C'est Magnifique

Courtesy Avenue Saint-Jacques by snaillad 

Paris, France - (BTT) When you close your eyes and imagine Paris, likely the second thing to come into frame after the Eiffel Tower are the broad avenues lined with classical buildings such as the stunning example above - shops and restaurants on the bottom to encourage an active streetscape, apartments above to keep the buildings active at all hours of the day. While never becoming the household name that Gustave Eiffel has, at least not internationally, Georges-Eugène Haussmann deserves just as much credit for giving the City of Light its iconic look. Conveniently located right at the entrance of a Metro station, this building is more that just a pretty facade. Go inside you will find a lot going on - restaurants and cafes, dentist offices, and apartments that are the height of luxury.

Aquatic Accommodations

Courtesy Fountain Castle by RedCoKid

Chantilly, France - (BTT) There's vacationing in style, and then there's this. The aptly named Fountain Castle - not just because of the brilliant blue hues on its facade but also because of the actual fountains on the garden side - is truly a grand hotel. Once you are done admiring the exquisite exterior details, from the wide variety of windows to the wonderful patina on the copper roof, feel free to step inside to find your bed and enjoy a night in true landmark.

Antique Freaks

Courtesy Antique Shop by Castor-Troy

Lyon, France- (BTT) These days, a car loses half its value the minute it's off the lot. So, if that logic was in place for everything, then why would someone pay hundreds of dollars for a chair from a sunken ship (Titanic, anyone?) for hundreds of thousands of dollars? Because everything that's outlived its estimated life has a story to tell. A silver chalice may tell of knights and castles, while an ancient painting may show the hidden talents of an artist long dead. This great building was built to allow the citizens of a Lego city to enjoy the same stories of times gone by, be it black falcons, or Blacktron ! It features a full interior, and a rear that draws inspiration from another antique, the Green Grocer!