Paris Time patrol numéro four.

The photographer has just passed through the Egyptian section on the first floor of the Louvre. He is now facing the Pont des Arts passerelle or boardwalk. The iron-wrought balcony and the wing date back to Louis XIV, late 17th century. Le Pont des arts was built under Napoleon, around 1802. The “Institut” in the background is home to the Académie Française since its foundation by Richelieu in 1635. The year is 1964. Late winter probably*.

2014. Summer. The balcony has been restored. With gold leaf. The boardwalk is relatively new, rebuilt after a barge hit one of the pillars in the ’80’s.

2016. Looking back at the Louvre from the Pont des Arts.

A similar Louvre balcony as the one the two photos were taken from.

2015 plus change. The Institut de France from the right bank.

Le Pont-Neuf, the New Bridge, as seen from the Pont des arts. c. 2014. Before the padlocks were removed.

2016. L’institut, (left) from the boardwalk.

Le Pont des Arts today. Padlocks removed. (Thank God!) Glass panels have been placed in lieu of the wire-mesh. This is where the Seine splits in two arms, divided by the Ile de la Cité, at the centre.

2011. Hotel de Sens. Right between the Marais and the Seine, this small “hotel” (an old French word that meant palace, not today’s “hotel”), was built between 1475 and 1505. It is one of the last three medieval private residences left in Paris. The above photo (c)ourtesy MBZT 2011.

I thought those were the gardens of the Hotel de Sens, circa 2015. But the turret bothered me. Looked a bit different. As usual Scotty had landed me at a slightly different location. At the back, not at the front. He always does that. (I remember the time he dropped me in a snake pit in lieu of outside!) So those ARE the gardens of the Hotel de Sens. Now see the next shot:

Hotel de Sens*, winter 1963-1964. We will see the same blonde in further publications. An unaccounted for Time Travel Special Agent?

1964. Spring. La Conciergerie from the Quai de la Mégisserie, right bank. See the book-box on the left? One of my favourite vintage comics suppliers has his book-box to the right of this photo (Outside the frame). Given his age, he probably has had it since 1964.

La conciergerie. 2015. (Notice the differences?) That is taken from the Pont au change. This is were Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were held prisoners during the Revolution. And later guillotined close by on the Place de la Concorde.

1964. La conciergerie.

2015. It has been cleaned up a bit.

1964 images come from “The Paris I love”, printed  on the 15th on May 1964. (c) by Editions sun Paris. World rights reserved. Printed in France by Draeger and Braun. Photographs (marked with a *) by Patrice Molinard. The recent ones are mine.

Captain and crew thank you for flying Equinoxio’s Time-Space shuttle. We are working on the biscuits-scones issue. Wishing y’all a nice week-end.