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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’
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.
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.
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.
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.
Continued...
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