Lyon's Flatiron Building

Where Rue Symphorien Champier meets Rue du Président Carnot, this elegant triangular building is Lyon's answer to the flatiron building. Opened in 1895 as the Grands Magasins des Cordeliers and later run by Galeries Lafayette, it was reworked in the 1920s to add two additional levels. The rounded corners rise into domed turrets topped with sculpted stonework, and wrought iron balconies wrap every floor. For the strongest composition, shoot from the street corner to capture the full triangular sweep and the turret against the sky. Blue hour works especially well here, when the warm light from the ground floor windows glows against a cooler sky and the pale stone holds the last colour of the day. The building sits at a busy intersection, so keep an eye on the traffic when working from the road. The surrounding Cordeliers streets are dotted with more Haussmann era facades and plus the nearby Basilique Saint-Bonaventure is worth adding to your photo advenutre. (Place des Cordeliers, Lyon, France)