The great market (bon marché) is emblematic of all famous stores in Paris. Established in 1838, it wont last to be the first big store, a new commercial concept where the selling volume prevail over gross margin. The LVMH consortium bought the great market in 1984 and started to make agressive ads, coupled to a new commercial target: High luxury.

When the same consortium bought the Samaritaine, the intention wasn't the same...

note: Emile Zola, a famous french writer inspired from this universe to write "Au bonheur des dames".

The Degond factory is one of the oldest factories of Longueville. She moved strategically close to the station after the track railway completed. It will employ up to 800 people in the village of Longueville and surrounding areas in manufacturing seamless tubes by stretching, before closing in 2003.

The decontamination and demolition of the site would cost more than 5 million euros. The company had already been convicted in the 1990s due to pollution of the river near the village: The Voulzie. Concentrations of hydrocarbons and chlorinated compounds detected in 2007 are still worrisome.

The room Richelieu French comedy is a theater built by the Italian architect Victor Louis in 1799. He can accommodate 800 spectators.

The viaduct Garabit is made entirely of metal. It was built by Gustave Eiffel & Cie in 1884 under the direction of the architect Leon Boyer. It is 564m long. Since the construction of the dam Grandval, a lake was formed under the viaduct, 95m below. Trademark Construction of Eiffel, it is no less than 678,768 rivets were used for construction.

Curiosity, while the soil underground is gross, it is possible to call an elevator to the surface in music! Of course, this stage is not on a secret control panel, it is not possible to go down this way (unless you have a key, perhaps).

Quarries of Paris - The network located in the Val de Grace hospital.

Beside the stairs Mansart, whose name was chosen in reference to the architect François Mansart, author of many works of consolidation in the hospital of Val de Grace.

A plate shows the depth of the underground quarry with great precision: Height 58 feet 6 inches or 18 meters 9969.

The old aquarium of Trocadero, in front of the Palais of Chaillot. Today, everything has been rebuilt and the aquarium is brand new.

Under the great dome of the Hotel-Dieu de Lyon. The metal staircase provides access to the top where a small balcony gives a breathtaking view of the Rhone. The small dome has a circular balcony, overlooking a breathtaking view of the great hall of what will likely become a luxury hotel in 2012. Its concrete structure is impressive and gives a surreal side to the whole. Indeed, outside of the dome remains faithful to the original, before the fire of 1944.

A big plunge into the void. At the bottom of the image, the tower "mirrors", and my old office, for the first time from above. This photo was published in the book Babel Tower, the work of master edition of foreign literature at the University of the Sorbonne.

On the top of the Lantern tower, in the center of the cathedral. The main towers behind, in the front of the cathedral are empty.