It's a period that even those under 20 know all too well. In 2020, the pandemic of Covid-19 swept across the world, pushing many countries to impose lockdowns or couvre-feux. During those months, cities emptied of their residents, creating landscapes rarely seen.
Photojournalist Christophe Lepetit wandered Paris from November 2020 to May 2021, camera in hand. He captured these almost surreal scenes: a capital entirely empty, with neither tourists nor locals. No cars, no crowds, no terraces or shops—just illuminated monuments, with no one to admire them.
Christophe Lepetit unveils this series of photographs at the Orangerie du Sénat, running from July 3 to 14, 2026. The exhibition Paris en suspens brings together dozens of images—testimonies from a time out of time, almost unreal.
The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the banks of the Seine, the Sacré-Cœur, Place Vendôme, the Opéra Garnier, the Pont des Arts… all of Paris’s iconic landmarks, usually brimming with life, lie deserted during curfew. The capital widens its mood. Streets, monuments, and façades are suddenly laid bare to the eye, with nothing—no one—to block the horizon. But a city stripped of its inhabitants can feel strangely eerie, even unsettling...
With this photo exhibition, Christophe Lepetit aims to spotlight the beauty of Paris and its heritage. He also hopes to immortalize those unexpected and moving events, the curfews that have marked our collective history. The exhibition can be seen at the Orangerie du Sénat this summer.
Dates and Opening Time
From July 3, 2026 to July 14, 2026
Location
Senate Orangery
19 Bis rue de Vaugirard
75006 Paris 6
Official website
christophelepetit.com
