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Place des Victoires
Built in 1865 to celebrate the victory of Louis XIV over Spain, Holland,
Piedmont and Germany, it is now lined with designer shops such as
‘Kenzo’ and ‘Thierry Mugler’. ‘Victoire’,
a specialty store, introducing new Paris design talent, is particularly
interesting.
Eglise de St. Eustache
Begun in 1532 and completed in 1647 it is one of the largest, most famous
and beautiful churches in Paris. It has a particularly noteworthy organ
and was the setting for the first performances of works by Berlioz and Liszt.
The Grand Boulevards
The Grand Boulevards were built in 1705 where the the old walls
around Paris were demolished and by about 1750 the Boulevard (the
original name) had became fashionable where the nobility and rich
built their homes and Parisians would sit and watch the horse carriages
and riders pass by. The east end, the Boulevard du Temple, became
a center of theatres and dance halls, circuses, waxworks, puppets,
dancers, acrobats, mechanical figures, cafes, restaurants, booths
and barrows. This lasted for about 100 years.
There are some pretty covered passages off the Grand Boulevards, as
Passage Jouffroy and Passage Verdeau (book and print dealers).
Musée Grevin
Wax museum (approximately 500 characters) scenes from French history
and the present day.
Chatelet & Les Halles
Rue de la Ferronnerie and Rue des Lombards is now an area of many
gay bars and restaurants. It was outside 11 Rue de la Ferronnerie
in 1610 that Henri IV was stabbed to death in his carriage.
Nearby is Les Halles underground pedestrian concourse lined with
shops and an RER and Metro Hub. It is on the site of the old "Les
Halles" Central Market.
Rue Montorgueil
This is a trendy area with an eclectic mix of cafes, bars and food
stores set amid old, interesting streets and houses. Of particular
interest is the ‘L 'Escargot Montorgueil’ at #38 as it
is one of the most authentic examples of 1830's decor in Paris and
a well known restaurant specializing in snails. At #51 is ‘Strohers’,
founded in 1730 by the former pastry chef of Louis XV.
Continued...
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