles fantaisie dans un bel écrin classique.

Pour le Grand Véfour...Evite, stp, d'y faire des photos quand j'y serai installée à ma table habituelle....On ne peut plus être tranquille nulle part...C'est dingue ! Clic clac.

Starman said...

My favorite part of that area is the Place Colette because of the musicians who play there.

Ruth said...

Wonderful images of those long walk ways. I've eaten at Le Grand Vefour twice, once for lunch and once for dinner. I'm sorry they lost a star. Pricey, yes, nice for once - or twice - in a lifetime. The dinner especially was absolutely splendid, I'll never forget the most delicious four little ravioli on one plate in one course. Both meals, when we left we were perfectly satisfied, not overly full, which is a feat after so many courses.

Bon week-end, Peter!

di.di said...

yo Peter! whaddup? How's Paris? Cold or super duper cold?

Trotter said...

Hi Peter!
The Palais is an amazing place; love to stroll on those gardens... And the entrance to the Metro is stunning! But I think that the Vefour has seen better days... ;)

Meanwhile a new blog is born: Blogtrotter Two! Hope you enjoy at least as much as the previous version and look forward to reading your comments!
Have a great weekend!!! Gil

Daniel Chérouvrier said...

Post royal !

Wania said...

My dear friend Peter!

The Palais Royal is...
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
Great post!


Have a nice week-end!
Kisses from Brasil to you

Virginia said...

I'm smiling because I have a few shop windows taken right there up my sleeve as well. You need to go back, the tape was down from around the columns Friday night and I caught some kids having a ball climbing them! Thanks for do the history homework on the PR, I'll be sure to link to your post ! :) That works for me!!
V

PS

Alain said...

Je ne suis jamais allé au grand Véfour, mais j'aime beaucoup les boutiques de la galeries, vieillottes et poussièreuses d'un coté, modernes et somptueuses de l'autre.
PS : Le déjeuner est à 88 Euros.

PeterParis said...

shicat:
That's almost too much of compliments and encouragements! Thanks!! :-)

V Rakesh:
Thanks! Yes, the place is nice, indeed! :-)

Vagabonde:
You can eat well at other places than the most famous restaurants, that's for sure! :-)

PeterParis said...

Olivier:
Bien vu!! :-)

Claude:
Des compliments encore! Merci! :-)

Léia:
Let make it real! Hugs to you as well! :-)

PeterParis said...

Adam:
I felt quite safe! No worries! :-)

hpy:
Ca peut s'arranger!, tu sais ou le trouver! :-)

Bagman and Butler:
After these compliments, I don't know if I dare to post again! :-)

PeterParis said...

Jim/Designslinger:
5 minutes later they were all gone! Maybe I did a mistake? :-)

Delphinium:
Puriste peut-être, pas encore vielle! Quelques (très) petits risques sont des fois nécessaires! Bises pour toi aussi! :-)

Cergie:
Dans les 250 à 300 €! Je réserve pour combien? :-)

PeterParis said...

Flo de Sendai:
Thanks for this (first?) comment here! :-)

Claudia:
Quite inventive! Too late to wish you a nice weekend, so I wish you a nice week! :-)

Karin:
The weather was quite a bit better this Sunday, so maybe you did make the visit? If not, it may be even nicer, when the leaves and flowers are back! :-)

PeterParis said...

Catherine:
Si j'y vais, on ira ensemble? ... sans photos! Il y aussi le "bloggers meeting" que Cergie mentionne... :-)

Starman:
Not at the hour that I passed! :-)

Ruth:
Twice more than I! But I have done a few other top ranked restaurants, and now and then it's worth trying! :-)

PeterParis said...

di.di:
Really nice to see you around here again! The cold is gone! You don't need to bring your fur! :-)

Trotter:
I saw your new blog! Bravo!! Nice! :-)

Deslilas:
Un merci royal! :-)

PeterParis said...

Wania:
It IS beuatiful, you are right, even better with some daylight perhaps!
Kisses form Paris to you! :-)

Virginia:
So, you are safely back! Sorry we didn't see so much of each other this time - my fault! ... and thanks for the hint about the Buren columns! :-)

Alain:
Un menu simplifié, sans vin...? Les langoustines rôties valent 108€! :-)

Nathalie H.D. said...

Delphinium peut se permettre d'etre une puriste, elle qui a des vrais sapins plein sa montagne, la chanceuse, mais pour les gens des villes, les sapins en bouteilles recyclées, c'est marrant !

Louis la Vache said...

Peter, «Louis la Vache» has added a link to your blog in the right sidebar of San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

PeterParis said...

Nathalie:
Au moins, les bouteilles vides servent une deuxième fois! :-)

Louis la Vache:
That's very ,kind of you! Sorry if I cannot make the link back; I have concentrated on Paris blogs only! May have to revise this one day. :-)