These incredible photographs of early-20th-century Paris were taken between 1907 and 1930 by photographers such as Léon Gimpel, Stéphane Passet, Georges Chevalier, and Auguste Léon. They offer a rare glimpse — in color — at France’s capital before it was occupied during World War II.
The photos were produced using Autochrome, an early technology patented by Louis Lumière in 1903 that used dyed potato starch sandwiched between glass panes. Some of the images were recolored based on their original colors.
Check out these incredible photos below:
Paris (II arr.) by Stéphane PassetFamily, rue du Pot de Fer by Stéphane PassetParis (XVI arr.) by Frédéric GadmerThe Eiffel Tower and Trocadero by Leon AugusteViarmes Street by Leon AugusteSoldiers reading Porte de Saint-Cloud posters, on the occasion of May 1 by Frédéric GadmerLhomond Iron Pot by Stéphane PassetStatues of Lille and Strasbourg, Place de la ConcordeRue Beaubourg, with the left Venice Street and Ovens-Saint-Martin Street by Stéphane PassetCorner of the Beaumarchais Boulevard and Rue du Pas-de-la-mule by Stéphane PassetPlace Jussieu, corner of Linnaeus and Bakers by Stéphane PassetRue du Haut-Pavé at the corner of the Rue de la Bûcherie by Stéphane PassetRue Saint-Honoré, at the corner of the Rue de la Sourdière by Stéphane PassetBièvre Street by Stéphane PassetRue des Martyrs towards Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, with left rue de la Tour d’Auvergne by Stéphane PassetFortifications by Stéphane PassetThe rue d’Aboukir, view from Cairo instead by Stéphane PassetThe Faubourg and the Porte Saint-Denis by Stéphane PassetThe corner of Saint-Jacques, Galande and Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre by Stéphane PassetBoulevard Raspail and Rue du Montparnasse seen from Notre-Dame-des-Champs by Stéphane Passet25 rue des Bakers Stéphane PassetThe angle of the Rue du Bac and the Boulevard St-Germain by Stéphane PassetThe Rue de Seine, at the number 12 by Stéphane Passet89 rue de Seine by Stéphane PassetHuchette street and rue Xavier Privas by Stéphane PassetParis (Ve arr.) by Stéphane PassetA Parisian asleep on the dock CelestineCorner of Puget Lepic and Boulevard de Clichy by Georges ChevalierParis (fourth arr.) by Georges ChevalierNumbers 8 and 10 rue du Montparnasse by Stéphane PassetParis (Xe arr.) by Leon AugusteOrange Market, rue Basfroi by Leon AugusteThe Grand Cinema Fun at 95 rue de la Roquette by Leon AugusteCinema Pathe Palais des Gobelins Gobelins or by Auguste LéonA flower seller in front of 53 rue Cambon by Leon AugusteGardens, quai d’Auteuil (current quai Louis Bleriot), opposite the Pont de Grenelle and the Statue of Liberty by Leon AugusteCannons captured from the Germans exposed Place de la Concorde, Statue of Lille and underwriting office by Leon AugusteThe Rue de la Paix decorated for the holidays Victory by Augustus LeonReceipt of marshals of France in the town hall for celebrations of Victory 13 and 14 July 1919 by Auguste LéonThe Quai du Louvre (current quai François-Mitterrand) and the Ile de la Cité, opposite the Quai de Conti and the Institute of France by Auguste LéonThe Austerlitz port by Auguste LéonParis (fourth arr.) by Georges ChevalierThe Quai d’Orsay at the Gare d’Orsay by Leon AugusteOld sign at the corner of Nonnains-d’Hyères street and the Hotel de Ville by Leon AugusteParis (fourth arr.) by Leon AugusteRue du Haut-Pavé on the corner of the right Bûcherie, Great-Degrees left and Frederic Sauton opposite direction of the Pantheon by Auguste LéonParade of foreign delegations on the deck of Double for the funeral of Marshal Foch view taken towards the quai de Montebello by Stéphane PassetDemolition of the fortifications and reconstruction of buildings (HBM), Porte d’Orléans by Stéphane PassetRue de Rivoli along the town hall by Georges ChevalierRue de Rivoli along the Town HallStatues of Lille and Strasbourg, Place de la Concorde
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