Rue Francois Miron

We will start this tour at Rue Francois Miron.

This street was once one of the Marais’ main commercial streets.  First is No 82 the Hotel Hanault de Canobre .

This building was built in 1706.  It’s a true example of 18^th Century architecture.   It has had a lot of owners over the years.  Originally the Gayet family up until the Revolution occupied it.  Then in 1792 it was sold to Antoine Pezet de Corval until 1793 when it was sold to Didier de le Borne, which stayed in the family until 1842.  Until 1914 it was property of the family of commander Cohas.  After that the building has been owned by the city of Paris and much of it such as the facades, the ironwork and the central staircase have all been registered as historical monuments.  The building now is the home of the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie and renovations were done on the interior but they were done in such a way to respect the original building.  This museum is a must for contemporary photographic art.  It posses 12,000 square feet of exhibition space on three floors and includes permanent collections by Robert Frank, Josef Koudelka, Raymond Depardon, Martin Parr and Irving Penn.  It is open every day from 11am-8pm except Mondays, Tuesday and holidays.

Next take not of No 68 hotel de Beavius that was built in 1654 for “one eyed kate” who was the first mistress of Louis XIV. Eventually became residence for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  It has very strong symmetry, which is created using false walls and windows.  It has a beautiful courtyard.  Floor plans can be easily found on line.

No 44-46 used to be the ourscamp abbey but now belongs to the Association of Paris Historique, which restored the building.  There are free visits of the Gothic cellars from 2pm-6pm. This is something I missed because I was not aware of it at the time of my trip but something I plan to check out on my next visit to Paris.

No 11 and 13 which are located at the corner of rue Franois Miron and rue Cloche Perce are beautiful examples of half-timber houses, which date before the 15^th Century.  Around the 15th century timber houses were considered a fire hazard and all timber buildings were ordered to be covered with a layer of plaster.  This layer of plaster has been removed as part of the restoration of the buildings so we are able to enjoy them in their original splendor.

It’s these types of buildings, which can be found mixed in with the grand mansions some of the charms of Paris.  These buildings show that not everyone in Paris lived in mansions with beautiful facades.   These two buildings really stand out as some of my favourite buildings in Paris.  Even though I love the grand mansions, with their carvings and beautiful windows and facades I love the simplicity and humbleness of these buildings which stand in and amongst a sea of beautiful mansions.  It think that is partially what gives them their charm.

Note no 14 it was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel who also designed the Place de la Concord.  Take note of the elm in the wrought iron on the first floor balcony of each building.  This was one the buildings (no 14 to no 2) which were constructed in 1732 for the use of the church of St. Gervais, St. Protais.  The symbol of the elm is actually very closely linked with the church itself.

Southern Marais Walking Tour

Life has been kind of full lately, I have been meaning to start this for the past few weeks.  So today I have decided to start off with a little introduction.  The southern Marais is an area which I only really explored on my 3rd visit to Paris.  I had always wanted to explore this area in more detail but I always ran out of time with everything else that Paris has to offer.

I was so glad that I finally did explore this area.  It has a different feel from the rest of the Marais. It almost feels like a different district in some ways.  In this tour I will also be including information on Isle St. Louis.  This walk is a little less aggressive than the first walk and can easily be completed in about 3 hours.  If you add on Ile St. Louis be prepared for a good 5 hour walk depending on how long you spend shopping and enjoying lunch and the various sites on the way.

I was asked recently how long the first walk I posted is and I said well one could easily do it in three hours if you bolt around but if you take your time and take everything in 5 hours maybe more.

What I find interesting about the  Southern Marais (not including Ile St. Louis)  is it has a calmer feeling, it is quieter, its more residential feeling and in some ways does not have the same amount of shops, cafes, bistros and restaurants that the rest of the Marais has.  Just because of that don’t skip this walk as it has plenty to offer the shopper, the foodie and the historian.

So join me on this walk as I guide you through some amazing sites…..

A few fav restaurants

I was going to start working on the second walking tour but a friend of ours is heading to Paris in a few days and staying in the Marais I thought I would make her a quick list of a few restaurants that we have really enjoyed.  From my pages of listings I came up with a quick one page.

As I was going this list I was overcome with wonderful memories that were made in some of these places.  The French really put alot of value on meals and the experience and some of the most memorable of my life have been in Paris and France.

