Writing about last week’s snowstorm reminded me that I wanted to share some “through the seasons” photos I’ve taken this year. I wasn’t particularly disciplined about the project, but it was a good excuse to revisit some of my favorite spots in Paris every few months. I picked three places: Notre Dame, the Coulée Verte (a rail-to-trail path), and the Jardin du Luxembourg. I didn’t pay attention to things like shooting from exactly the same angle or at exactly the same time of day – and sometimes I’d forget to go back for months at a time – so the photos aren’t perfectly comparable, but it’s nonetheless fun to look back.

Enjoy—one year in Paris, through the seasons!

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Here’s Notre Dame. I particularly like seeing how the number of tourists changes. I couldn’t even get a clear shot without someone walking in front of me in August! There are also other small details that I like, like the snowstorm days after we arrived in February, a tent going up for a festival in May, pigeons flying through my shot in November, and the Christmas tree in December.

Here’s the view from one particular overlook on the Coulée Verte. Looking back at these photos, I’m shocked at how quickly the trees leafed out in the spring. The difference between my early April photo and my late April photo is crazy!

And finally, here’s a view of the Senate building in the Jardin du Luxembourg. The most striking thing to me here is that the grass never dies. It’s green year round, and people are still out sitting and walking in January.