Five Places to take Stunning Outdoor Photos in Paris

Trocadero – Eiffel Tower – © Jean-Michel Leclercq

Written as part of Paris Outdoors Week for our Love Paris campaign.

Jean Michel Leclercq is a photographer living in Paris. Keen on black and white, with images enhanced by HDR and selective colouring, his shots of the city are true portraits – taken with love.

Read below for his five tip-offs on where best to capture Paris on camera…

1. The Eiffel Tower

When you think about Paris, you think about the Eiffel Tower, the “place to be” for a tourist and a tourist photographer! (yes i know, all the tourists are photographers!)
By the way, the Trocadero and the Champs de Mars are fantastic places for photography.

I suggest you to start your photowalk at Palais de Chaillot. Here you can shot the Eiffel Tower as a landscape, make great street photos and cross the Seine to shoot “la grande dame” with a fantastic angle!

2. Palais Royal Garden

Jardin du Palais-Royal – © Jean-Michel Leclercq

The Palais-Royal is a palace and garden located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.

Near the Louvre and the Tuileries, take the time to visit this small and historic garden. It’s really a nice place !

You will have to be as imaginative as possible for photography here. The great perspective is hard to find, but the lines of trees, the benches and the chairs are the best tools for original compositions.

3. Le Pont des Arts

Love Padlocks – Le pont des arts – © Jean-Michel Leclercq

Paris is the city of love!

Love padlocks are a custom by which sweethearts affix padlocks to a fence or similar public fixture to symbolise their love. Most common place of Love padlocks are railings of the bridges.

Love padlocks can be found attached to the Pont des Arts, Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor and the Pont de l’Archevêché bridges in Paris.

The Pont des Arts or Passerelle des Arts is a pedestrian bridge in Paris which crosses the Seine River. It links the Institut de France and the central square of the palais du Louvre.

From this bridge, take the time to go along the Seine to Notre Dame de Paris.

4. Metro

Métro – © Jean-Michel Leclercq

Paris metro has become a symbol of the city, noted for its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau.

Some stations are gorgeous as Saint-Germain-des-Prés with its “place des poètes”, Cité, Louvre…etc… All of them are ideal places for creative and street photography.

Why not create a thematic photobook about metros of the world?

5. Place du Tertre

Montmartre – Place du tertre – © Jean-Michel Leclercq

Don’t be lazy, go north to the amazing village of Montmartre !

The Place du Tertre is a square in Paris’ XVIIIe arrondissement. Only a few streets away from the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur, it is the heart of the city’s elevated Montmartre quarter.

Discover “le Paris d’Amélie Poulain” with painters, accordion-players and cafés.

Draughts-men and painters take possession of the square. They invite you to share an artistic and pleasant time.

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About the author: Jean-Michel Leclercq is a photographer living in Paris: Visit his portfolio

All Photos Copyright Jean-Michel Leclercq Photography. No photos may be reproduced in any form.