Its not always because its the “best” restaurant, with the “best” food, or because it is the mostly highly reviewed place.  There is so much more, its about that moment in time when something amazing happens, something memorable, a cool decor, a fun waiter, great wine, great food of course, a wonderful terrace on a sunny day, the company you are with or even ordering something you have no idea what it is and you are surprised.

A few places stand out for me because of wonderful memories.

On our first trip to Paris we discovered the Grizzle Cafe located at 7 Rue Saint-martin.  We did not know to expect and were greeted by some of the friendliest group of guys we had come across in a restaurant.  The atmosphere was wonderful, I even remember joking with the waiter.  There was this clock on the one wall, looked sort of like a grandfather clock.  We would see the waiter go and open up the door and stick his head in and then walk away.  We saw this a few times.  We became captivated watching them wondering what they were doing.  Then we finally saw one pull out a plate.  Turns out they have a dumb waiter disguised in a clock.  We laughed and thought it was so clever. On a subsequent trip we revisited this wonderful restaurant and again were not disappointed, this time we sat out on the wonderful terrace, arriving before sunset and we could watch the steady flow of people walk by as we sipped on wine and had appetizers.  Finally when the sun went down we had our meal and again it did not disappoint.

While we have been there on ever trip one restaurant Le Connetable 55 Rue des Archives we never seemed to get to.  It was always on my list of places to go, so on the last trip in October I made sure we got there early in the trip.  I can say it was worth the wait.  We arrived and the first level is really a bar with the restaurant up these beautiful stairs under a beamed ceiling.  This is one of the few places in Paris where the waiter actually did not speak the best English, which we loved.  I love the French language and trying to figure out what is on the menu and what is being communicated.  I try my best wherever we go.  The food here was amazing.  I still can taste the duck breast with wild berry sauce.  This will become a restaurant that will always return too; in fact we did make it back for a second visit before we went home.

These are just two wonderful restaurants of many that we went to.  Looking at my lists of restaurants it seems like the majority of the places we love are in the Marais (the 3rd and 4th) with some wonderful ones in the 2nd as well as on Ille St. Louise and the Latin Quarter.

But the ones in the Marais have a special charm much like the entire area does!!!

some thoughts and reflections

I have been finding I have been longing to go back to Paris, even more so than usual. I have been reading some awesome expat blogs and really getting a feeling of what it is like to move to Paris and deal with the challenges of living there. Those who know me well, know from my first trip to Paris I have always said that one day I will live there.

From the first time I arrived at Gare du Nord, and we got our rental car (yes we were nuts), and left the city to head to the Loire Valley, I recall as we started to drive through the streets that all I could focus on was the buildings, the streets, the life and the feeling like I had been there before. It was dejavu, and I could barely concentrate on the map and directions to get us to the Périphérique and my partner had to get me to “snap out of it” and focus on the map otherwise I think to this day we would have been driving around in circles….

Some days it feels like its an impossibility other days it feels like the day will come when I will be in the position to take the chance and just GO FOR IT. Some people I know would say it would be impossible and that I could never do it while others would be helping me pack my bags to make my dream a reality.

I was reading a blog Tanya in Transition as she is preparing to do just what I want to do….move across the ocean and start a new life. I have to say I sit here at my Mac and I feel a bit envious.

As I was reading her blog and some of her thoughts about moving and leaving her life behind I thought to myself would it be that difficult to leave my home? My friends? My family?

I have picked up and moved before, granted I was alot younger and in some ways braver, but the friends who mattered are still my friends today. We talk, have visits and thankfully due to social networking, instant messaging and text messaging I still keep in touch and am very aware of what is going on in their everyday life. So I think I could easily do this and those who are true friends would join me in the journey.

Maybe one day……until that time I can read and enjoy the experiences of others.

Conclusion of tour one…..

Now returning to rue des Francs-Bourgeois turn left where you will see an array of beautiful residences.

No 29-31 is the Hotel D’Albert, which was built in 1563 for high constable Anne de Montmorency.  This mansion changed hands a few times and each owner added to its design.  The façade on the street dates to the 18^th century while the courtyard is original.

No 33 is the Hotel Barbes, which was built in 1634 but is located behind a boring 19^th century façade.

No. 35-37 is the Hotel de Coulanges was the marquise de Sevigne was raised by her uncle Philippe de Coulanges and is now occupied by Masion de L’Europe, which is a cultural organization.

