1.11.10

Place Saint Michel

Place Saint Michel is a place where a lot of people decide to meet; easy to find, easy to define. … in front of the fountain. We are close to the Quartier Latin, Saint Germain des Prés... cinemas, bars, book shops… students, tourists….

The fountain dates from 1860, created by Gabriel Davioud, who was also the man behind a lot of still existing, some buildings which have disappeared and many other fountains in Paris. He also participated in the creation of the little park, close to where I live, Square des Batignolles, on which I have often posted (see here and here).

The spectacular fountain at Place Saint Michel has of course, logically, a statue* of Saint Michael, the Archangel, terracing the devil.
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*Created by F-J Duret

34 comments:

Owen said...

Hi Peter,
Looks like you just posted this a second ago, it came up while I was looking at Molière there... you've been busy I can see, me too, I've been too absent from all my favorite blogs, like yours, work has been nuts... but better late than never right ? With a little luck this will be the first comment here, on Halloween eve...

I used to love to sit on the edge of this fountain when I was a student at the Sorbonne, just a block or two away... and used to love to watch the... errrr.... the scenery passing by. Ah to be young in Paris !
:-)
Hope you are exceedingly well, and will look forward to seeing you one of these days before too long in Paris for a little walk around and a glass to drink after...

Erin Wallace said...

This fountain blew me away. It is just fantastic. I wanted to be like the students at the Sorbonne and jump right in - simply stunning!

xo Erin

tiago said...

easy money !

shara octaviani said...

hii...i really wanna go to paris but i really don't wanna go to ordinanry palces,do you have any recommendation???thanks

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Marvelous! It surely is a matter of such a lot of pleasure to be able to catch a glimpse of these wonders through your blog!

Nathalie said...

I went to Paris expecting to fall in love with the fountain at Place de la Concorde. Instead I fell in love with Fontaine Saint Michel.

SusuPetal said...

Beautiful.

It's November, the darkest month! I've been painting a lot, less writing, and I've been a little lazy to read blogs and leave comments. Sorry.

Alain said...

Chaque ville a ses lieux de rendez-vous. A Montpellier, c'est aussi une fontaine, celle des "trois graces" sur la place de la comédie.

joanna said...

Peter:

I love the light in the top photo, it casts an ethereal glow to the photo. Like Erin I too think it would a passionate think to dive right in to that stunning fountain.

Looked at the links of the older posts you provided love that Banana tree.

Thank you for the lovely comment, it seems I may becoming too predictable in my posts, a change perhaps is due.

Have a lovely week ,
cheers,
joanny

Claude said...

Je découvre votre blog ... bravo !

Simony said...

What a fun place to be, to see people and to be seen! When I come to Paris this is the place where I want to meet you, OK?
Have a great week, Peter!

megu said...

Several years ago I went to Paris. But I do not go there. I want to go to Pari again!

amatamari© said...

Ah that beautiful city, and your magnificent pictures are very valuable for my future trip ...
:-)

Thanks for sharing!

Parisbreakfasts said...

Funny I always find this by accident. I get lost in that area so easily but those are some of my most favorite fountains in Paris...
merci
carolg

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I know this place well Peter .. :-) yep as you say a great meeting point.

ziad said...

Hope you have fun today, enjoy the corn flakes!

www.gana3.com/vb

Olivier said...

un superbe quartier tres vivant, j'ai passe pas mal de temps dans ce coin quand je vivais à Paris

The Clever Pup said...

Yay Peter, The Blog of Note mantel is much deserved.

Devon DeAngelo said...

I walk past there almost everyday on my way to school at the Sorbonne :) It never gets old. So beautiful!

rauf said...

As always, the best of art music literature architecture comes out of religion. St. Michel is one of the prime examples of faith and devotion.

Ideology blunts our reason. In acts of war driven by greed or pushing ideology or hatred, architecture suffers along with people. We humans are very good in creating myths Peter. We may change, evolve, we may shed all our old beliefs and embrace new beliefs, we may create new myths, but these symbols of beauty splendour and perfection should be preserved at all costs.

watch said...

The fountain is so beautiful, I want to go to Paris.

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ratedpeople said...

Wow,what a place?

Mia M. said...

I like the book store there, Gibert Jeune. I bought my "Paris poche" pocket street bock there. I can only recommend buying a thing like that when you stay there longer. All the streets and velib stations are in it.

I miss the city so much.
Great blog!

bisous,
mia

Cezar and Léia said...

So beautiful sculpture, Saint Michael is very popular in Europe!I've seen so many Saint Michael Churches around!:)
Perfect and interesting pictures, very well done dear friend.
Also thanks so much for your always kind words, friendship and support.
I know life is busy for us.But this week I have some free time from school and I need to say it's wonderful,I need some time to sleep and rest.
Hugs
Léia

Cergie said...

Et ben tu as de la réserve si tu publies sur toutes les places car il y en a plus que de lieux de cultes à Paris. Il est vrai que la place St Michel a qchose de spécial, ne serait ce que par sa location charnière. D'ailleurs c'est là que j'ai accompagné notre fils en métro pour sa rentrée en classe prépa. Ensuite il a remonté tout seul le boulevard Saint-Michel : trop la honte d'avoir sa maman !

Diane said...

What a truluy beautiful blog. Although you are assisted by having the most blogworthy material ever at your fingertips. I love Paris - I was I was there.

Unknown said...
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Sarah Wilson said...

on my second wedding anniversary we are going to Paris...i hope to see this beautiful place. :)
~sarah

Peter said...

You got some very nice pictures. Liked them =)

Starman said...

I very much like that section of the city.
We considered getting in touch with you while we were there, but thought you might not yet be ready for silly socializing.

Unknown said...

wonderfull blog....
You are free to see my blog of nice vintage France poster, map and stamps rubber

Trotter said...

I love this place! Magical and... mythical

Vagabonde said...

You made me nostalgic with La Place St Michel. Before I went to school in the latin quarter there I used to come with my mum every fall to Gibert to get second hand books for school. Then when I went to school in the quarter I got out of the metro there, waited for friends in the café nearby. I also would go to the old cinema right there.
Whenever I go to Paris it is rare that I don’t go to St Michel because it really feels like home. I spent so much time in that area. Studying in the café, eating a cheap lunch, meeting my boyfriends, going to les caveaux rue de la Huchette, to dance at night, so many hours passed in that area….. ou est passé le temps?

the mollusk said...

hey hey peter!
i love your blog! du you like mollusks?
greetings the mollusk