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April in Paris - A Photo Journey - There's just something special about Paris. The warm sun, the colorful flowers everywhere, and much more. Join the Café as we walk the walks and see the sights of this unforgettable city!
Hi Café visitors, this is Scott. Chris asked me to share some of photos I shot while we were in Paris for a week this April. The easy part for a photographer is shooting the incredible sights we have the opportunity of seeing every day. The hard part is choosing just a few from that gigantic file of photos!
When we began our London/Paris spring trip, I had about 800 photos on a huge 64 gig SD memory card. On our fifth day in Paris, as we were just entering St. Chapelle (an amazing medieval cathedral in the heart of Paris), I got the "card full" indicator in my Canon viewfinder. I shoot in what photographers call "raw" file format. Simply translated, that means each photo is the highest quality my camera can produce. It also means that each photo uses up a lot of memory space.
Guess how many pictures I'd taken since we left the U.S.? Try 1,600! The crazy thing is, that 1,000 of these were in Paris alone during the first 5 days! Add another 400 or so, and you now know what this photographer been doing since we returned from Paris; reviewing photos!
But all that said; it's worth it, Chris and I would love to give you a sense that you were (virtually) with us! We kept that in mind each day in Paris when we headed out for a new Café adventure!
Enough talk! Let's let the pictures tell the story!
Places
Of course, when you think of Paris, probably the strongest connection in most people's minds is its' internationally famous, instantly recognizable historic sights.
People
In so many ways, Parisians are just like any other group of citizens of a large metropolis. But there's just something quite special about them that sets them apart.
Parks
Since our daughter moved to London 5 years ago, Chris and I have had the wonderful opportunity to travel abroad several times a year (we can't stay away from those grandbabies for very long). We have enjoyed observing how Europeans truly love and utilize their parks. In a city of 2.2 million, people get pretty packed in, yet with wide boulevards and parks, large and small everywhere you turn, it doesn't really seem that large.
Markets
Chris and I love visiting open-air markets. This is where Paris excels. A couple blocks from our center-of-the-city apartment, we could go three days a week and find everything from produce, to seafood, meats to spices, scarves to jewelry and pastries to baguettes; not to mention the people watching!
Shopping in Paris
Parisians take their shopping seriously. And so do the millions of tourists (like us!) who come each year for the myriad of stores of every shape, size, price and interest.
Paris - From Any Angle
For a travel/food photographer, there are unique photo ops by the gallons! My only restriction? Time!
And now it's time to say goodbye to this unbelievable City of Light. We love you Paris! You're forever in our hearts!
Au revoir!
P.S. When we were planning the trip to Paris, we decided to rent a flat in Paris for our week long stay. We were a little nervous as this was not something we'd done before. It turned out to be an amazing experience. The apartment was charming and well equipped. It was ideally located, right in the heart of the Latin Quarter. Renting was economical compared to staying at a hotel and gave us a more authentic view of life in Paris. You can read all about our little Paris apartment here and here.
Shop Our Café Loves
We’ve gathered our favorite kitchen tools, tableware, and entertaining treasures in one place, the Café Loves store. It’s a wonderful spot to find something special for yourself or the cooks and hosts you love!
Your photos are beautiful. While taking these photos, were you within walking distance of the little Parisian apartment?
Thanks Kim, we did walk there but it was a l---o---n---g walk. 🙂
The photos are beautiful! What my fiancé and I are going in April what part of the month were you there? What camera did you use? We have the small point and shoot digitals and a a big Canon as well. Trying to decide what we want to use, and if it is worth lugging around the large camera. Especially if the weather is wet.
Thanks Ted! So glad you enjoyed the photos. Scott shoots with what he calls his "big boy" camera. It's a full frame Canon 6D. For the professional shooting we do, it gives us the quality and control that's essential for our food shots and culinary travel posts. Point and shoot cameras are good, but limited, since a lot of them don't allow you to manually control depth of field, shutter speed and ISO. But the advantage to point and shoots is that you can slip one one your pocket and not worry about it - so it's a little bit of a toss up. Any time we travel, Scott carries a daypack to put the camera, coats, sunglasses, store purchases, and umbrellas in. It's come in very handy in multiple trips throughout the UK and France this past six years.
Thanks for sharing your lovely photos
What a delight to see all of these and thank you so much. Conde` Nast should definitely give you a call Scott!
Thank you for taking us to Paris! Chris' recipes helped me taste Paris and Scott's photos made me feel like I was there. Both have me dreaming about our next, yet-unplanned, trip across the pond). 🙂
Aw. thanks Monique!
Thank you for sharing your amazing photos of Paris!
Your views of Paris are beautiful - from the tiniest trinket to the Eiffel Tower!
Truly beautiful pictures! I'm going to be looking for that building with the plants embedded on the side when we go in a couple of months! (Do you remember where that was?)
WOW! 1st of all....Thank You for sharing your pictures, since I've never been to Paris, I got a good feel for it. Paris is on my "bucket-list" and since I am a thriving cancer survivor, I am currently starting to plan my Paris trip, thanks to you two for sharing your awesome, fantastic photos and blog. Your kids are so lucky to have you two for parents!! (By the way, I'm up for adoption 🙂
What an amazing trip. I would love to go back to Paris. It is gorgeous just like your photos. They really captured how beautiful Paris is.
