Henri Cartier-Bresson, Behind the Gare St Lazare, Paris, 1932

Cartier-Bresson’s famous photograph was shot behind the Gare St Lazare, the large railway station in the north of the city. He was shooting through an iron fence, across a flooded yard, with the rear of the station in the background. I’ve figured out the location of this shot, and can even find the fence that C-B pointed his camera through – it’s still there. Using Google Earth and Google Street View, I can take you to the sacred spot!

Google Street View in the Rue de Liége. Cartier-Bresson was shooting through this fence, at about this point.

Google image of Rue de Londres the far side of the park, facing the back of the station which can be seen on the right. In the Cartier-Bresson image, a dark figure can be seen in the background, walking along the footpath on the left.

Google Earth image showing the position and angle of view of Cartier-Bresson’s lens, aiming across what is now a park, towards the rear of the Gare St Lazare.

Google Map of central Paris, showing the location of the shot.

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