Carrousel du Louvre Shopping Center

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This is the main concourse of the Carrousel du Louvre (pronounced /kaʁuzɛl dy luvʁ/) shopping center at the Louvre. The shopping center is the most recent addition to the Louvre complex (the Grand Louvre). It contains many shops, and a “food court” with restaurants of many types, not unlike those one sees at shopping centers in the U.S.

Most of the shops and stores cater to tourists, selling perfume, clothing, stationery, coffee pots, art objects (including Lalique crystal, and replicas from the Metropolitan Museum of Art), toys, film, records, etc. There is also a live theater, part of the Comédie Française.

In the distance (lit by relatively bluish sunlight), you can see the inverted pyramid (la pyramide inversée). The base of the pyramid (or is it the top?) is level with the street above. Leading off to the left from the inverted pyramid is another concourse that leads into the main entrance of the Louvre Museum. A concourse on the right of the pyramid leads towards a series of large exhibition halls, used primarily for conventions, conferences, and the regular haute couture fashion shows presented by top clothing designers. The food court is at the same level from which this photo was taken, and is off to the right (and not visible in the photo).

It was really hard to get a decent picture in the lighting conditions that prevail in this shopping center. I’m afraid this was the best I could do.

Photographed on July 15, 2008.