A quiet corner of Paris where the facade tells its own story in stripes and stone.
Today's detail: eye-catching upper floors of 13 Boulevard Diderot in the 12th arr., a late 19th-century Eclectic apartment building tucked between Gare de Lyon and the Seine.
The corner bay rises with subtle grace: arched windows framed by decorative stone, geometric brick patterning in warm terracotta and cream tones, delicate wrought-iron balconies, and that striking gable crowning the top a former hotel, Hotel Massilia, now converted to apartments. The design plays with light and shadow, banded lines, small balconies creating depth and the whole structure catching the sun in relief against the sky.
Boulevard Diderot is a busy artery but buildings like this one remind us Paris kept experimenting with ornament even after Haussmann's grand uniformity. Eclectic flourishes here feel intimate rather than monumental, perfect for a glance upward while waiting for the lights to change.
Bon mercredi ! 🇫🇷
“Somehow, Paris always manages to be beautiful, even when it’s just quietly being itself.”
Part of the “Windows & Balconies of Paris” Series
Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of Paris through its windows and balconies — the quiet details that give the city its rhythm and romance.
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