29.3.10

Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré

Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré is a long street, but today we will concentrate on a part of it (please see map), where we find the Elysée Palace*, the official residence of the French President, some embassies and a lot of fashionable shops.


I happened to pass when the Brisitsh Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, left the Elysée Palace after a talk with Nicolas Sarkozy (see top picture).

The Elysée Palace was built 1720-22, has been occupied by different personalities including Madame de Pompadour, Napoleon I, The Russian Tsar Alaxander I, Napoleon III and by the French Presidents since 1879.

Mr. Brown had a very short ride to do in the Rolls as he headed for the nearby British Embassy. Actually, you will, among a number of  elegant residencies built during the 18th and 19th centuries on the southern side of the street, find the US, the British and the Japanese embassies (with large gardens behind).


The northern side of the street has some slightly less elegant buildings, but all along the street you can find all the luxury boutiques you need for your shopping. Especially notable is perhaps the Hermès building with the horse rider on the roof, the company symbol. (In June 2007, we had an exchange post with Nathalie about this, as she had found the same statue on a building in Sidney where she then lived.)
________
*/ I was able to enter the inner court of the Palace during the "World Music Day" in 2008 and made a post about it.

34 comments:

Owen said...

Ah Paris... the center of the known universe, right ?

Simony said...

I love all those architectural details. The carving on the doors I just want to touch them!

Erin Wallace said...

Oh, this takes me back to Paris! Thank you so!

Cheryl said...

I remember that street! It was one of those streets where I could only window shop. And if I remember correctly the American Embassy is there and was surrounded with concrete barriers. I hope it is more friendly looking now...

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Wow! Very impressive!

Louis la Vache said...

Here we have a Rolls-Royce coming out, perhaps to meet this one at McDo?a

Olivier said...

c'est un très beau quartier, tu n'as pas pu faire une photo de paparazzi en prenant la personne dans la Rools ;o). On dirait que ton gendarme porte un masque ;o)) (non je sais, tu n'as pas le choix, le droit a l'image, et si je me rappelle bien il est interdit de montrer le visage d'un gendarme sans une autorisation de l'armée).

hpy said...

Si tu ne l'avais pas dit - mais comment ne l'aurais-tu pas fait - j'aurais ajouté que le British Embassy est à quelques pas de l'Elysée. (Je me demande si c'est parce que les frères ennemis ont besoin de se surveiller!)

Adam said...

I was there once also by chance when the Pope was due to visit. It was amusing to see the other people arriving first, the ministers and guests, and to see who arrived on foot, who came in a car with clear windows and wonder who was in the cars with tinted windows! The people working in the shops opposite must see quite a few well known faces!

Anonymous said...

Wow. An impressive sight. So many buildings with impressive exteriors. I wonder if Paris is still growing in numbers or is it beginning to lose citizens who move to other cities?

Parisbreakfasts said...

Simply gorgeous pictures!
I never saw the horse atop Hermes until this last visit! I don't know why...too busy leche le vitrines peut-etre?
Merci
Carolg

Catherine said...

Gordon makes me tell you that His Excellency, the Right Honourable Gordon Brown regrets that you decline, Peter, His offer to get in His car to drive you home. He was really sorry you were so busy to finish your post. His excellency proposes you to see you next time. Do you always get His private cell number ? Otherwise, ask me....

Le communiqué de L'Elysée said...

Nous ne le repèterons jamais assez, le port de la cagoule est puni par la loi ! Le tout agrémenté d'une casquette est deux fois plus délictueux ! Veillez à identifier le contrevenant !

Starman said...

I never got to see anyone enter or leave the Elysée Palace.

Alain said...

Si les révolutionnaires de 1789 revenaient, ils penseraient certainement qu'ils n'y a pas grand chose de changé...

krystyna said...

The Elysée Palace ... what a beautiful trip I had here today!

Thanks Peter!

Cergie said...