My husband was just recently talking about our visiting Paris, as he's never been. I went 10 years ago when I accompanied a group of high school girls on a tour of London, Paris and Rome. Your pictures are amazing and I think it's time for us to put Paris on the bucket list. I appreciate the info on the flat, as that initially sounds scary, but based on your experience, it sounds delightful.
Ahh Chris what magnificent photos. Oh to be in Paris!
Really, Claire, REALLY!
Beautiful. Simply, beautiful. The fires of my wanderlust have been stoked. 🙂 Thank you for this virtual Paris vacation!
You're very welcome Wendy!
Beautiful photos chris! I feel like I was there with you!
Thanks Cynthia! You were, in a sense!
Thank you thank you for sharing these pictures!! What a lovely trip you had. My husband and I are planning to go to Paris in the next couple of years and this just makes me want to get there even sooner!! Magnifique!
Thanks for your sweet, sweet comments Shanna!
Absolutely stunning photos, Scott! You really did capture the magic of the city. Thanks for sharing it 🙂
Thanks Jennifer, we were hoping to do that!
I loved these photos. It seems like a lifetime has passed since I was in Paris last. I'd love to visit and stay 3 months and take my time exploring everything.
To Chris and I, Maureen, it's the unnoticed, out-of-the-way things that are so fascinating and fun to discover and document. You really could spend months uncovering Paris, or France, for that matter.
wow Scott, those photos are so beautiful.....some of them are even better than the paris post cards I saw in our post office!!!
Thanks for the very encouraging comment Angie. I love to shoot wherever we go. It's a great way to permanently capture memories for us.
You truly captured "Springtime in Paris" - beautifully
Thanks so much - what a sweet comment!
Tres magnifique! Merci!
Merci to you too Maria!
Wonderful photos. It was like I was there with you. Thanks.
You bet Susan! We were hoping you'd come with us through the stories and pics.
PS.....what was inside those marzipan piggies? So cute!
Thanks for your sweet, sweet comments Anastasia! We never got to try one of those piggies! If we had sampled everything we saw on this trip, they would have had to put us on our own separate plane back to the States because of "excess baggage"! LOL
Wonderful photos! I sooooo want to go now!! (Not that I didn't want to before ;-)). Thanks for sharing your special trip!
Scott your photos are fantastic! What a wonderful adventure - thank you so much for taking us along. (While in Ireland I filled up card after card after card!)
Thanks for your encouraging comments Tricia! We did have quite an adventure!
I'm packing my bags now, this is the trip of a lifetime!! Fabulous photos - Paris should pay you for the publicity 😉
It truly is the trip of a lifetime. You're so kind!
Your photos are stunning. I was in Paris with my 14 y/o Granddaughter just this past March for 4 days. We couldn't get enough of the Louvre Museum or shopping on Ave Champs de Elysee or the magnificient French Cuisine.. It was wonderful (even if it did rain the entire time) and we WILL go back. Next time, though, it will be in April..Thank you for sharing some of those 880 photos with us.
Thank you so much Candace! You can see we really enjoyed it - so much to see and learn about.
Hi Scott! It is so nice to finally have you talk to us, and show us your wonderful photos, which I have admired for so long. And now your best ever!! Among my favorites are the cathedral with the walls made of stained glass, the people of France, especially the little girl watching the small boats. The markets, the side of the building, the marzipan pigs, the Eiffel tower at night, the baguettes. I just love ALL of them! Are you a professional photographer for your job? Is it a hobby? You are so talented!
Thanks Ginny! Nice to meet you too. I started out in photography and videography as a teacher in the '80s before the digital revolution made everything much simpler and more powerful. Now as a retired educator, I have the opportunity to go back to photography again, which I just love. We're paid for our work, so I guess that makes us professionals! I'm just always learning (a dedicated lifelong learner!).
Wonderful pics and such an exciting experience. We are working on our bucket list and recently returned from Italy, makes me want to make this our next big trip.
Thanks Mary! I definitely gave us a new love for France and the French people.
Thanks for sharing your images and taking me back to Paris! I can relate to the amazing amount of photo's you can collect when there is something interesting everywhere you turn. I was there last May and hoping to return this September and can't wait. I enjoyed my visit right along with you.
Thanks Kathy. Yes, isn't it amazing how one picture can bring back all kinds of memories that surrounded the time of the picture?
STUNNING!!! The subject and the work of the photographer! Oh merci, merci for a wonderful visual trip!!
Hi Chris...so sorry we didnt get the chance to meet up in Paris.... We were fairly tied to a schedule and anyway you look like you were so busy yourselves. What marvellous pictures you took us right back there. I love all the recipes coming out of your trip and have tried the fabulous pastry crust one Deelishus !!!! I am now back in Washington for a few months which is lovely but London is my home . imthink from your photos of London trip your dUghter may live fairly close to,us . We are in Putney SW. Anyway I look forward to next blog. imhope,yiu dint mind I shared yiur photos on my Facebook link but obviously accredited Them to Scott and gave The Cafe Sucre Farine a little memtion somyou just maynget a few more followers as a lot of my friends are just as enthusiastic about food, baking and eating as my self .. God bless x
Thanks so much Beverly, that's so sweet of you to say! We enjoyed every minute of the trip.
Thanks Beverly. We both enjoyed taking pictues this trip; Chris for Instagram and Scott for the blog.
Thank you so much for sharing Paris. At 84 it is a delight to share your dream. Now, I've got to get cooking that raspberry thingy Chris posted. Thanks again. Ja
Thanks Jack! We're so glad you enjoyed the trip!