The Beautiful Ceilings Of Paris

 When visiting Paris, it is always a good idea to always look up.
It doesn't matter if you are walking along a Paris street ... by
looking up you will see some incredible architectural detailing
and sculptures that you might have missed if you stroll the streets
like we do in North America.  

And when you are in a wonderful Paris building, looking up may
just give you a thrill of a lifetime.   It did for me when I visited the 
Opera Garnier in Paris.  All the times I have traveled to Paris, I
had never visited this beautiful landmark.

The ceilings were breathtaking and the most famous of the
ceilings in the Opera is the hand painted ceiling by
Marc Chagall in the main theatre.  It was painted in
1964 and depicts scenes from the operas of 
14 different composers.
 The Opera building is called the Palais  Garnier 
and is the home of the Paris opera and ballet.
The Grand Staircase is another impressive 
space in this beautiful building.
 As is the Grand Foyer.
There is so much gold on the walls and ceilings
that even Donald Trump would be envious.
 We visited the opera on a rainy day
but I would have loved to see the beautiful windows
and gold interior sparkle on a sunny day.  
Or even better, at a performance at night.

The Phantom of the Opera has
the Opera Garnier as it's setting.
 Just across the street from the Opera is the famous
department store Galeries Lafayette.  I usually drop in once
during every trip to Paris.  I am not a big shopper but
I love the grandeur of these most lovely buildings.

The colors are difficult to capture with a photograph
because the details of the stained glass, gold accents, 
wrought iron railings and elaborate wallpapers are
so intricate.  It must be seen in person.
 I love the juxtaposition of the new and glitzy 
with the old and even more glitzy.
And Christmas time?
Breathtaking.
 My favorite of all the major department stores in Paris 
is Le Bon Marché in the 7th arrondissement.
I love the ornate but understated art deco design.
This room is their stationery and book department.
I could spend hours here reading on
their lovely couches and just soaking in
the beautiful surroundings.
Don't you love the simplicity of the stain glass ceiling
in this department of the Bon Marché?
Visit this older post where I show more photos
of this excellent Paris department store.

Next time in Paris,
look up.
You will not be disappointed.

And please stop by and visit Solange,
a true Parisian woman who loves to 
shop at Le Bon Marché so that she has 
the right gown to wear to the Opera.
My Etsy Shop.



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