Paris Mon Amour: A Photographic Reverie
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” - Little Prince
At once a cosmopolitan metropolis, venue for a pensive stroll, and emblem of the modern, Paris has been a source of inspiration for countless artists and writers down through the ages. It is the home and constant muse of photography. Since the earliest days of the daguerreotype right up to our time, renowned photographers such as Joseph Nicéphore Niepce, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, and Jeanloup Sieff have lived and worked in the city of lights.
Thirteen years ago, Paris first entered my life during my honeymoon—a magical introduction to a city that would continue to weave its way through my memories. And now, years later, I returned—this time to celebrate my friends' wedding at the breathtaking Château de Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet, where stone walls whispered centuries of stories and love seemed to bloom in every corner.
After wedding, I made a spontaneous decision that would become a cherished memory. I invited my mother to join me in Paris—a city she had always dreamed of visiting. Often, she would joke that we would "meet in Paris one day," never truly believing it would happen.
Near the Louvre, she became a child again—chasing bubbles, singing every French song she could remember. Her laughter echoed against the museum's grand facade, a melody more beautiful than any classical composition.
In the early morning, Paris transformed. The soft light filtered through the Haussmann buildings, casting long shadows that stretched like our memories across empty boulevards. My mother would point and laugh, her excitement infectious, her joy a testament to the city's magical ability to make everyone feel young.
We explored galleries and local little stores and cafes, discovered hidden courtyards, and took a boat tour watching how after sunset the city lights up.
Paris is never static. It holds its contradictions with grace: ancient and modern, romantic and revolutionary, intimate and grand. Just like my mother and I, moving through its streets, creating our own narrative.
To love Paris is to embrace it. It is not a postcard, not a mere tourist destination. It is a feeling, a state of mind, a way of seeing the world. A place where memories are born, where generations connect, where bubbles dance against the backdrop of history and in a glass over lunch.
Paris, mon amour—vous êtes infiniment personnel.
