January 25, 2008

Grands Boulevards (3)

Time for the last part of the Grand Boulevards, including the Boulevards des Italiens, des Capucines and de la Madeleine. (See maps on previous posts.)

This boulevard changed name several times, but the present name comes from the “Opéra Italienne”, now called the “Opéra Comique”, a theatre created at the end of the 18th century and mostly used for lighter type of operas, operettas… From the boulevard you only see the back side of this theatre.

In the upper part of Boulevard des Italiens you find some bank buildings, including the headquarters of Crédit Lyonnais (LCL). The building, enormous when it was built at the end of the 19th century, was seriously damaged by fire in 1996, but restored. Among other things you can admire the clock on the façade.Another building here, today also occupied by a bank, called Maison Dorée (the Golden Building) housed during the second half of the 18th century the most exclusive and expensive Paris restaurant, visited by kings and all kinds of prominent personalities. Here was also held the last impressionist exposition in 1886 (for the first one see further down) and the first “art nouveau” exhibition in 1895.

At the end of Boulevard des Italiens and the beginning of Boulevard des Capucines, you will find a concentration of cinemas and restaurants, including one of the typical Paris brassieres which remain open all year, 7/7, 24/24, Le Grand Café des Capucines, opened in 1875. Do you feel for some nice oysters at 5 p.m. or 5 a.m.?To continue on Boulevard des Capucines we will first cross the Place de L’Opéra with a view of Opéra Garnier to the right and Rue de la Paix and Place Vendôme to the left. We will find the Grand Hôtel with Café de la Paix.Further down Boulevard Boulevard Capucines, at no. 14, downstairs, in 1895, the Lumière brothers made their first paying audience to what can be considered as the debut of the cinema and shortly later Roentgen demonstrated his invention of X-rays.










At no. 35, in 1874, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Cézanne, Morisot, Degas, Monet… organised their own exhibition with few visitors. The Monet painting “Impressions…” gave the name to the movement “Impressionism”.

Close to here you have also the oldest, still existing, and most famous music hall in Paris, Olympia, opened in 1889 by a Mr. Oller, who also created Moulin Rouge. Among the performers here: Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour, Gilbert Bécaud, Amalia Rodrigues, Céline Dion, Judy Garland, Led Zeppelin, Petula Clark, Luciano Pavarotti, Dionne Warwick, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Jackson 5…

We have now reached the end of the Grands Boulevards and, after a short walk on Boulevard de la Madeleine, we will find the Madeleine Church with a view of Rue Royale and Place de la Concorde.
The impressionists made several paintings around the boulevards. Here you can see a Renoir from Boulevard des Italiens and a Monet from Boulevard des Capucines.

Happy walk during the weekend! See you Monday!

As usual, you will find some of these pictures on my photo blog.

39 comments:

Jessica said...

Another great post, Peter. I love these posts that tour specific areas of Paris. It makes it easy to picture entire streets at a time, not just individual buildings.

I also like the paintings at the bottom. My favorite Grand Boulevard painting is Camille Pissaro's Boulevard des Italiens, Morning, Sunlight. It is featured in a great article put out by the National Gallery of Art in DC called Picturing France 1830-1900. One of the sections is just about Paris and it contains a great old map of the city from 1910, info and images about how the city came to be what it is today, and of course paintings of Paris from 1830-1900. I thought you and your readers might be interested so I've left a site address below. Just scroll down and click on the section that interests you.

http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/france/

Olivier said...

apres le dejazet, l'Olympia.
Avant dans la rue sur la droite de l'Olympia, il y avait une boite Rock independant (pas vecu longtemps, apres devenu boite disco lamentable) ou j'ai vu les debuts d'Indochine, Oberkampf , Eudeline, etc....la bonne epoque du rock delirant et fou français.
Encore merci pour cette ballade, j'adore. Bon Weekend

"Ce soir je chante à l'Olympia
Soir de première soir de gala
Barbara a mis son boa
Et Bécaud sa cravate à pois
Gainsbourg s'est arrêté au bar
Nougaro est toujours en noir
Là bas au bout du corridor
J'entends le rire de Salvador
Et dans cette arche de Noé
Dabadie et Delanoë
Parmi la foule ce sont noyés
C'est l'atelier des paroliers
Julien est là avec Miou-Miou
Elle est sa préférence à lui
France Gall est-elle avec celui
Qui lui joue du piano debout
Diane Dufresne et Polnareff
Sont arrivés en astronef
N'essayez pas d'les reconnaître
Sous leurs frisettes sous leurs lunettes
Fabienne Thibeault et Gilles Vigneault
Préfèrent chanter à Bobino
Moi je l'avoue j'me sens chez moi
Quand je reviens à l'Olympia"
Robert Charlebois

Olivier said...

ah oui, la boite s'appelait "Le rose bonbon"

hpy said...

Et la rue Caumartin, et le Crocodile, et et et - mais c'est un peu derrière tout ça.

lyliane six said...

