Caryatids and mascarons

A caryatid (a figure carrying something heavy on its head, most often a balcony) is a female figure inspired by ancient Greece. Its male counterpart is the atlas. A mascaron is a sculpted face (human or animal) adorning the entrance of a building, sometimes to ward off bad luck, sometimes simply for decorative purposes.

While strolling through Paris, you will see many caryatids and mascarons, as well as a few atlases, among many other human or animal figures (horses, lions, etc.). The smallest caryatids are about 50 centimeters tall and are incorporated into small green or black fountains that can be seen here and there, for example in front of the Sainte-Chapelle (below left) or on the plaza of the Pont-de-Neuilly metro station (right). The largest Parisian caryatid reaches about ten meters in height and is located at 57 Rue de Turbigo. You have understood that almost all of the sculptures presented here were discovered during walks through Paris, Neuilly, Versailles...

The Champs-Élysées is supposed to be the most beautiful avenue in the world, at least according to many French media outlets, which repeat this ad nauseam every July 14th. Unfortunately, it has become a noisy, chaotic mess, lined with upscale restaurants and expensive shops, and crisscrossed every minute by thousands of polluting, roaring vehicles, not to mention the hordes of pickpockets profiting from tourists' naivety. We even saw someone have their Rolex snatched right off their wrist on the Champs-Élysées! Why do people always have to behave so stupidly away from home?

But although there isn't much of interest to see on this polluted thoroughfare, apart from a few notable sites like the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais, the Palais de la Découverte, and the Théâtre du Rond-Point, I stumbled, quite by chance, upon a truly interesting building (on the right side of the avenue, towards Place de la Concorde and about 200 meters from the Arc de Triomphe), whose occupant is none other than a bank: the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation. What's so interesting about this building? A small group of children sculpted on the facade, looking incredibly lifelike. Furthermore, on the right wing of the same building, one can admire some superb mascarons.

An interesting detail for elderly people or those not in optimal physical condition: the best thing to do on the Champs Elysées is to walk up and down, as they are located on a small hill, not very high, certainly, but still: many tourists do not know that the top of the hill (the Arc de Triomphe) is located about 22 meters above its base (Place de la Concorde).