VOL2; Gare Saint-Lazare

Well, hello again ;)

This late Friday night will be about my 2nd day in Paris, and in this post I'll be focusing into my experience in exploring Gare Saint-Lazare, the second biggest train station in Paris, after Gare du Nord. 

This station is another prove of Paris's consistency of taking their heritage building into the modern level. As we could see from my several posts before, there are so many old building that is being re-used for the modern purpose without changing its look. 

The old Gare Saint Lazare is consisted of 3 level building with no good flux inside which cause the non-optimal human circulation in it, there are no open connection between each floor. And finally, several years ago, AREP with Paris's Government revitalite this station. They open the circulation in the middle of the station and make it cleaner and fresher. Another thing I love is, they don't only define train station as a port, but they use it as the attraction of the city.

There we go with some picts ;) 

So this is the front-look of Gare Saint Lazare! It was quiet in the morning that time,  and rainy.

The view we got from Gare Saint Lazare. Wohoo. This is Europe; cold&frosty. :D

Yup, that big bubble is the exit door from the underground tunnel of Gare Saint Lazare! And yes, that's my dad with his backpack.

Bag sculpture.

This is the interior! See, that's the skyline. Before it was renovated, it's a usual roof with no transparent roof.  Energy optimalization everywhere! I wonder when Stasiun Tugu or Stasiun Gambir would be this good ;)

The intra-city train.

Super crowded station. And everyone seems in a hurry. 

Beautiful ceiling tone, beautiful gallery!

We could see the old design stand still.

So this is the 'opening circulation' means. They create voids and connection between the floor which is when it haven't been renovated doesn't exist. With this circulation, there is a chance for the shops to have customers, which means will increase their income, and increase the rent-cost, which is... could be used to maintain the station!

Good shops, and clean, neat area.

Saw this HUGE sculpture in the middle of the station. Aaaand, guess what?! this is a stack of plastic bag.

Here's the underground area.

I found this kind of bike-rental everywhere in the city. And it's super cheap, 20Eur per year.
Beside bikes, they also oftenly use vespa to travel around the small roads in the city.

Traffic situation :D

Back in Saint Lazare! It used to have a connection-bridge between the station (right) and the hotel (left), but now that the hotel guest requesting a privacy, the bridge doesn't have any use and it's not owned by the station nor by the hotel, cause if one of them own it, they got to pay tax for the bridge.

Yup, another transparent roof in its road.

This is the parking lot! I love how it's colored, and how they tend to have full accessability for everyone, from children to difables. FYI, they said that Paris's Government are targeting the full accessability for everyone in 2013 ooor, 2014 if I'm not mistaken. Superb!

They even have a special parking lane for difables (colored blue).

This is the signage. 

Big entrance/exit bubble to Saint-Lazare underground. Morning. Cold. and. Rainy.

That's all for the 2nd day, morning :p
still a lot of things to tell, and I'll try to tell it all to you!
Next; Eiffel&Louvre.

xx
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