Paris at sunset
 

Hello:
I will be travelling to Paris in October and have rented an apartment in the 7e. May main interest is cityscape and architectural photography. I plan to photograph sunrises near the apartment and explore the rest of the city till dark. I am scouting, in advance, locations to photograph the sun setting on a Parisian foreground. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Greg

From the steps at Sacre Coeur, from the terrace at Brasserie de l'Isle Saint-Louis, from the rooftop cafe at Printemps Beauté et Maison, and you'll discover many more.

I would think that there are many bridges over the Seine (e.g. Pont des Arts) that would do the job. I saw a few nice sunrises over Notre Dame...

Also try standing on the Pont des Arts or one of Paris' other bridges!

Great minds think alike - we posted the same idea at alomst the same minute!

And, a really nice spot is from the riverside below Port des Champs-Elysees with the Pont Alexandre III in the foreground and the Tour Eiffel beyond.

I've also taken some nice end of day shots at Places des Vosges.

I could see the Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, along the Seine (at river level) near ND and Ile St Louis) being nice.

Another location, less well known, nice any time of day, is Square du Vert Galant. on western tip of Ile de la Cite, panoramic views of Louvre, Seine,etc...

Thank you everyone for the great feedback. I will have to study my map once again and digest the information. Are there many restrictions on using a tripod in Paris?

I don't think you are allowed to use a tripod in Paris to photograph public buildings or in private places. If you are very public about your tripod use and in major places where there are police around, you might not be allowed.

Don't forget the top of the Buttes Chaumont or the Parc de Belleville.

Even the top of rue des Pyrénées, coming out of métro Télégraphe or Pyrénées, has a great view plunging down to lower Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

Take a local train from Gare St-Lazare up to St-Cloud. All of Paris will be at your feet.

I almost said that -- the view from Mont Valérien is breathtaking. But I'm not sure how adventurous Greg is, staying in the 7th.

My time is limited - the photo opportunities unlimited. There is more than enough to fill my week - far more. I will probably not venture far from the city this time.

Tripods not allowed and cannot photograph PUBLIC buildings, that sounds nuts. Do I have to get a license or something? I see pictures of buildings in Paris especially at night when a tripod is used the most.

Clea

Some buildings are 'copyrighted' and you cannot take <b>professional</b> photographs without paying fees. It is one of the reasons that you don't see the Eiffel Tower twinkling in most movies -- the visual rights for the lighting effect are extremely expensive.

One of the strangest manifestations of this in France is the Auvergne volcanic region. Almost all of the volcanos are privately owned, and rights must be paid for commercial illustrations. Volvic mineral water almost was forced to change its label because of this.

I'm not photography expert, but I wrote that because I've read it -- and more than once, in various places. I think the concept is that if you are using a tripod, you are likely a professional. I just know I've read that the police have stopped some people from doing that (like photographing with a tripod in Pere Lachaise, the Assemble Nationale, etc.).

If you read the cemetery rules in any Parisian cemetery, you will see that photography is forbidden. In recent years it has been tolerated, as long as you remain respectful and are not a professional. I still would not take a photograph in front of a cemetery guard.

Ah, Michel_Paris, you mentioned Place des Vosges, that one's great with the sun going down lighting up the apricot colored bricks - gorgeous.

djkbooks, I still haven't gotten a sunset photo from Sacre Coeur, it's almost de rigeur and yet it still eludes me! :P

All of these mentioned are great ideas, especially the ones from the bridges!

Here are a few of my favorites, you can see for yourself if this might be what you're looking for:
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/56454749
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/56454752
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/56739453
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/56739454
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/wedne...h&amp;page=all
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/58296358
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/58296352
(and the next 3 photos in the Jardins des Tuileries)
http://www.pbase.com/beatchick/image/58359519

Views from the passerelle Simone de Beauvoir between the biblioth&egrave;que Fran&ccedil;ois Mitterrand and the parc de Bercy are also becoming de rigueur.

Merci, Kerouac! I can't wait to see this new bridge next trip. :)