"just look up"

Many years ago when I first lived in Paris (pre-Jean-Marie), a Parisian friend once said to me, "To really discover Paris, just look up."

She explained to me that the true beauty of Paris and its architecture was the wonderful variety of facades and that to really appreciate them, you could not simply look around you at eye level but had to look up to see them in full splendour.

​Here are some to marvel at.  

Between la rue de Birague et la place des Vosges. This «pavillon du roi» - is now apartments. It was built for Henri IV, entre 1605 et 1607 and is a listed building.

A rare example of the 'Old Paris'. Built between 1644 and 1655 this listed building is at 3, rue Volta (3e).

This wonderful apartment block build from stone, brick, wood and rubble in the néo-mormand style is located at 27, rue George Mander (XVIe)

A remarkable stone building decorate with ceramic dates from 1899 and is located at 29, Avenue Rapp (VIIe).

14 rue d’Abbeville (10e) built in 1901 with 'false vegetation' unlike today's penchant for real plants on our buildings.

An exceptional, highly decorate 1902 facade at 29, Avenue MacMahon (17e).

43 rue des Couronnes (20e) a decorated brick building giving a truly industrial feel.

A highly unusual tiled building housing three apartments and designed by the architect Henri Deneux in 1910 to 1913.

Another tiled early 20th century building close to the Luxembourg Gardens at 26 rue Vavin (6e).

A red brick public housing complex of 560 apartments located at 97,99 Avenue Simon Bolivar and 10, 12 rue Mathurin-Moreau (XIXe).

A more modern social housing building of stone, concrete and glass constructed between 1981-1984 at 152 Avenue d’Italie.

Waves of glass for this Marriott Hotel designed by Christian de Portzamparc and build in 2008 at 37 Avenue de Wagram (17e).

This articles was inspired by the book ​'PARIS 100 FAÇADES REMARQUABLES' published by Parigramme.

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