Tag Archives: montpellier

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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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel

Detail, Wrought Iron

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Detail, Wrought Iron, Montpellier, France
“Detail, Wrought Iron” — Details of wrought iron work at the Chateau d’Eau, Montpellier, France.

During our December visit to Montpellier, France we visited the Promenade du Peyrou, a large public square on a hilltop. The plaza was filled with a Christmas market, of course. Montpellier’s very own Arc de Triomphe stands at one end of the plaza, and the Chateau d’Eau (water tower) at the other end. This detail is part of the latter monument.

The water tower (of which I have shared photographs previously) sits at the end point of an ancient Roman aqueduct. It features the columns you see on the left, but look more closely and there is some wonderful wrought iron work – with a combination of very sharp pointed shapes and soft, gentle curves.

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

Walking Couple

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Walking Couple, Montpellier
“Walking Couple” — A couple walks up a narrow, curving street in Montpellier, France.

As the end of our December visit to Montpellier approached, we took a walk through some areas that we had missed the previous days — a walk that took us to the train station, then through a sort of light industrial area, and finally back up into the old central city. Here the streets are often very narrow and lined the tall buildings — and not much light penetrates all the way to the street level.

I grabbed this shot of a couple pushing a stroller up this narrow, curving street. In addition to the usual appeal of the street designed for walking rather than driving, the way the street curved and the increased glow of light at the curve attracted my attention. The unusual pattern of the paving also directs the eye toward the curve and, in this case, the two people.

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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(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)