Je n'avais pas vu l'Olympia, je trouvai bizarre que tu n'en parles pas, mais si il est là! Quel beau quartier, et ensuite quand tu continues de l'autre côté, c'est fou comme le genre change.
Bon week end.

alice said...

C'est déjà fini? Où nous emmèneras-tu la semaine prochaine?

Anonymous said...

I am always struck by the lack of homes or places where the people live. I am impressed by all of the buildings and assume everyone lives in apartments in Paris. Are there no lawns, stately rows of trees down streets with nice homes on both sides and cars parked in the driveway?

SusuPetal said...

Oh, I ache to take a walk along the boulevards!

Have a nice weekend, Peter!

Vagabondage said...

Je reviens et tu es déjà très loin, dépassé mon quartier, changé ta mise en page, toujours admirative de ta minutie et de tes mises en page. Toutes ces magnifiques petites images à regarder… Une agréable promenade dans Paris sans quitter ma campagne… En effet, gagné, je reviens de La Rochelle et pour soulever le voile du mystère, je suis allée rejoindre mon fils, soliste dans les ballets de Monte Carlo, deux ballets sublimes, alors qu’ils ne se produisent pas en France et que je suis obligée de le suivre du doigt sur la mappemonde, prochaine étape : San Francisco…. et je rentre chez moi. Dommage, je ne peux pas montrer mon travail… Les photos restent la propriété des Ballets…. Bonne journée Peter.

Cergie said...

AHAH ! Tu as omis Eddy Mitchell dans les performers de l'Olympia avec en première partie Eric Triton (bon avec Pat dont c'est une idole nous sommes allés l'écouter. Le spectacle était dans la salle aussi : que des vieux avec des santiags)
Aujourd'hui je ne t'embête pas plus. J'ai pu voir qu'il t'a fallu très longtemps pour faire ce message, jusqu'à 5 heures du mat, alors je te laissse faire ta sieste réparatrice et te dis

"Bon week-end
A lundi"

Shammickite said...

Another informative and entertaining history lesson from yoy, Peter!
I have searched the internet for somewhere you can taste haggis in Paris, with no luck. As today (Jan 25) is Robert Burns Day, if you can find a British pub in Paris, you might be lucky enough to find a Burns Supper going on!
Failing that, I will invite you to our Burns Supper in 2009!

Annie said...

This post reads like a love affair for the Grand Boulevards. Anyone who walks along with you today will fall in love also. What a wonderful feeling this is!

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

Hi Peter,
Just sitting here in the dark haha to watch all you photo's and text, just starnge that that boulvard name is changing... but interesting to know.

Have a great weekend , watch my sky of Holland today, and listen to the new song on my blog:)

JoAnn greetings

Noushy Syah said...

Yeah rite! Let's take a walk along the boulevards for the w/end and stop over at one of the cafe sipping for hot coffee..;)

Have a good w/end Peter.

Heather said...

Another wonderful walk - and one that brings back memories of my visit to the city years ago, as we dined one night in a restaurant near la Madeleine, the name of which is long forgotten. Beautiful post, Peter!

sonia a. mascaro said...

That is a wonderful thread of photos, Peter! You've truly captured the atmosphere of the boulevards! Each visit to your blog more I wish to visit Paris!
Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the greetings to São Paulo's Birthday!

Maxime said...

Je n'imaginais pas rencontrer les impressionnistes sur les grands boulevards. Et pourtant, tu as raison... quelle heureuse rencontre !

Anonymous said...

I'm tired at your place and you're cold at mine. We need the weekend to relax and warm up.

Enjoy!

Nathalie H.D. said...

Great post, captures the spirit of the "quartier" very well.

I am struck by Old Man Lincoln's comment. Different lifestyles eh?

Peter said...

jessica:
Sincere thanks for this address, which I checked and which offers a fantastic presentation! I copied the address to my "favourites"! Now, I would also recommend art interested readers to really visit your very clear and educative art blog!

olivier:
Je me rappelle de cette boite rue Caumartin - de l'extérieur!

hpy:
... et oui! ... et le Crocodile n'est plus là!

Peter said...

lyliane:
On ne peut oublier l'Olympia!

alice:
La semaine prochaine...? Je ne sais pas encore. On verra après mes proménades du week-end!

oldmanlincoln:
What you are looking for is of course not very typical for Paris, but there are some quiet streets with private gardens in front of individual houses. Normally, you must though be prepared to pay a fortune. A2re you ready?

Peter said...

susupetal:
If you come, I'm ready for a second tour!

mathilde:
Un fils dan les ballets de Monte Carlo!! La classe! Je comprend que malheureusement tu ne peux pas le suivre partout!

cergie:
J'ai omis bp d'artistes... J'ai voulu mettre des noms qui sont connus aussi à l'étranger et ce n'est peut-être pas le cas de notre cher Eddy (qui maintenant fait du théatre avec Cécile de France...)! (Non, je n'ai pas fini à 5h, j'ai fini un peu après minuit.) Bon week-end Lucie!

