l'Hotel de Ville is not really a hotel the way we think of it. Hotel is a word for a large historic building that probably started out as grand residence for royalty or the aristocracy. In the history of France, of course, most grand residences eventually become the property of the government and the people of France. l'Hotel de Ville, was originally constructed in the 1300's and then re-constructed in the 1600's and the 1800's. For centuries it has been the seat of Paris City Government....City Hall. There is a history museum inside, but I did not go in. It is such a beautiful building. Notice the words on the front....the motto or France - Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite!! Viva la France....
This picture of from Google Images, l'Hotel at night. So beautiful..
Just at the corner of the l'Hotel de Ville is a large department store, called Bazar l'Hotel de Ville, popularly knows as BHV. When I say "large" department store....it really is. It's only about six floors...but each floor is so huge, I can't imagine how many square feet it must be. And really quite an incredible selection on each floor. Of course, when you think Bazar....you think inexpensive. It's not particularly. It's not as expensive as Galleries Lafayette, but normal Paris prices. The most famous space in the store is the basement. It's the hardware department. The space itself is as big as any the above floors, but the goods are crammed in there as tight as they can get them....a warren of isles....rows and rows of every piece of hardware you could think of....all kinds of fittings, hinges, nobs, bobs, screws, bolts, everything you would find at Winks Hardware in Portland....and way more. I couldn't really take a picture, because it was so tight in there, if you take a picture all you get is what's right in front of you. There's no way to actually photograph the massive size of it.
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