Seine by night

Paris is an amazing city and I think I've probably said that every time I talk about Paris, but I'm sure you agree with me! I haven't done a travel or a photography post in a while and I've been wanting to show you these pictures for a long time. Today I'll guide you step by step through one of my favorite walks through Paris. 

Strolling along the banks of the Seine is always very relaxing, but the part of the Seine between the Louvre or the Musée d'Orsay and St Michel at dusk is simply breathtaking. The colors are incredible! At first you see the sun setting and cast its purple, red and golden reflections on the water and the surrounding buildings. Then the yellow lights of the city slowly get turned on and start shimmering in the distance up to the Eiffel Tower, only to leave way to the bluish shades that come as the night sets in. 

I love this part of the Seine, partly because it's near the Sorbonne, where I spent an amazing year of my life, but also because it's very "alive" and full of culture, architecture and style. You can pick your favorite spot: among the bouquinistes on the Orsay side of the river, selling old books, paintings and illustrations; the amazing Haussmanian style buildings; the museums (the former trainstation that hosts the Musée d'Orsay nowadays and the Louvre) or the fabulous art déco building of the Samaritaine, the chic grand magasin of the early 20th cenury. On the way towards St Michel and Ile de la Cité you also stumble upon some of the best bohemian hangouts on the Seine: Pont des Arts, where lovers attach padlocks with their names on them wishing for eternal love, always full of people and musicians and Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris with the Square du Vert Galant underneath it where people come for a quiet time in the shade or for a picnic on the banks of the river. Everything about this area is very inspiring for me! Sometimes I wish I could sit down and paint or sketch, but as far as my talent goes I guess a picture is the closest way to capture all the beauty out there.

Pont des Arts

Pont des Arts

Pont des Arts

Pont des Arts

Pont Neuf and Square du Vert Galant
(the small "peninsula" in the middle)

View of the Eiffel Tower from the Pont des Arts

Samaritaine

To be completely honest, although I just came back from a mini Paris break last week, I have to tell you that these pictures are not that recent - I took them in February and still haven't shown them to you... I hope you'll enjoy them nevertheless and for my next travel post, I promise you the pictures will be much more recent. Should I give you a hint? Think something in the lines of... what the Netherlands are famous for ;)