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St-Germain
St-Germain was a center of bohemianism and existentialism in the
glittering café society of the post-war years. Names associated
with this period are Sartre and Camus and the singer Juliette Greco.
Young French teenagers spent nights in its jazz clubs and cabarets.
Many famous French singers sang in the clubs or lived in the area,
such as Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel, Charles Trénet, Guy
Béart, Charles Aznavour. The home where Serge Gainsbourgh
lived on rue de Verneuil has become a graffitied shrine. Jazz greats
who played here include Sidney Bechet, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.
Rue du Bac
Rue du Bac has many historic connections.
It was built in 1564 and named after the bac (ferry) that used to
transport quarry stone across the Seine to the construction site
of the Tuileries Palace, which was actually burnt down by the Communards
in 1871. On the 6th arron. side of rue du Bac were the barracks
that housed the Musketeers - of “The Three Musketeers’
fame. On the 7th arron. side of rue du Bac is Deyrolle, a 150 years
old taxidermy shop open to the public, which besides the stuffed
animals, is like a grand ‘Cabinet des Curiosities’ with
shells, minerals, insects, butterflies, pictures all on view.
Musee d'Orsay
Across the river from the Louvre, was originally a Beaux-Arts train
station but by the 1950's its platforms became too short and it was
up for demolition. An innovative restoration transformed the train
station into a museum spanning art from 1830 to 1914. Its sky-lit
Impressionist Gallery holds the jewels of Impressionist Art with masterpieces
by Monet, Degas, Renoir, Pissaro and Van Gogh. Next to the gallery
there is a cafe built to incorporate one of the two original giant
clocks of the station, with a balcony (open in the summer) and lovely
view over the Seine. The other restaurant is the more formal Restaurant
du Musee
d'Orsay , which was the dining room of the old hotel in
the station and is an ornately gilded period piece. Its buffet brunch
or prix-fixe menu is good value. Museum closed on Mondays. National
Museums as the ‘Louvre’ are closed on Tuesdays and Paris
Museums as the ‘d’Orsay’ are closed on Mondays.
Pont Neuf
Paris's most famous and beautiful bridge, was completed in 1607.
A statue of Henri IV stands near its center. The Bridge joins the
Right Bank of the Seine to Ile de la Cite and continues to the left
bank. Along the Quays are the Bouquinistes selling antique books and
prints.
Rue de Buci
Rue de Buci is a pretty little marketplace surrounded by cafes
and restaurants and leads into rue de Seine which is filled with
galleries all the way to the river. On rue Mazarine was the theatre
where Moliere made his first appearance as an actor and opened a
theatre, the Comedie-Francaise. The oldest cafe in Paris, founded
in 1686, ‘Cafe Procope’ is in the same street.
Rue Bonaparte and Rue Visconti
L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts on Rue Bonaparte is France's most acclaimed
art school. It was founded in 1811 by Napoleon who lived on the
street when young. On rue Visconti once lived Racine, and Balzac
had his print shop at #17. Parallel to rue Visconti at #5 rue
des Beaux-Arts, Edouard Manet was born in 1835. At #13 rue des
Beaux-Arts is “L'Hôtel, the garret hotel of Oscar Wilde
fame and where he died, now luxuriously refurbished with ‘themed
rooms’. It is worth a visit if you are in the area.
St. Sulpice
Work on the church of St-Suplice, at one time Paris's largest, began
in 1646, but is stilll ongoing. It has one of the world's largest
organs, comprising 6,700 pipes. The Chapelle des Anges (Chapel of
the Angel) has two frescoes by Delacroix which were painted in Delacroix’s
final years and were a high point in his career. Outside the Church
is a large square with the 1844 fountain by Visconti at its center.
It is the location of the annual Foire de Saint-German held at the
beginning of June and which lasts for a month. This fair has been
an annual tradition for centuries.
Rue du Cherche-Midi
Was an ancient Roman road and now this narrow street has chic designer
boutiques, galleries and cafes. The world-famous baker, Poilane, is
at No. 8. Nearby is the first Parisian Department Store which belies
it name, Bon Marche. It has a fabulous food market ‘Le Grand
Epicerie’
Jardin du Luxembourg
Jardin du Luxembourg is the most loved park in Paris. It is large
and has fountains, flowers, statues, tennis courts, concerts in
the summer and on Sunday, Tai Chi. Within the park is located the
Palais du Luxembourg, home to the French Senate. Next to the senate
is the Musee du Luxembourg, which often has art exhibitions. Nearby
on rue de Fleurus lived Gertrude Stein and her companion Alice B.
Tokas who opened their home to many famous expatriates, writers
and artists, including Hemingway and Picasso.
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