This is the main branch of the "Caisse d'Epargne". Literally translated, caisse d'épargne means "savings till". It is, in fact, originally a building society (is it savings and loans association in the USA?) that has become a bank just like any other these days. Still, the building itself is characteristic of these French building societies.Saturday 26 June 2010
La Caisse d'Epargne
This is the main branch of the "Caisse d'Epargne". Literally translated, caisse d'épargne means "savings till". It is, in fact, originally a building society (is it savings and loans association in the USA?) that has become a bank just like any other these days. Still, the building itself is characteristic of these French building societies.
YEs, that is exactly the American term, but there are very few left. Almost all have been reorganized into regular banks, probably due to regulation of what each business entity (lawyer talk) can do.
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous building. I've not seen a savings and loan or a bank like this in the U.S. Actually, S&L and bank owners live in buildings like this! ;-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful building! Yeah, our banks definitely don't look like this. There's those square trees again :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, officially or unofficially no Porta Johns! :)
Du moins dans le nord..Notre caisse ici est loin d'être aussi belle, elle fait dans le modernisme exacerbé, toute en vitres opaques..Très banque d'aujourd'hui, quoi!
ReplyDeleteInformative post to go with this shot. Many pre-war buildings would not have survived the bombardments, so some cities would have been more vulnerable to "architectural brutalism" (often cheaper to put up) than others.
ReplyDeleteFine building, love the roof. Our Casse di Risparmio now are banks either, if I remember well since the early 90's.
ReplyDeleteWhat admirable architecture.
ReplyDeleteLovely building. C'est un beau toit.
ReplyDelete'Savings till' right--the drawer where the money goes. A bank!! and not my pocket. gorgeous building though. MB
ReplyDeleteLaurel is a flowering plant. It's delicate, lovely, and resembles mounds of snow on the late spring/early summer boughs. Roger led a hike along a path bordered by laurels and wild blueberries. The laurels, unfortunately, had mostly passed, but the blueberries were ripening and some were ready to eat. I certainly hope you're still around at 60, Ciel!
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous building. I love everything about this photo.
ReplyDeleteFirst thought that came to my mind was "this looks very French" and then you confirmed in the caption below... :)
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Cezar
Quite an elaborate building, very beautiful shot. If it were being built today, the bankers would be catching grief for such lavishness.
ReplyDeleteI did look up Knecht and I was surprised at the definition. I was unable to find out who that bridge was named after.
Ciel, you are correct that this would be a Savings and Loan in the U.S., but as in France, the definition between an S&L and bank has become blurred. As in France, the S&Ls were originally intended to encourage home ownership.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful building!
ReplyDeleteI love the look of buildings like this.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew of even one bank that looks like this. In Astoria, the banks are in the ugliest buildings. One moved from its ugly building to a trailer when the building burned down a couple years ago.
ReplyDeleteL'écureuil a réussi dans la vie, il loge dans une belle demeure.
ReplyDelete