There is a lot of magnificent architecture in Paris and sometimes the best way to see it is simply to flâner. This is the French term for taking a leisurely stroll or going for a wander with no clear direction.
One of the delights of being in the French capital is to meander its streets among the people who live and work here. Each neighborhood is unique, with its own flavor and personality.
Ambling about this historic and beautiful city is always rewarding, especially if you are a lover of architecture. There are hundreds of fascinating buildings, some of them dating from the medieval period.
Remarkable Paris Facades
To help you decide what architecture in Paris to see, here are 10 must-see building facades. They all feature in the recently published city guide, Paris 100 Façades Remarquables (100 Remarkable Paris Façades), by Claude Mignot (Parigramme).
Most of the eye-catching edifices featured are residential and many are shared period apartment buildings, meaning that their fortunate owners enjoy some of the most unique architecture and surroundings in the city.
This imposing building with its looming rooftop was built between 1605 and 1607 as the royal residence for French king Henry IV. Today it is a historic monument and you will find it on rue de Birague in the 4th Walk through the arches below it and you arrive at Place des Vosges.
(Photo credit-Bruno Befreetv)
Medieval timbers are a rare sight in the capital but you will find them at number 3, rue Volta, in the 4th This house is also classified as a historic monument. (Photo credit-Tangopaso)
This magnificent neo-Norman style half-timbered villa combines brick, wood and stone and dates from 1897. Find it at 27, avenue Georges-Mandel, in the 16th
This striking art nouveau landmark, with its ceramic detailing, is an example of the flamboyant work of the architect Jules Aimé Lavirotte who designed no fewer than nine buildings in the 7th arrondissement, including this one, which won the Paris Concour de Façades (Façade Competition) in 1901. See it at 29, avenue Rapp. (Photo credit-Jean-Pierre Dalbéra)
This ornate townhouse at 14 rue d’Abbeville in the 10th arrondissement fulfills the modern movement for the greening of Paris. It was built in 1901 however and the greenery is fashioned from enameled sandstone.
(Photo credit-MLWatts)
You might expect to find this handsome edifice, at 29 avenue Mac-Mahon in the 17th arrondissement, on the streets of Milan given its ornate detailing and rounded wrought iron balconies. It was built in 1902.
(Photo credit-Mbzt)
Built in 1898, this highly original apartment block uses industrial brick in various colors as its decorative element. It is located at 43 rue des Couronnes in the 20th
(Photo credit-ParisSharing)
This curious modernist apartment block at 185 rue Belliard in the 18th arrondissement has fascinating ceramic tiling detail. It was built in 1913 by the architect Henri Deneux.
(Photo credit-Henry Salomé)
Porcelain tiles are the dominant feature of this lovely Art Nouveau building at 26 rue Vavin in the 6th
The bright colors of the brick detailing in this handsome apartment block are so distinctive. It is part of a housing project, built around 1930, at 97-99, avenue Simon-Bolivar, in the 19th
For centuries Paris has been a city where innovative architects have been able to use their creativity. This has created a city that has an eclectic mix of building styles.
We at 56Paris Real Estate advise you to simply take a stroll. You never know what you will see!