New York’s Grand Central Station has its iconic constellation ceiling that entices even the most harried commuters to look up. The lofty iron roof at Paris’ Gare Saint-Lazare is captured in Monet’s masterpiece, in which his impressionist clouds and steam capture the romance of train travel. Here in Marseille, the Gare Saint-Charles has a grand staircase that spills into the city. Flanked by majestic statues and palm trees with rows of Art Nouveau bronze dolphin lampposts cascading down the middle, the escaliers make you feel like a royal descending into a ball, even when lugging an awkward suitcase. There’s so much architectural eye candy the stairs are a destination in its own right. Here’s some backstory for my fellow history buffs.
