Home thoughts from abroad is a new series on Travel Words featuring
a singlephotograph(s) that reminds me of a country visited and showing something that uniquely identifies it as being ‘abroad’.

Wandering around the 7th arrondissement of Paris I stumbled across this unusual building partially hidden by bamboos and wisteria. The director of the department store Bon Marché had it constructed as a gift for his wife in 1896. La Pagode became a cinema in 1931 and has played a big part in presenting cutting edge French cinema to the public. Jean Cocteau held the premiere of Testament d’Orphée here in 1959 and La Pagode Cinema played an important part in promoting the films of Ingmar Bergman and Sergei Eisenstein in France. Now it shows Art-house, foreign, cult and independent new releases. It is not uncommon for the cinema to hold retrospectives for directors such as Woody Allen and Alfred Hitchcock.
There is a tea house where you can grab a cuppa and chew over the fat in the rather small, but very pretty Japanese garden where you can get a glimpse of La Pagode and the beautiful details of colourful painted flowers, carved dragons, flowers and birds in jade or ivory and large stained glass windows with geometric panes. It sounds as if it could be quite kitsch, but in reality it is an impressive building. I did not go inside, but apparently it is equally surprising.
I only hope that someone carries out some repairs on this extraordinary building, so that it is not lost.
Located on 57 bis, Rue de Babylon
It certainly looks Oriental. A nice find in Paris, Jude.
Best wishes, Pete. x
I hope it is still there.
What a very artistic looking place. Would make a lovely sketch
It would indeed. The glass itself is worth a closer look. In fact I have added a couple of photos of the glass so you can see what I mean.
What a marvellous find! Love it….but alas, I don’t see me getting there now
😦
😰
Out of interest, when did you go?
Must have been April 2010
Ok, not so very long ago!
Time goes so fast!
Oh, don’t!
Couldn’t you go to Paris on the Eurostar? We used that instead of flying as you arrive in the city centre.
Hmmm….it’ll be the getting about, metro and walking…I must look at it
I would never have guessed Paris. Although why would I? I’ve never been there. Beautiful colour and amazing glass. I like this series.
Most likely come to an end at the end of the year, but it has been fun looking through the archives for different photos. I am trying to avoid the obvious ‘tourist’ images of a place.
So inviting! Makes one just want to pull up a chair & stay awhile.
I did actually sit on one of the stone seats whilst I made notes about this place. Very tranquil.
It looks very inviting. I love the stained glass. 🙂
The detail in the glass is superb.
It is an absolute treasure!! Love the detail of the door.
Is this the front of the building?
I don’t think this is access to the building Jo, the entrance is partially hidden by trees to the right of this picture.
I wondered about the little seating arrangement. It seemed like such a whimsical thing to put in front.
I had to wait patiently until a couple of ladies finished their coffee to get the shot.
I’m pleased you have put some closeup photos of the glass Jude, it is so detailed and beautiful
It really is beautifully painted.
A fabulous beautiful find, Jude. Gems like this should be preserved. Sorry I didn’t get to see this for myself. I don’t think I wandered along that street.
It’s not a street you’d normally wander along, I was just ambling that day in a different area to the normal tourist spots.