Archives for April 2018

A Day at Luxembourg Gardens

04/25/2018 By Sarah 1 Comment

When the sun comes out in Paris, you can be sure you’ll see all the Parisians emerge to sun bathe in the many gardens of Paris. Lounging in the iconic park chairs around the fountains, people soak up the rays they’ve been missing during the long rainy periods. You’ll find people tanning to the best of their ability within the midst of this big city!

There’s something comforting about this garden. With all its different areas, one could get really accustomed to spending time here every day, in their own little corner of the park.

On the east side of the palace, you’ll wander into the rows of trees to a little cafe stand, where you can grab un café, un baguette sandwich, et un macaron. I recommend sitting at the little green cafe tables, beneath the trees in the speckled light. You can stare out from the canopy of leaves that perfectly frame the palace gardens, and people watch while listening to the murmur of French conversation, and birds singing.

It’s one of the more blissful memories I have, stopping here for a bite to eat during a busy day of exploring and shooting. Perfect for a romantic day with a lover, or Me Time with a good book. If you want to live like a true Parisian, spending time in the gardens is essential to your week!

Read More to see all the photos from my Day at Jardins du Luxembourg!

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Grand Trianon

04/10/2018 By Sarah 1 Comment

Part 2 of the Trianon Posts, I’m giving you a glimpse into the lavish rooms of Grand Trianon and the stunning gardens.

We wandered from the gardens of Petit Trianon, down the many paths beneath lush trees, until the pink facade of the Grand Trianon peaked from beyond perfectly trimmed hedges. What a site to see, an entirely pink palace! Dressed in Marie Antoinette Style, we explored the royal chambers and the lush royal gardens.

A little history of Grand Trianon…

Built at the request of King Louis XIV of France (r. 1643–1715), as a retreat for himself and his mistress of the time, the Marquise de Montespan, Grand Trianon was a place where he and invited guests could take light meals away from the strict étiquette of the Court. The Grand Trianon is set within its own park, which includes the Petit Trianon (the much smaller château built between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of Louis XV).

Louis XIV commissioned the architect Louis Le Vau to design a porcelain pavilion (Trianon de porcelaine) to be built there.

The Grand Trianon Castle in Summer The façade was made of white and blue “porcelain” (ceramic) tiles from the French manufactures. Construction began in 1670 and was finished in 1672. But by 1687, the fragile ceramic tiles had deteriorated to such a point that Louis XIV ordered its demolition and its replacement with one made of stronger material. Commission of the work was entrusted to the architect Jules Hardouin Mansart. The new structure was twice the size of the porcelain pavilion and made of red marble.

The Grand Trianon would often play host to King XIV and his wife. Louis XVI made no modifications to the Grand Trianon. His wife, Queen Marie Antoinette, who preferred the Petit Trianon, gave a few theatrical representations in the galerie des Cotelle, a gallery with paintings by Jean l’Aîné Cotelle.

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After frolicking through the brightly colored gardens at sunset, we made our way through the Grand Trianon and glimpsed some of the beautiful rooms. The Yellow room was my absolute favorite, making such a bold statement with the most color I’ve ever seen in a room! I felt quite at home, I won’t lie. Afterwards we walked under the trees towards the main gardens of the Chateau Versailles, where we met a royal swan who ate ice cream from Josh’s hand and bowed his long arching neck in gratitude (no I’m not making this up!). I ate delicious ice cream next to the lake, enjoying the sweet moment before panic set in when I realize I didn’t have my iPhone! We searched the tall grass to no avail. I racked my brains and retraced my steps, and managed to remember setting it down for just one brief moment back on a column of Grand Trianon to model. We ran back as fast as we could, as everything was now closed. At this point we had walked so many miles across the gardens, we were ready to collapse. We were so relieved to see a guard was still sitting at the gate of Trianon, and with much shouting in my rough French from across the main courtyard, I directed him towards the column and voila! He did finally find my phone!

I feel so lucky to have been able to do a photoshoot in this seriously beautiful domain. It’s always such an amazing day getting to be there and discover something new every time.

Read More to see all the beauty captured in these photos! And check out Part 1 featuring Petit Trianon!

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Petit Trianon

04/10/2018 By Sarah Leave a Comment

I know this post is later than late, but we can make an exception because I have almost 100 photos to share from our day running around Petit & Grand Trianon at Chateau Versailles! I’m splitting the day between two posts. This one has our photos from Petit Trianon and its gardens, and the second is reserved for Grand Trianon!

I little history on Petit Trianon…

Petit Trianon was built after Grand Trianon, between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of Louis XV of France.

Marie Antoinette would come to the Petit Trianon not only to escape the formality of court life, but also to shake off the burden of her royal responsibilities. At Versailles, she was under considerable pressure and judgement from both her family and the court, and the Petit Trianon was her place of ease and leisure where she could rest from those trials. Since all was “de par la Reine” (by order of the Queen), none were permitted to enter the property without the Queen’s express permission (not even, it was said, Louis XVI). Such exclusivity alienated the court nobility, which she did very willingly, since only the queen’s “inner circle” (including the Princess de Lamballe, and Gabrielle de Polastron, duchesse de Polignac) were invited. A house of intimacy and of pleasure, the building was designed to require as little interaction between guests and servants as possible.

Within the queen’s apartment, Marie Antoinette’s need for privacy is apparent: the decor of her boudoir displays an inventiveness unique to the age, featuring mirrored panels that, by the simple turning of a crank, can be raised or lowered to obscure the windows. Her bedroom, although simple, is also elegant in accord with her general style, provided with furniture from Georges Jacob and Jean Henri Riesener. The wallpaper was painted by Jean-Baptiste Pillement.

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First we walked down the very long paths between rows and rows of autumn trees, a bed of leaves coating the ground and filling the air with the bittersweet scent of autumn- right and musky. In the distance, the Queen’s sheep roamed the fields beneath blue skies, tucked away in a paradise of their own beneath the age-old autumn trees. I envy those sheep! What a life they get to live. 🙂

Being a huge fan of history, art and architecture, AND of course the Marie Antoinette film by Sofia Coppola, it’s always a dream to spend a few days roaming the extensive grounds of Versailles. The Trianon are their own little worlds, and throughout the gardens that encompass the whole estate of Versailles, one could wander all day long and feel like they’ve entered a different world and time. It’s more than magical, and is one of my favorite places in the entire world.

Feeling surrounded by such beauty that was put together with ultimate care and conception, it’s nothing short of breath-taking. I’m so honored to have been able to shoot there and capture the place that was the backdrop of my favorite film. Petit Trianon is adorable, and the gardens are some of my favorite in the whole of the estate. We were able to escape from tourists and feel completely alone there. We perched in the golden afternoon light on a marble bench, eating baguette sandwiches we had packed for the day.

It’s so easy to make such personal memories in this place, that one feels like they own a little piece of it. The place hold my heart dearly, and I hope I can share just a glimpse of it’s magic through my photos and video! Though I barely scratched the surface with what I’ve captured!

Read more to see all of the beauty captured in photos! And be sure to check out part 2 featuring Grand Trianon!

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JSL Paris Guide: Where to Stay

04/02/2018 By Sarah Leave a Comment

I’ve been getting many requests for tips on Paris, from where to stay, what arrondissements are best, where to shop, what to see, and more! So it only makes sense to start a SJL Travel guide segment specifically for Paris. It’s been a long overdue series!

Having spent a decent amount of time in the city, this will be a series based on all that I’ve learned and my personal experiences. I may not know everything about this special city, but what I do know will be very helpful to get the groundwork done so you know what to expect when visiting Paris!

Read more to hear my recommendations on where to stay and why!

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