Paris architecture tour?
 

Reflecting back on our recent trip to Paris, my neighbor and I were wondering is there a tour that presents and discusses the various architecture in Paris. Also, specifically how the various structures were constructed.

I guess being an engineer by degree "forces" me to think this way, but seeing the structures just absolutely boogles my mind that they are hundreds of years old and did not have modern tools.

Maybe a job "opportunity" when I am retired.

From your comment about the hundreds of years old, it sounds like you really are referring only to certain kinds of buildings and structures. I have not heard of an architecture tour that covers all styles of buildings and eras in Paris, I think that would be too much to cover in one tour. I think tours of a specific building do usually discuss building techniques and engineering principles to some degree (eg, flying buttresses), I seem to recall that whenever I've taken tours of old churches. Also, most general tours do discuss such things a little when viewing certain buildings.

Maybe a tour geared towards engineers would be something new, sure, but it would probably have a limited audience. Running a tour company in Paris isn't that casual an enterprise or an easy way to get rich. You need to be licensed. I have taken classes in French architectural history, as it's one of my special interests and have taken tours in Paris that are in French that focused on specific buildings, they do exist, but the average tourist wouldn't run across them.

For example, I've taken at least one tour from Pierre Jaslet who has a diplome from the Sorbonne in art history, and he does various walking tours which include architecture, this is an example of the kind of folks doing this stuff in Paris
http://conferences.jaslet.free.fr/

Here's another one I've taken, and they cover various parts of Paris, including buildings
http://www.parisbalades.com/Pittores...te/default.htm

This is another company who does focus a lot on architecture
http://decouverteparis.wifeo.com/actualite.php

www.frenchlinks.com has some architecture tours but not geared to professionals or engineers, a lot of companies do that.

My comment about running a tour was tongue in cheek.

I read your query with interest. I, too, though not an engineer, have an interest in architecture. So many times when I am traveling in Europe I wish that I had hooked up with a guide or a tour that focuses on this subject.

I would also appreciate it if anyone has any information on this, both for Paris and for other cities in France, Spain and Italy.

I was thinking bout contacting universities with schools of architecture to see about a graduate student guide..but how would one go about this?

Check whether the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine in the Palais de Chaillot provides information. You might want to start there anyway for its full size models of important architectural elements of French architecture through the ages.

My husband is an architect and a few years ago we spent between Christmas and New Years in Paris and picked up a book at Centre Pompidou called Guide to Modern Architecture in Paris by Hervé Martin. Each page describes one building, the architect, the date it was built, the address, métro stop and we made our own tour! We mostly went with buildings from the Art Deco/Le Corbusier period. We saw some really lovely buildings and had fun going into neighborhoods that we normally would never have had a reason to look into.

And I forgot to add that the top half of the page is in French and the bottom half in English

As an aside, Paris has a museum of monuments, all replicas that you can wander among and touch.

<i>Paris has a museum of monuments</i>

That's the Cit&eacute; de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine.

Rick Steeves offers a free audio walking tour called &quot;Historic Paris&quot;. You can download it as a podcast or from his site to an iPod, MP3 player, Zune, etc.