August 31, 2007

St. Paul etc...

I visited another area of Paris, hardly visited by tourists. It has anyhow its interest.

(The top picture is with a reference to Isabella who lives at a very nice place, Naples in Florida, although with a number of “gators” around, including on her golf course.)

We are just south of the more visited area of “le Marais” and the “Place des Vosges”, between Rue de Rivoli and the Seine River.

To start with there is the St.Paul-St.Louis Church, which is beautiful and has its own interest. Completed in 1641, under Louis XIII, as a Jesuit church, it was inspired by the Gesu Church in Rome. The first mess was held by Cardinal Richelieu. It was of course pillaged and partly destroyed during the 1789 revolution and some fantastic master pieces (Dürer etc.) disappeared.

What was once the church convent is today occupied by one of the most renowned Paris schools, Lycée Charlemagne.

Behind the church, you will find the largest remaining piece and some towers of the 12th century Philippe-August wall, which surrounded the then much smaller Paris.

A later king, Charles V chose to create a residence just outside the wall (1360). This area was later occupied by simple apartment houses, which were more or less restored during the last 30 years. Here you have today a quite a nice quarter going under the name of St.Paul Village. When I visited it this week, it was extremely calm (we are still in August and Paris is to a large extent “closed”), but the place is full of high quality antique shops (obviously also a “gator” for sale – see top picture), some bars and restaurants…. You enter by a number of arched passageways and all the small streets and yards are of course open only for pedestrians. Around the St.Paul Village, you have a number of narrow streets, some nice recently restored flats, a censored version of Manneken Pis…

I wish you all a nice weekend!

You can find the original photos on my other blog - "Peter - photos".

34 comments:

isa said...

With that gator photo - just like the pigeon - I feel right at home :-)

So much history in that little quartier! It gives me the shivers to think that Richelieu and Charles V and Philippe August walked those cobblestone rues...
Oh, wait - they were probably carried ;-)

Speaking of walking - have you considered giving walking tours of Paris?

Shammickite said...

Peter, I will be first in line for your walking tours of Paris, as suggested by Isabella. This is another interesting corner of Paris that I missed .... arched passageways and a wonderful old church.

Annie said...

Hi Peter, what a wonderful exploration of gardens and alleys and walls from ancient times. I hadn't realized that once Paris was a walled city.

Keshi said...

u go places Peter...thats a great way to live life.

Keshi.

Cergie said...

Le Marais est aussi un coin que j'aime beaucoup mais on n'a pas pu tout faire
Aller prendre un thé chez Mariage Frère, j'adore ! Quand tu veux on y va tous les deux !

Avec Reflex, mis à part le quartier de la tour eiffel on a été surtout dens des petits coins méconnus. Belle ville est même pas détaillé dans le guide sur Paris que j'aime le mieux (Voir)

Pour appréhender Paris, et situer les lieux les uns par rapport aux autres, rien vaut mieux que de se déplacer à pied !

Chuckeroon said...

...not withstanding my appreciation of alligators, I prefer and especially appreciate the photos of the alleyways and courts - you seem to have captured that so well. Good weekend to you, Peter.

hpy said...

Tu t'éloignes te ton quartier. Le Manneken Pis est adorable!

Peter said...

Isabella etc...:
I would be happy to organise walking tours of Paris, if accompanied by some nice and charming bloggers!

Anonymous said...

Se déplacer à pieds oui, comme le dit cergie, mais il faut de bonnes chaussures. :-) Je me posais la question pour les prises de vue aériennes sur lesquelles vous situez le quartier dont vous parlez, avez-vous un jet privé? :-) Bon WE!

Peter said...

Google Earth remplace mon avion privé!

Anonymous said...

Sacré bonhomme ce Google Earth, un homme très proche de la terre.

Anonymous said...

Une belle visite de ces jolis quartiers parisiens.

krystyna said...

Hi Peter!
I am so happy being here, walking with you and your visitors through such wonderful the St.Paul-St.Louis Church and another streets of Paris.
Your showing is such entertaining!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

krystyna said...

Peter-photo is fabulous!!!

Anonymous said...

Peter c'est décidé! je vais à paris l'année prochaine en juillet et je regarderai une idée de visite par jour sur ton blog

Olivier said...

la premiere photo est completement culte, bravo pour le coup d'oeil. moi qui desteste les pigeons, je ne peux que regretter que le crocodile ne va pas le crosquer ;o)

Anonymous said...

And I order CD from these organized walking tours, thanks already, if I can not get there.
But these pages are informative enough, i can say.
Thank you again for today`s writing and photos.
Have a happy weekend!

SusuPetal said...

Now that you are retired, you could really, Peter, start making a little extra money with guided walking tours around Paris. You'd manage the tours in English, French and Swedish, maybe even more languages, I don't know. Historical walks in Paris -sounds temptating!

Peter said...

krystyna:
Thanks for looking at and appreciating my photo-blog!

lasiate:
J'espère qu'on peut se voir!

susupetal!
Yes, maybe one or two more languages (but not Finnish). For the moment, I believe I would do it only free of charge for blogger friends and whoever is interested.

lyliane six said...

C'est un beau faux maneke, car il ne fait pas pipi!!!J'adore la place des Vosges, mais je ne connais pas toutes des ruelles, je vais mettre de bonnes chaussures larges et plates pour te suivre.

Anonymous said...

je n'aurais jamais imaginé de si jolis endroits, si méditerranéens :
très chouette balade.

Anonymous said...

Very nice photography, Peter and the script is good too.

di.di said...

i think u should consider starting a business.. travel agency or something, giving tour around paris... you're very good at it... :P

EMNM said...

censored version of Manneken Pis!!!
hahahaa yes it´s true.
What a weird statue the Manneken Pis! it´s funny but weird

Kunterbunt said...

It's incredible what you discover on your strolls around Paris. Wonderful. I hope you enjoy it a lot. Perhaps you should think of making a book about all those undiscovered corners in Paris. (Or should they stay undiscovered?)

sonia a. mascaro said...

I enjoyed so much that promenade and wonderful photos! Thanks Peter for sharing!

Have a nice weekend as well!

Cuckoo said...

Can I ask you a favour ?
Will you be my guide when I come to Paris next time ?

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, alleys and courtyards, the stone and greenery. Beautifully done. I love how you introduce us to new nooks of Paris.

Peter said...

april:
I believe therer are already so many books about Paris on the market, so at least not immediately, probably never. Furthermore, I have covered so little until now.

cuckoo:
It will not be a favour, it will be a prevelige!!!

everybody:
Thanks for your encouraging comments!

Cuckoo said...

Oh Thanks then. :)

Anonymous said...

you love so much jugend styl , or modern style- nice shots !
a truly travel through the town.very nice

black feline said...

i think I need at least a year to see all of Paris as introduced by u, my friend...

Peter said...

vera:
My pleasure!

black feline:
So, you have to stay a year, at least!

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