No. 26 is the Hotel de Sandreville, which has a façade that dates to 1767

No 30 is Hotel d’Almeras from the 17^th century.  This building reminds one of the buildings on place des Vosges.  Look at the sculpted rams heads around the door.  If are able to get buzzed into the courtyard you will see a busy of Henri IV. The day I was there I buzzed but no one answered.

No 34-36 is the Hotel Poussepin, which was built on the site of a 14^th century almshouse that gave the street its name.  Forty-Eight people lived here and were known as “people who pay no tax” or Francs-Bourgeois.

No. 38 is the Allee des Arbaletriers.  This is a medieval street made of large paving stones and overhanging floors.  This use to be a secondary entrance to the Hotel de Barbiette which is a 14^th century mansion where Isabelle of Bavaria lived with her husband Charles VI who is noted for being France’s craziest king.  Some interesting history occurred in this spot.  November 23, 1407 the kings brother Louis d’Orleans was returning through this alley where he was met by a gang who were hired by Jean the Fearless, duc de Bourgogne, who attacked him and left him to die in the gutter.  This murder started the 30 years of conflict between the Burgundians and the Orleanists.

Musee Picasso…

Continue on Rue du Parc-Royal to Place Thorigny and make a right on Rue de Thorigny to proceed to Musee Picasso.  In 1973 when he died a collection of his works were donated in lieu of inheritances taxes.  This wonderful building houses many of his works.  This building is Hotel Sale, which is the only mansion in the Marais that was never named after its owners.

This is a wonderful Museum to visit and I highly suggest everyone check it out while in Paris.  It is currently under renovation.

From here retrace your steps to the corner of rue du Parc-Royal and rue Payenne.  Right here on the corner is Square Georges-Cain.  This is a beautiful flowery park.  I recall spending some time in this park admiring the beauty of it.  I was feeling a bit tired when I first came across this park and as I looked around I remember thinking to myself I wonder what it is like to live in such an amazing city?  With ever turn there is something more and more captivating……

There are some interesting things to note while here.  Firstly on the left is the organgerie of the Hotel Le-Peletier-de-St-Fargeau as well as you can see its façade.  On the right is a pediment from the former Palais des Tuileries.

At No. 13 is the Hotel de Lude or also known as the Hotel de Chatillon.  Make sure you go into the rustic courtyard and notice the stairway and gate in wrought iron.  Also see the mask over the entrance to Hotel de Marle at no 11.  This building is now home of the Swedish Cultural Institute.  I never saw this as but inside the courtyard of the mansion you can see the shape of the unusual roof shape which is in the form of an upside down boat.

Rue Sevigne and Rue du Parc-Royal…..

When you exit Musee Carnavalet turn left and continue down Rue Sevigne.  At No 29 is Hotel Le Peletier de st. Fargeau which was home of the man considered to be responsible for the death sentence of Louis XVI.  This building is part of the musee Carnavelt and is now offices and cannot be visited.

Notice No. 48 and its bas-relief from 1806, which represents Charity carved by Fortin.  At No. 52 which is Hotel de Flesselles notice the masks and carvings.

As you continue along Rue de Sevigne you will reach Rue du Parc-Royal.  This beautiful street is full of wonderful mansions mostly built between 1618 and 1620 by the architect Jean Thiriot.  Both No. 6 and 8 were restored in the 19^th century and no longer look like they once did.  Hotel de Vigny at No. 10 represents the changing of social classes over history.  In the 18^th century most of the Marais was abandoned and many of the mansions were then used for industry.  No. 10 was occupied by a jeweler and had been severely damaged over the years and in 1960 it was scheduled for demolition until a 17^th century painted ceiling was discovered under the plaster and was saved.  You cannot access this building but an entrance left of the courtyard allows getting a glimpse of its wrought iron stair ramp.

No. 12 was remolded in 1988 and across the street there is a beautiful garden and playground in the square Leopold Achille. This is a beautiful spot for a little rest.

Musee Carnavalet and more…..

Upon leaving Hotel Sully turn right and then right on to Rue du Turenne and then right again when you reach Rue de Jarente, which is a very typical charming Marais Street.  Take note of N. 4 and No.6 they both contain very romantic courtyards.  Rarely are these open to the pubic, maybe when you visit you will be lucky enough to be able to pop inside for a look.

