I’d seen so many pictures of the Palais-Royal online before visiting Paris, and seeing it in person was such a pleasure. 

The actual building known as the Palais-Royal was built around 1629 as a palace for royalty – nowadays it houses government offices, a theatre, restaurants, and shops. Besides the amazing architecture of the building itself, there are beautiful gardens, sculptures, fountains, and allees to take in, making it a really lovely spot to sit and just relax for a while. The black and white columns are an art installation entitled Les Deux Plateaux, mounted in 1986 by artist Daniel Buren, and I love how their modernity contrasts with the architecture of the palace.

photography by Jacqueline Clair