(c) patricia barry 2007 paris 3. la défense. the cbd of paris. photographs: © patricia barry 2007

(c) Patricia Barry 2007(c) Patricia Barry 2007

Paris 3.Paris 3.

La Défense.La Défense.The CBD of Paris.The CBD of Paris.

Photographs: © Patricia Barry 2007Photographs: © Patricia Barry 2007

(c) Patricia Barry 2007

La Défense 1La Défense 1

► The name The name comes from comes from the fierce the fierce and brave and brave defence of defence of the city by the city by the Parisians the Parisians in 1870 in 1870 during the during the Franco-Franco-Prussian Prussian war.war.


La Défense 1La Défense 1► In 1878, a competition was In 1878, a competition was

organised to design a organised to design a monument dedicated to the monument dedicated to the defence of Paris in 1870. defence of Paris in 1870.

► This sculpture by Barrias wonThis sculpture by Barrias won. It . It depicts the city ofdepicts the city of Paris, with a Paris, with a boy and girl standing guard. It boy and girl standing guard. It is located in the centre of the is located in the centre of the district.district.

► The sculpture reminds today’s The sculpture reminds today’s Parisians of the heroism of those Parisians of the heroism of those in the past.in the past.



► La Défense covers La Défense covers an area of 2 million an area of 2 million square mètres square mètres

► Every day, Every day, hundreds of hundreds of thousands of thousands of workers come into workers come into the district to work the district to work in the shops, in the shops, service centres service centres and officesand offices..


La Défense 3La Défense 3► The design of La

Défense was conceived en 1959

► The architect was a Dane

► Construction of La Défense was completed in 1989

► Many steps lead Many steps lead up to the lifts. up to the lifts. To ascend, you To ascend, you have to payhave to pay



► La Grande Arche La Grande Arche of la Défense was of la Défense was conceived as the conceived as the end of the visual end of the visual perspective from perspective from l’Arc de Triomphe l’Arc de Triomphe and the and the « Triumphal « Triumphal Way ».Way ».



► Here, from Here, from the the pavement, pavement, you can you can see the see the part of the part of the Triumphal Triumphal Way and Way and L’Arc de L’Arc de Triomphe.Triomphe.



► The view The view towards towards the north.the north.

► ““La voie La voie triomphaltriomphale” e” continues continues towards towards Versailles.Versailles.



► It’s a town within a It’s a town within a towntown

► There are hôtelsThere are hôtels► The mulit-level The mulit-level

station is a big station is a big interchange for the interchange for the Metro, the RER and Metro, the RER and the SNCFthe SNCF trains (as trains (as well as a tramway)well as a tramway)



► There are There are huge office huge office blocks.blocks.



► View of View of the the modern modern buildings buildings from the from the pavemenpavement area t area



► View to the View to the northnorth

► There are There are banks and banks and administration administration offices hereoffices here


La Défense La Défense 1111

► There is a There is a hyper-hyper-market market called called « Quatre « Quatre Temps », Temps », (4 (4 seasons) seasons) and and hundreds hundreds of shopsof shops



► There is under-There is under-ground parking ground parking for thousands for thousands of cars. of cars.



► Another view Another view of the of the pavement and pavement and artwork.artwork.



► The buildings The buildings have reflective have reflective glass.glass.



► A vista of A vista of glass and glass and metal.metal.

► Below is the Below is the famous famous “Thumb” or “Thumb” or “Le Pouce”.“Le Pouce”.



► “ “Le pouce” is a work Le pouce” is a work by Cesar Baldacinni. by Cesar Baldacinni.

► The original was The original was created increated in 1965 for 1965 for an exhibition on the an exhibition on the theme of « the theme of « the hand ». hand ».

► It was the artist’s It was the artist’s own thumb and own thumb and measured only 40 measured only 40 cm in height. cm in height.



► Cesar was invited to Cesar was invited to create a work for create a work for the central area of the central area of the CBD. He the CBD. He decided that he decided that he would enlarge “Le would enlarge “Le pouce”pouce”

► It now measures It now measures twelve mètres and twelve mètres and weighs more than weighs more than eighteen tonnes.eighteen tonnes.

(c) patricia barry 2007 paris 3. la défense. the cbd of paris. photographs: © patricia barry 2007

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