An Experience of Grand Proportions at Cinémathèque Française

Cinémathèque Française houses the largest archive of films, movie documents and film related projects in the world. The collections origin seems to stem from the intensive efforts of Henri Langlois in the 1930s to collect and preserve films. Langlois acquired one of the largest collections in the world by the beginning of World War II, only to have it nearly wiped out by the Germans in occupied France. They ordered the destruction of films made prior to 1937. Langlois and his friends smuggled a huge number of films and documents to unoccupied France to protect them until the end of the war.

The Cinémathèque Française holds daily screenings of a variety of films from all over the world.

The Colossal Arch

I avoided the customary Arc de Triomphe post, but this picture is so striking, I had to share.

The arch honors those who fought for France and features all the names of generals and wars fought. Measuring 165 ft in height, it is the second largest arch in existence. Aviator Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport biplane through it three weeks after the end of World War I.

Les Escaliers du Louvre

As this stairway proves, the architecture at the Lourve is often just as stunning as the work on display. Famous Dutch artist Escher was no doubt inspired by the Lefuel staircase in the Richelieu aisle of the Louvre.

Escher is famous for his staircases to infinity, which seem to be going nowhere and everywhere all at once.