100,000 amateur photos of 1970s Paris are on display in the Marais for a free exhibition you won’t want to miss
A free photo exhibition is returning to the Marais in 2026, and it promises to transport you to a Paris you’ve never seen before. The Bibliothèque historique de la Ville de Paris is opening its doors to an extraordinary collection, drawn from a popular contest launched over fifty years ago.
A wild contest, 100,000 rolls of film, and Paris immortalized
In 1970, Fnac and the City of Paris launched an ambitious contest: asking Parisians themselves to capture their daily lives on film. As a result, more than 2,800 amateur photographers took to the streets and shot nearly 100,000 rolls of film. The result is a visual goldmine, a far cry from the overly polished clichés aimed at tourists.
What the Historical Library has unearthed is the “real” Paris of the 1970s. Each image was captured by those who lived it from the inside, without staging or retouching. We see Belleville being demolished, Les Halles before its disappearance, children playing in the street without anyone getting stressed out.
This free photo exhibition titled “This Was Paris in 1970” brings together the perspectives of hundreds of anonymous people on their own city. Yet it is not merely a dusty archive: it is a living, raw, and deeply human record.
A neighborhood in Paris that we miss even though we never knew it
What strikes you first about these images is that unlikely blend of nostalgia and brutality. Old men gathered around a table playing belote on a bench, boules players in every park and vacant lot, a community life spilling out onto the sidewalk. It’s easy to see why these photos are so moving, even to those who weren’t there.
But it is also a city under construction, a place of demolition, building, and redevelopment. People are worried about expropriation, just as they were in Haussmann’s day. Modernity was advancing rapidly—and not always in a pleasant way.
“A Paris of neighborhoods, sidewalks, and community life—the Paris we dream of.”
On the other hand, these images do not idealize the city. It is imperfect, noisy, and a bit dirty in places. Yet there was still a place for everyone there: the delivery person, the factory worker, the broke student, and the large family.
The stark contrast between yesterday and today
In 1970, people rode the subway without validating their tickets, smoked in cafés, and a baguette cost 30 cents. Kids played in the street until nightfall. Plus, the baker knew your first name, and Sunday mornings smelled of coffee and the print edition of the newspaper.
No Airbnb to clear out the buildings, no app to order food without speaking to anyone, no co-working space for 400 euros a month in the former cobbler’s shop. These photos show it all unfiltered, and that’s what makes this free photo exhibition so striking.
- More than 2,800 amateur photographers entered the 1970 contest
- Nearly 100,000 rolls of film were shot throughout the city
- The exhibition runs from June 1 to October 7, 2026
- Admission is free at the Historical Library of the City of Paris
- An immersive display allows visitors to view the slides under conditions similar to those of the 1970s
By contrast, looking at these images today makes one realize just how much Paris has lost in terms of human density and community ties. It also makes one wonder what our own photos from 2026 will tell future generations.
An immersive experience that brings the 1970s back to life
This free photo exhibition is more than just prints hung on the walls. An immersive installation will allow visitors to view a selection of slides under conditions similar to those of the 1970s. In this way, visitors can experience something of the original experience of viewing slides with family or friends.
A series of lectures is being held concurrently to explore these topics in greater depth. For example, “Le Marais: Between Slum and Historic District” on June 3, “Photographing the Reconquest of Paris” on June 10, and “Automobiles and the Transformation of Parisian Mobility” on June 24.
Where and when to see this free photo exhibition in the Marais
This free photo exhibition is being held at the Bibliothèque historique de la Ville de Paris, located at 24 Rue Pavée in the 4th arrondissement. Admission is free, and no reservation is required. The exhibition is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The event runs for several months: from Monday, June 1 to Wednesday, October 7, 2026. This means you have the whole summer to visit, whether on your own, with family, or with friends. The thematic lectures, meanwhile, offer a more in-depth look at the urban and social issues of the time.
This free admission to the photo exhibition offers a rare opportunity to glimpse a Paris that no longer exists, as captured by those who lived it. Moreover, the setting of the Marais—itself profoundly transformed since 1970—adds a layer of meaning to every image you view.
Take the time to go see it. These 100,000 rolls of film are just waiting to be viewed.
