I noticed a door from the glass-domed room I talked about yesterday. It didn’t look like much until I investigated — it led outside to a deck — a considerably sizeable rooftop deck with walkways that warranted investigation.

It was late afternoon, and the gentle light created a pastel view from atop a grand old department store. Unlike the view from the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe, popular spots with loads of tourists, we had our secret little observation spot. I know this isn’t true, but only one other couple was there to experience the view. I felt almost like a Paris insider.

In the distance, with a 39mm equivalent view, the Opéra Garnier, the building we explored in detail less than two hours before, still looked monumental from this angle, rising above the surrounding rooftops.

At a 75mm equivalent, I filled the frame with the enormous structure, clearly under a more extensive renovation than I realized. The right side facade is covered by a billboard featuring matching architecture and a smartphone ad — the kind of large-scale advertising I mentioned in an earlier post. The roof also appears to be under repair, forming a triangular white hat.

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