Je me souviens de cet échange avec Nathalie...
Tous ces beaux immeubles ne sont que des résidences de fonction et provisoires. (Vaut-il mieux un petit chez soi qu'un grand chez les autres. Ce n'est pas nous qui en aurons le choix)

Cergie said...

Et oui en TRES bonne compagnie le 30 mars 2008 et pourtant pour moi jour de funeste mémoire.
Cette sortie cependant fut un bon dérivatif.
A plusse !

Nathalie H.D. said...

Moi aussi je me souviens de ce mystérieux Bonaparte qui m'a bien intriguée à Sydney. Vraiment amusant maintenant qu'on connait l'histoire.

Nathalie H.D. said...

LOL Catherine !

C'est quoi cette voiture qui sortait de l'Elysée ? On dirait un char d'assaut !

PeterParis said...

Owen:
Some may think so, espcially the occupants of this street! :-)

Simony:
You can with some, but the safety guards very present here lay not always appreciate! :-)

Erin:
So nice if I can make you come back to Paris so easily! :-)

PeterParis said...

Cheryl:
The shops are there, the embassies are there... quite well guarded! :-)

V Rakesh:
Thanks! :-)

Louis:
:-))

PeterParis said...

Olivier:
Oui, je sais que c'est un peu sensible de photographier gendarmes, policiers...! :-)

hpy:
Oui, mais je l'ai dit! :-)

Adam:
There is a flat with a balcony just in front, very popular with (professional) photographers! :-)

PeterParis said...

Abraham:
The Paris population is rather unchanged since a couple of years I believe, som two million only in Paris, but some 8 - 12 million with suburbs (depending on how many of thoose you include). :-)

ParisBreakfasts:
Actually I discovered it also only thanks to Nathalie! :-)

Catherine:
Don't worry, I have his address, 10 Downing Street! :-)

PeterParis said...

Le communiqué...:
C'est noté, pour une prochaine fois! :-)

Starman:
... and was never invited yourself? :-)

Alain:
C'est bien vrai! :-)

PeterParis said...

Krystyna:
If you are happy, I'm happy! :-)

Cergie:
Bien, tu as une bonne mémoire! ... et ta question est bonne, bien sur! :-)

Cergie bis:
En effet, je me souviens si bien de cette journée! :-)

PeterParis said...

Nathalie:
Un Bonaparte qui n'est pas un finalement! :-)

Nathalie bis:
Tu préfères des modèles de Rolls qui datent un peu? :-)

Virginia said...

P,
I left a comment but I guess Blogger ate it as it did for some of my commenters recently.

Well, all I had to add was that we did have a Parisian Adventure at the American Embassy a while back! It was harrowing at the time but had a good outcome thanks to you and our dear Alice. What would we have done without the two of you!:)

And those doors! Well that's on my new list for the next visit!!!!

V

Nathalie H.D. said...

Oui oui bien sûr ce n'est pas Bonaparte mais au départ c'est vraiment ce que je croyais, c'est ce qui m'a mise sur la mauvaise voie pendant longtemps.

(et concernant la voiture, je ne suis pas sûre d'avoir compris ta réponse : c'est un vieux modèle de Rolls?)

PeterParis said...

Virginia:
Blogger has some fantasies now and then! :-)

Nathalie:
Oui, je sais, tu n'étais pas seul(e)!
Je pensai que tu n'aimais pas trop le dernier modèle de la Rolls. :-)

Ruth said...

I would shop only with my eyes.

richard said...

Nice to see Gordon Brown is in touch with his presbyterian roots. My god , that must be the ugliest Rolls ever. It's a truck. Compare what BMW have done with Rolls to what Volkswagen have done with Bentley....

Trotter said...

Hey Peter, this time you exagerated luxury: never went out of the Elysée in a Rolls! Actually there was no need; the Bristol is just across the street... ;))

PeterParis said...

Ruth:
The case for most of us! :-)

Richard:
Yes, it's a bit truck-like! :-)

Trotter:
... and Gordon could also easily have walked to his Embassy! :-)