Aux Champs-Elysées

Everywhere around Paris you see apartment buildings that look much the same- creamy white with a light blue roof. I noticed that the buildings on my street are all really different, and today my host-mom explained the reason why to me. The buildings here were built in the 1930's in the art deco style. They're apparently so nice that students training to be architects come to study them as examples of this style.

On my way home from the métro today, I also noticed a shop that I hadn't this morning. Its called Le Poilu and looked to be selling old army uniforms. A poilu was a soldier from World War One that fought in the trenches. "Poilu" in French means hairy- meaning that many of them wore beards, I'm guessing for convenience sake, during the fighting. When the last French poilu died a few years ago he was given a very large, ceremonious burial by the state.

Continuing with the explanations of my new surroundings- rue (street) Emile Duclaux. Emile was a French scientist who worked with Louis Pasteur (which may explain why I also live near boulevard Pasteur!).

Anyways, at the end of my day I explored the Champs- Elysées, so I'll leave you with a picture or two.