Hello from France !
The question of "tripod permits or not" in Paris is raised here from time to time.
Andreas has given the best and quickest answer, congratulations!
Now if you want to go into the details, re-read this thread referenced below. To the best of my knowledge as of April 2012 nothing has changed regarding official regulations. The rule is: tripod allowed everywhere in the puiblic domain, provided that you do not block street or pedestrian traffic. But the rule has many exceptions for "some exceptional places" like Le Louvre gardens and inside all museums.
The thread starts with a question regrading taking pictures of "Villa Savoyee, a Parisian house designed by Le Corbusier.
Architect's image rights on their buidlings are strictly respected in France and Belgium, so forget about Villa Savoye except if you are ready to by a really heavy fee to the organization managing Le Corbusier's heritage.
Another exception are the public gardens near Le Louvre Palace for which special regulations exist and tripod users are considered as professionals, hence need to register in advance and, in principle, have to pay a heavy fee as well. Only "students" showing their official student's ID card can use a tripod for free in his place
But do not try to argue with the guards. For example, it is useless to argue about the fact that zillions of tourists take pictures inside the Louvre gardens and even inside the museum itself, with their hand-held point 'n' shoot camera, so that "in comparison a single on-tripod image by an eccentric can do no harm."
In most other places downtown Paris, simply follow the good advice by Andreas and everything will go smoothly.
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...t=paris+tripod
French regulations on photographic permits can change back and forth.
For example inside the Arc-et-Senans XVIII-st century Salt Works by Claude Nicolas Ledoux (this is located in Franche Comté near where I live), for many years photography inside the monument was strictly prohibited. Streng verboten ! As they say on the other side of the Rhine river.
Of course, zillions of pictures of this Arc-et-Senans superb monument listed on the World Unesco Heritage freely circulate on the web .. Nonsense ! But do not try to argue.
Then one day we tried to organize a friendly LF gathering there, we asked for regulations, and surprise !!! The new director explained us that they had decided to allow free photography including on-tripod. So we enjoyed the place and unfolded as many tripods as we could.
But the last time I raised the question of Arc et Senans photo & tripod permits to a local LF friend, I was told that prohibiting photography was the new rule back again ...
The attached file was taken by a friend when we could freely take pictures on tripod inside the Arc et Senans monument. I have no idea whether I can show it or not now, I take the risk
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