From Rue Jarnete turn right on to rue de Sevigne and proceed to Musee Carnavalet.  This 16^th century mansion is now a museum devoted to the history of Paris.  Inside the museum there are exhibits, paintings, sculptures, decorative arts and period costumes.  The museum takes you from Roman times to the Middle Ages to the Renaissance up to the present.  A highlight is rooms 19 and 20, which belonged to the Hotel La Riviere on the Place des Vosges.  The ceilings are painted by Charles Le Brun, which depict Psyche with eight Muses and is a beautiful work of art not to be missed.

Mme de Sevigne occupied this mansion during the last 19 years of her life.  You can appreciate the architect Francois Mansart’s design in the courtyard without visiting the museums.  Notice the lions over the main entrance and the bas-reliefs representing the seasons and the zodiac in the  courtyard, which were carved by Jena Goujon in the 16^th Century.  The statue in the center is of Louis XIV carved by Coysevox.

http://www.paris.fr/portail/Culture/Portal.lut?page_id=6468

Hotel de Behune Sully

Hotel de behune sully

Before we leave the Place des Vosges in the back right hand corner there is an entrance to reach the Hotel de Buhune Sully which is now the national office of historical monuments (Centre des monuments nationaux), which is free and open to the public.  You can enter this from the other side but I find it kind of mysterious to enter it through he Place des Vosage almost like a back entrance.  When you enter you walk right into a beautiful courtyard, which contains benches and gardens.

Hotel del Bethune-Sully is considered one of the finest Louis XIII buildings in Paris. It was begun in 1625 and was bought by Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully, Henri IV’s famous minister in 1634. It stayed in the family until the middle of the 18^th century.  Other famous people who stayed here include Madame de Sévigné and Voltaire

The building itself has a classical layout typical of early 17^th century French style with richly sculpted facades.  I have found information which states that the interior apartments can be visited on European Heritage days and that some of the rooms such a s the Duchess’s Italianate chamber still have their original décor.

It was bought by the state in the 1950s and restoration began on this wonderful building. Since 2004 the State’s contemporary photo collection has been on display in the Jeu de Paume Museum.

Place des Vosges (continued…)

To reach Place des Vosges continue north for a long block along Rue des Tournelles and turn left at the medieval looking Rue de la Mule which will open onto the north eastern corner of the Place des Vosges.

It was originally known as the Place Royale and was built by Henri IV between 1605-1612.  This is a true square which measures 140m x 140m and became a prototype for residential squares throughout Europe.  It was inaugurated in 1612 with a grand carrousel celebrating the wedding of Louis xiii and Anne of Austria.

The house fronts were all built with the same design of red brick with strips of stone over vaulted arcades that stand on square pillars.  The steep roofs are blue slate which contain small dormers.

There was no garden here until 1680 when Cardinal Richelieu had a bronze statue of Louis XIII on horseback erected in the center.  The one that exists there today was replaced in 1825 after the original was melted down in the Revolution.

In 1799 the department of the Vosges became the first to pay taxes supporting the revolutionary army and the square was renamed to Place des Vosges, before returning to its original name for a short period.

Make sure as you walk along that you check out these famous addresses

No. 1bis Pavillion du Roi, which never was a royal residence of Mme de Sevigne the famous French writer was born here (Note: notice the sculpted head of Henri IV in a medallion over the first floor).

No. 6 “Maison de Victor Hugo”.  This was the Hotel de Rohan-Guemenee but was Victor Hugo’s home from 1832-1848.  It is now a free museum devoted to his memory which is managed by the City of Paris.

No.7 Sully, Henri IV’s great minister

No. 8 former residence of the poet Theophile Gaultier and also writer Alphonse Daudte

No. 9 (Hôtel de Chaulnes), seat of the Academy of Architecture, with a spacious courtyard surrounding a fountai, which now houses one of best restaurants in Paris.

No. 11 occupied from 1639-1648 by the courtesan Marion Delorme

No. 14 (Hôtel de la Rivière). Its ceilings painted by Lebrun which are now reinstalled in the Musee Canavalet

No. 17 former residence of Bossuet

No. 21 the residence of Cardinal Richelieu from 1615 – 1627

No. 23 post-impressionist painter George Dufrenoy

No. 28 Pavillion del Reine a very fashionable hotel

• Recent Posts

  • Rue Francois Miron
  • Southern Marais Walking Tour
  • A few fav restaurants
  • some thoughts and reflections
  • Conclusion of tour one…..
  • Musee Picasso…
  • Rue Sevigne and Rue du Parc-Royal…..
  • Musee Carnavalet and more…..
  • Hotel de Behune Sully
  • Place des Vosges (continued…)

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