Category Archives: Photographs: France

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel

Kaysersberg Christmas

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Kaysersberg Christmas
“Kaysersberg Christmas” — An old Kaysersberg building with pink shutters, decorated for Christmas.

Last year we visited Kaysersberg, in the Alsace region of France, about a month before Christmas. The village is one of may such places here in a region dotted with small towns full of half-timbered buildings and, at this time of year, set up for the Christmas holiday. You may have to look closely to see, but there are lots of decorations on this old building.

We stayed in nearby Riquewihr, but while we were there we must have visited at least three or four other nearby towns. It was cloudy when we visited Kaysersberg, but that meant beautiful soft light for photographing the town’s interesting buildings.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email


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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel

Marché de Noël, Paris

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Marché de Noël, Paris
“Marché de Noël, Paris” — Crowds at the Paris Christmas Market in the Tuileries Garden.

Last year’s late-fall and early-winter travel that took us to Germany, France, and Spain. We were in Paris for a few days about a week into December, and holiday festivities were in full swing. Stores had their decorations up, some streets had overhead holiday lights, and the Christmas markets were open. We briefly walked through this one at the Tuileries Garden near the Louvre.

Although the German markets seem to be the most famous — or at least the best-known in the United States — Christmas markets are all over Europe. Here it Paris it is the “Marché de Noël.” The basic idea is similar everywhere we went, from Germany to Spain. Vendor booths are set up in a public place, often a town square. They sell seasonal items, gifts, and local food and drinks. Mulled wine is the popular drink — vin chaud in France and gluhwein in Germany.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Bicycles and Red Door

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Bicycles and Red Door, Montpellier, France
“Bicycles and Red Door” — Parked bicycles in front of a hotel with a red door and a flowering bush, Montpellier.

What is it about bicycles? They turn up as photographic subjects all the time, on their own and as characters in street photography. (One for my favorite photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson features a bicycle.) It probably has something to do with things they represent or are associated with: a slower pace, the sensations of wind as you ride, closer contact with our surroundings. That is all preamble to this “bicycle photo” of mine, made on a street in Montpellier, France.

If I recall correctly, this may have been our last morning in this charming city before we left France and moved on to Zaragoza, Spain. While the title mentions the bicycles and they are prominent in the frame, I think that photograph is more about the lovely, soft light and the colors of the red door and the fascinating green plant growing next to it.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

An Traits Libres

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An Traits Libres, Montpellier
“An Traits Libres” — An Traits Libres, alternative comic book store, gallery, artists’ workshop, Montpellier.

We were out on one of our random walks, wandering to who-knows-where, on this damp evening in Montpellier, France this past December. Recently I tried to reconstruct our route using online maps and satellite photos of the city, but I’m at a loss to recall precisely where we went — with the exception of this building, which shows up on those maps.

It is a little hard to know for sure, but I think that this place is a sort of a shop – one online source describes it as an “alternative comic store., book store, gallery, artists’ workshop.” We did not stop to go inside, and I’m not sure if it was actually open. But it appeared as a bright apparition on a quiet, dark street. I spent a moment photographing it, and we moved on.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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