Peter said...

ex-shammickite:
I was busy with a dinner tonight (invited). I will look for haggis this weekend, but as I now know that I'm invited next year, it's less important!

annie:
Happy to see you in love!

joann:
The boulevards change names and have changed names a lot of times, depending on regimes and whom to honour!

Peter said...

noushy:
Today was the day to do it: a fantistic spring day!

heather:
There are a few of them (restaurants)! Some come and go, some are there since "ever"!

sonia:
You must come! I understand that you never visited Paris?

Peter said...

maxime:
Il y a des dizaines de peintures des impressionistes des boulevards! Mais, c'est vrai, on y pense peut-être pas tout de suite! ... et mois aussi, j'ai appris seulement maintenant que leur première expo était ici!

ruth:
OK, good advice, but I may take some short walks if the weather is fine!

nathalie:
Yes, here abvoe I commented oldmanlincoln's comments... He should come here!

isa said...

So much history here, it boggles the mind...
(btw - that was our branch of Crédit Lyonnais - I'm glad we decided against la Société Générale ;-))

claude said...

Grand merci de faire connaître Paris que j'aime et que tu aimes aussi. Je ne suis allée qu'une seule fois à l'Olympia avec un ami décorateur qui a réussi à nous faire entrer sans payer et pour aller Samy Davis Junior. Après le pectacle on est allé boire un verre dans un café près de l'Olympia. J'ailme me rappeler de tous ses souvenirs Parisiens de mon enfance et de ma jeuness (j'y est re-vécu en 67/68)

GMG said...

Hi Peter, sorry again for having been a bit absent... Anyhow, I arrived in time to make this magnificent Grand Boulevards' tour. It took me more than one hour, much less than the time you spent just to put it together. Fabulous job! I've walked several times from the Bastille (actuallly Bofinger) to (let's say close to) the Madeleine (in fact to the Grand Hotel), but mostly straight through rue St. Antoine, Rue de Rivoli, Avenue de L'Opera (with some excursions to Les Halles, etc.). It was always a nice walk and a nice chat with friends and colleagues! In ancient times (late sixties, early seventies), when touring on the basis of Frommer's «Europe on 5 (five) Dollars a Day», used to visit «Le Drouot» and «Chartier» (at the Grand Boulevards), as well as «Le Commerce» (near Eiffel Tower) for a nice, decent, low-cost lunch or dinner. I think M. Bertrand Delanoë should take advantage of your blog to show Paris at its best!
Thanks for trip and for the comments at Blogtrotter
Enjoy a great weekend!
Gil

hpy said...

Si le Crocodile n'est plus là, que reste-t-il? Je suis retourné dans mon quartier il y a quelques années, à la recherche d'un autre restau où j'avais pris l'habitude d'aller de temps en temps avec DD, mais il n'était plus là non plus. On ne peut pas retourner en arrière.

hpy said...

ps. Det var roligt att se bilden av dig som en liten grabb!

Chuckeroon said...

.....Oh, perhaps I just missed you before you sped away for the W/E?

Anyway.....I'll think of you as I eat my steak and frites tonight.

Happy times! 'roony.

Mélisse said...

Quelle agréable promenade, j'ai même pu voir mon ancien bureau sur tes photos ! Je ne connaissais pas tous les tableaux, j'aime beaucoup le Renoir ;-) Bon week-end Peter !

Neva said...

What a great walk!! Love your photos and your comments as we walk...you make an awesome tour guide for a displaced Swede!

lyliane six said...

Ma petite voiture ne connait pas encore Paris,(c'est une invitation de ta part?)mais demain elle connaitra la banlieue, je vais chez Janine à Joinville et samedi 9 je viens à Boulogne Billancourt.

Peter said...

isabella:
I'm afraid that the SG problem is just ONE example of what we will find elsewhere. Terrifying!

claude:
Sammy Davis Jr! Wow!

GMG:
Café de Commerce offers quite good eating. Chartier is more for the "show" with the waiters... I appreciate that you took all this time to read my posts. (Yours are also always very complete!)

Peter said...

hpy:
Il y a des restaurants qui restent pourtant. Le vieux frères du Crocodile on pris leur retraite. Il y mainenant un resto italien à la place.

chuckeroon:
I trust that the steak was accompanied by some nice red wine!

mélisse:
Donc, j'ai deviné ou tu avais ton bureau!

Peter said...

neva:
I'm quite happy to be deplaced!

lyliane:
Tu es toujours la bien venue, mais pour Paris, le train est peut-être mieux?

Dr. faq said...

great photo shoot. can i know what type of camera that you use? hehe.. seriously i only have canon slr..

Mona said...

Thanks for the tour down the Boulevard ! I love the buildings that are so old and still so beautiful & sturdy!

It is enchanting that France held so much art and music lovers. The paintings are fabulous. Impressionism has always been my favourite genere and I love Monets & Manet and Cezanne & Renoir!

But My most favourite is the expressionist van Gogh! :)