Tags
Detroit, Michigan, photography, photos, travel, United-States
Après 2 jours passés avec des amis dans la banlieue de Chicago, nous avons repris la route pour nous rendre à Detroit où nous allions rejoindre des amis du Sud-Ouest de l’Ontario. Richard et Beatrice voulaient nous faire découvrir la ville où Richard avait étudié dans les années 70 et la revisiter (leur dernière visite datait de 3 ans). Nous ne savions pas trop à quoi nous attendre de Detroit, une ville qui a beaucoup souffert et qui a vu son centre se dépeupler après des émeutes raciales en 1967.
Nous avons trouvé une ville en renaissance même s’il reste encore beaucoup de chemin à faire pour revitaliser son centre-ville. Certains immeubles ont connu des campagnes de rénovation et certains emplois sont revenus au centre. Nous avons aussi passé du temps au Detroit Institute of Arts qui possède une très riche collection incluant une magnifique fresque murale peinte par Diego Rivera en 1932-1933.
After 2 days with friends in the suburbs of Chicago, we headed back on the road to get to Detroit where we were to meet friends from Southwestern Ontario. Richard and Beatrice wanted us to discover the city where Richard had studied in the 70s and revisit it (their last visit was 3 years ago). We didn’t know what to expect from Detroit, a city that suffered a lot and had its centre depopulated after racial riots in 1967.
We found a city in rebirth even though there is still a long way to go to fully revitalize its downtown core. Some buildings have undergone renovation campaigns and some jobs have returned to the centre. We also spent time at the Detroit Institute of Arts which has a very rich collection including a beautiful mural painted by Diego Rivera in 1932-1933.
Congress Avenue 
The Spirit of Detroit 
Detroit Monorail 
Renaissance Center 
Wayne County Building
Detroit Institute of Arts
Industry Murals, Diego Rivera 1932-1933
[Auteur/Author: Suzanne & Pierre]
Les voyages de Suzanne & Pierre 
Interesting, I was once in transit in Detroit airport but haven’t ever visited so nice to read!
Thanks for your note. We were nicely surprised by Detroit. It is well worth a visit. We didn’t stay long enough to truly explore the city but what we saw was very interesting.
I am a lot like Little Miss Traveller. I often found myself in the Detroit airport or crossed the border there but I have never stopped to look around. Thanks for the photo journey.
Thanks Jacqui. I think Detroit is overlooked by a lot of people but it is well worth a visit. We quite enjoyed our stay in the area though it was very short.
Je ne connais pas cette ville mais ici nous avons appris que Détroit avait aussi beaucoup perdu suite à la disparition de certaines usines automobiles. Les fresques s’y référant sont superbes.
Merci Marie. La situation économique de Détroit s’améliore tranquillement mais elle a dû se diversifier car l’insdustrie automobile n’est plus aussi présente qu’avant. Cela demeure une ville très axée sur l’automobile. C’est une ville surprenante que nous avons bien aimé visiter.
You are amazing! You have a gift for showing your subjects in their most photogenic light — even Detroit. I do hope this much-maligned but historic city will have a renaissance.
Thanks Heidi. We were quite pleasantly surprised by Detroit. I must admit that we only went briefly in the areas where there are still a lot of abandoned houses and didn’t take pictures of it. We wanted to show the good side of Detroit. I think they have a number of interesting initiatives so maybe one day it will be again a vibrant city.
It looks far, far less run down than I expected from what I have read. I am obviously out of date!
Thanks Anabel. There are still areas where there are a lot of abandoned houses but we didn’t spend much time there and didn’t take any pictures. There seems to be a certain renewal levels though they still have a long way to go to become a lively city again.
Thank you for this post! Like others, I have driven through on my way to somewhere else. I have read of the recent recovery but have not visited….yet! Your photos are excellent, I especially like the murals.
Thanks for your note. I think Detroit deserved to be visited. Its Institute of Arts is on its own a reason to stay a little longer as it has a wonderful collection. And we were pleasantly surprised by some of the obvious signs of renewal. There is still a long way to go but it does seem that they are on the right track.
I went to university in Windsor in the 70s and my roommate for 2 years was from Detroit. As a young kid from small town Northern Ontario, I had a lot to learn about life in a city (and to me Windsor was HUGE) but going to Detroit was like going to another planet. My roommate could be brutal with my naiveté.
I was really sad to see Detroit decimated in 2008 when the big crash occurred. I still wonder where all those people went when they abandoned the city. Glad to hear it is going through a period of renewal.
Thanks Joanne. I understand you. I had the same feeling when I went to university in Quebec City instead of going to Montreal from my small town in Northern Quebec. Montreal was scary for me though I eventually learned to adapt to living in big cities (Toronto, Paris & Montreal!).
Detroit wouldn’t have been on our list if it hadn’t been for our friends who wanted to go back and show it to us. We were very impressed by the city though there are still areas with lots of abandoned houses which is very sad. White people started to leave the city centre after the racial riots in 1967 and went to live in the surrounding suburbs. The houses were left empty and they slowly decayed which means that the city was a scary place. But a lot of initiatives are being implemented now that is showing signs of working in bringing people back to the city centre. The city has a long way to go to be as vibrant as it once was but I guess it is going in the right direction.
I think I remember you mentioning once before that you were from Northern Quebec. Val D’Or? La Sarre? Or did I imagine it?
Going to Quebec City instead of Montreal would have been the same for you as it was for me going to Windsor instead of Toronto. Now of course Toronto feels like a ‘small town’ 🙂
You have a good memory. I was born in a small village located near Amos in Abitibi and then lived in Amos from the age of 8. I went to CEGEP in Rouyn-Noranda (again it was closer to home and much smaller than the bigger CEGEP) and then went to Universite Laval in Quebec City. It is only later that I moved to Montreal before moving to Toronto, then to Paris and now back in Montreal. You are right Toronto can feel like a small town compare to some of the other megalopolis.
Suzanne and Pierre, we are from Detroit, and it is a lot of fun with many things to do. Glad you enjoyed the visit!
Thanks David and Laura. Glad you enjoyed our post on your city. We truly enjoyed our stay in Detroit.
We have been to Paris, where you are now and Toronto and love both. WE will be following you along on your blog because we sound very similar.
Thanks for your note. Glad you enjoyed our blog. We totally enjoyed our time living in Paris & Toronto. We live in Montreal now.
Beautiful. I love Detroit.
Thanks Bennie. Glad you enjoyed our photos of Detroit. We were very impressed by our visit to Detroit; it certainly exceeding our expectations.