Hi,
I'm from Italy. I'm an architect. I will spend my winter holiday in Paris (28/12 to 2/1). I would like to see any particular, special, strange place in Paris, for architecture i mean. My old Contax is waiting for that... I've been there two time last years, so i've visited all the ordinary place for tourists...
Thanks

Franco

quite difficult to answer that ! gets great spots anywhere in paris ! what do U prefer: modern architecture ? old ? :?

- Avoid "Les Halles"
(hehehe…)

- 2th area (2ème arrondissement) is very interesting in architectural terms.
Haussmanian, classical structure, but with lots of special buildings
you discover by chance. Plus there are lots of "passages" (covered pedestrian
ways within the buildings) like Choiseul, Jouffroy, etc.
And of course one of the beautifulest garden of the city : le Palais Royal.

- In really other style go to Belleville area.
Nothing really special in terms of architecture but one thing is to
keep in mind : you can't say you came in Paris as long as you did not
come to Belleville. It's a popular area which is the only area of Paris
where you'll find all cultures and ethnies, as most of time they're
quite separated depending on areas.

- For architecture the 16th arrondissement may be nice in some places
but it's very large and often boring (only very rich people there).
Though it's there that you'll find great buildings of 20's to 50's
(Mies Van der Rohe, Mallet-Stevens…)
The best may be to go to Boulogne (near, rich suburns at the West of Paris),
there are many great buildings there.

- If you like the "cottage" looking (like Montmarte, I guess you went there
as it's very touristic) there are little places like this where actually you don't
seem to be in Paris : La Campagne à Paris (20th), La Butte aux Cailles (13th)…

- For Modern architecture the Cité de la Villette (19th) is a place
that should not miss you, as well as the Institut du Monde Arabe (5th)

- If you're interested in urbanism you'd visit the very recent areas
of the city : Bercy (12th) and Rive Gauche (New National Library) (13th),
both quite interesting (first one more than second one though).

Eventually the best way to visit is of course to walk but a cool thing
to do is to take the outside subway lines : number 6 or 2 for example,
will give you some cool overview of the City.