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Tag Archives: Angels of Paris

Ancient Angels, Tapestries and A Gargoyle

Within walking distance of our hotel are some Angels dating from 1407 on the auberge of Nicolas Flamel, a philanthropist who provided lodging for the peasants who came from the countryside to plough the fields nearby. Thence to La Musee de Moyen Ages where the six most beautiful tapestries in the world are to be found telling the story of The Lady and the Unicorn. I can spend hours here! I am so moved by the work, the colours, the detail – if you ever get the chance to see them, please grab it! These date from about 1450 and although said to be faded are still glorious. The lighting does not lend itself to good photos. I love the expression on the face of this lion!

We made a delicious new discovery while in the Cluny, a tiny Chapel which wasn’t open when we first visited about 15 years ago. The stone work was incredible, the paintings delightful, the doorway to a spiral staircase quite enchanting and the Angels full of mischief!

After this most pleasing visit we went hunting Angels again. We found the Macaron Angels on a patisserie, mosaic Angels on a Church and a ceramic and stoneware Angel left over from the Exposition Universelle of 1889.

And perhaps the best saved until last – a wonderful gargoyle on the top of the Cluny Museum. Don’t you just love this monster? I do!

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on November 17, 2016 in architecture, art, Beauty, ceramics, History, Humour

Tags: Angels of Paris, France, Musee de Moyen Age, Paris, photography, postaday2016, Rosemary Flannery

Parisian Angels, The Eiffel Tower and Metro Stations

15 Nov

All the way over to the 17th Arondissement today to find the church of St Odile. Rosemary Flannery describes the facade of the church as having ‘an orchestra of Angels’ and so they were. What an absolute delight, so many twelve year old Angels with instruments, all as in an Egyptian mural and all with the most beautiful feathered wings. The church was beautiful inside too with glorious stained glass. Building was begun in 1935 but for various reasons was not completed until 1946. Anne-Marie Roux-Colas designed this beautiful facade.

There was lots of colour too in the garden next to the Church.Next we headed to a view of the Eiffel Tower next door to the Palais de Chaillot where we wanted to find a quirky horizontal Angel. First the tower with the top lost in mist and reflected in the water below and a rain-dropped rose petal caught in the corner of one of the steps.

Can you see him, flying in from the left? This one by Jean Rennee Debarre dates from 1937.

We are enjoying travelling on the Metro, fast, quiet (rubber wheels unlike in London) and with some very lovely stations. This first is our local when we travel on line 11, the next when we travel on line 3.

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on November 15, 2016 in architecture, art, Beauty, environment, glass

Tags: Angels of Paris, Anne-Marie Roux-Colas, Jean Rene-Debarre, photography, postaday2016

Angels, Macarons and Shops

14 Nov

Today we have continued our architectural tour of Paris in the 3rd and 4th arondissements. We have found Angels in stone and in wrought iron, Angels with lions and Angels with lyres, on walls and porticoes and on Notre Dame, feeding squirrels and holding shields. We have walked streets and lanes and discovered byways and parks we would never have found but for our angel hunt. Join us on our adventure. We have walked miles!

Notre Dame Cathedral from the rose bed.

These and another pair can be found on the pediment of the Hotel Soubrise. The little pile of wood that one Angel sits on, a fascine, is for making parapets. They date from 1708.

These two from 1914 are raising the coat of arms of Saintonge. The pair across the arch represent Bretagne. They are each a boy and girl pair which seems quite unusual.

These two lovely little boy Angels date from 1660 and were sculpted by Thomas Regnaudin, whose work can also be found in the fountains of Versailles.
Here is a sweet little figure feeding a squirrel and next a chubby little chap with curly hair representing Love.

On the way around we passed a spectacular macaron shop and, truly, we did pass and didn’t go in!

Going through such little streets we came across lots of artisan shops – among them a music shop, a repairs shop and a prestidigitation store.

Lastly, near our hotel we found a basement allotment!

The following, while not conventionally beautiful, touched us both with the terrible story it tells and the appositeness in the political wind blowing through some parts of Western democracy.

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on November 14, 2016 in architecture, art, Beauty, blacksmith metalwork, environment, History

Tags: Angels of Paris, Notre Dame, Paris, photography, postaday2016

Family Fun and Angels in Paris

13 Nov

A few hours of fun with our Live Wires and we were off to catch the Eurostar to Paris!

J is here showing his little cousin how to slide down the banisters!

We have come to Paris on an Angel hunt. We were introduced to this idea by two people we met earlier this year who had just returned from the city having scoured the streets and buildings looking for Angels and had loved their discovery of streets and lanes where the traveller rarely goes. To help us in our quest we have Rosemary Flannery’s little book, ‘Angels of Paris’.

Can you just imagine our delight when we emerged from the Metro, having walked maybe 50 yards when we came across our first Angel serendipitously on our way to our hotel . Our first so typical view as we came out of the Metro……

….was followed closely by The Lighthouse Angel, a huge and beautiful creature, smiling graciously over the street below. To quote from Rosemary Flannery’s charming book, “Its tassel earrings, beaded necklace, ribbon sash and embroidered bag make him a beacon for the passemonterie, or trimmings trade, for which the neighbourhood was known.” Watch this space for more Angels of Paris over the next few days.