Ile de la Cité
Sunday, February 20, 2022
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Pont de l'Archeveche was built in 1828 and named for the former palais de archdiocese that once stood between the bridge and Notre Dame. On February 14 & 15, 1831 an anti-Bourbon riot broke out on the eleventh anniversary of the murder of the Duc de Berry in front of the Eglise Saint Germain l’Auxerrois. The angry bunch set their rage onto the archdiocese and attacked and looted the palace ending in its destruction.
In 1837 it was replaced with a park and in 1970 it was named for Pope Jean XXIII. Today it is filled with the offices of the amazing people restoring Notre Dame de Paris.
Just at the very end of the Ile de la Cité is a somber site all should visit. The Memorial des Martyrs de la Deportation was dedicated on April 12, 1962. It is free to visit and open everyday 10am-5pm from October - March 15 and 10am-7pm the rest of the year.
Quai aux Fleurs, originally the Quai Napoléon and renamed for the flower market at the end of the quai
No 9 & 11 is where the former home of Canon Fulbert lived with his niece Heloise.
Uncle Fulbert served as a canon at the Hotel Dieu de Paris on the Ile de la Cité where he also lived. His house on the Quai aux Fleurs looking at ile Saint Louis was large and had room for a few renters so he offered a room to Abelard. Abelard was a schoolmaster for the Cloister Catholic School and was known all over Paris for his handsome looks and charismatic personality.
Abelard and Heloise were taken with each other immediately and to spend more time together he took her on as his personal student. The two began a very hot and steamy affair that they kept from Fulbert. That is until she became pregnant. Abelard took her to Brittany to stay with his sister Dionysis. In the fall of 1116 Astrolab was born.
Returning to Paris, Heloise and Abelard tried to smooth things over with Fulbert. Abelard proposed they get married, complete against the wishes of Heloise who thought marriage was a form of prostitution and would also hurt his career.
They wed early in the morning at the Chapel of Saint Christophe which once stood on the parve of Notre Dame. Fulbert was briefly happy with the arraignment, until he decided he wasn’t. In the dark of night he sent a few goons to the house of Abelard and the men castrated him.
Heloise left Paris for the convent of Saint Marie d’Argenteuil where she would become a nun. Even that couldn’t keep the lovers apart and he would climb a wall for some sexy meetings. Abelard would eventually leave Paris to set up his own convent and chapel and the two would keep in touch through their letters.
Listen to the story of their entire life in this episode of Paris History Avec a Hemingway on La Vie Creative Podcast.
Rue des Ursins
The street itself was once the same level as the Seine and was called the Port de Saint Laundry until 1321 and was just outside the wall of the city.
No 4 Fernand Pouillon “medieval” house built in 1958. Architect Fernand Pouillon designed and rebuilt this home loosely based on the former medieval version even using a few of its former windows. He didn’t live there long, he was sent to prison for a short time for falsifying invoices, then Georges Pompidou cleared him of that and François Mitterand gave him the Legion d’Honneur. It is said to be quite grand on the inside and has amazing views. I’ve yet to see anyone looking out the window or inviting me in for a glass of wine.
No 19 former Saint-Aignan chapel built in 1116. Heloise attended the church as well as a visit from Saint Bernard. It served as a chapel until 1791 and was one of the 23 chapels that filled the end of the island.
Inside the building now parts of the old chapel are still found. Eight columns dating back to the 12th century remain as well as a small statue. The brick building with the ND tiles is part of Notre Dame and the Catholic Seminary. This is also where the beloved Virgin and Child statue that stood to the right of the altar was found. A smaller copy is up on the facade. Sadly we can’t get in to see the chapel.
Rue de la Colombe
The original building at number 4 was built in 1228, at the same time as Notre Dame and was the home of one of the builders. One day the house collapsed and two doves were trapped inside. The male dove was able to get out and everyday he would bring back food and water for the lady dove still trapped inside. Neighbors noticed this and help dig the sweet little dove out and free them both. The two are still immortalized on the facade of the building as well as the name of the street, Colombe means Dove. So sweet.
A few steps away is a reminder of where the original edge of Paris once was. In the street there is a clear marking of cobblestones that date back to the wall that was built in 276 by the Romans. It was discovered in 1898. Think about the size of Paris now versus then. Amazing
A left on Rue Chanoinesse and at number 26 behind the red door hides a few more secrets. At the end you could find the door to the chapel of Saint Aignan but it's down at your feet that is pretty cool. The stones are actually old medieval tombstones with Gothic lettering. It is unknown from where they were found but we can imagine it was from the many chapels that once covered the island.
No 24, Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole. Built in 1512 and once the home of the canons of the church. In the spring it is one of the prettiest spots in Paris as the entire facade is dripping with wisteria.
No 22/24 was the home of a grim tale. There once stood a building that had a barber shop and a bakery. The barber had daily visits from the students of the Cloister of Notre Dame but every once in a while, one never made it out. A trap door below would send the freshly coiffed victim to his death where he was chopped up and then the baker made pate, beef pies and sausage. They were a hit with everyone including the king.
One day a German student named Alaric went to get his haircut and brought his beloved dog. The dog sat outside for two days waiting for his master and began barking alert neighbors and Alaric’s friends. The police arrived and after searching the building found out exactly what had been going on. The two were later held in metal cages and burned alive on the Place de Greve. Today it is the police garage for the motorcycles and the stone where they cut them up is said to still be there.
No 17 Former home of Archbishop of Paris Cardinal de Retz from 1654-1662 who arrived in Paris with Catherine de Medicis. Once he took up sides against Cardinal Mazarin he was ousted from Paris.
No 12 Hotel du Grand Chantre built in the 17th century, the facade remains while they had redone the interior
No 8 The red brick facade dates back to 1853 but with medieval details and was a fire station until 1868 and now the school of the Magistrate.
This entire area was once covered with the cloister of Notre Dame that once was gated off and the women were not allowed to enter.
Coming up on the north side of Notre Dame that is now walled off and covered with scaffolding. All three of the rose windows survived and the north and south are now covered and protected and with very little damage thanks to the decades of dust protecting them from the lead dust.
On the right coming to the front of the church is the Hotel Dieu, the oldest hospital in Europe and originally built in 651 by the Bishop of Paris Saint Landry. In 1165 Bishop Maurice de Sully used much of his own money to build Notre Dame and decided to rebuild the hospital at the same time. Patients slept 3 to a bed and everyone that came was treated. The current hospital was built in 1866 but the interior was updated in the 1950’s. It is due to go through another large renovation soon.
The parvais of Notre Dame stretching out from in front of the church was once covered with chapels and homes. It was all removed over time and under Haussmann and in 1965 they were going to build a car park beneath it. Instead they discovered the Gallo-Roman remains and the foundations of the former chapels. It is now the Archeological Crypt and can be visited once again. It is very interesting and worth a visit.
The Prefecture de Paris is just opposite the church and in the 7th century stood the Abbey of Saint-Martel. The current building is much newer and created under Haussmann. On August 15, 1944 it became the site of the breaking point in the Liberation of Paris that lasted for 9 days.
Petit-Pont Cardinal Lustiger.
The original bridge dated back to Gallo-Roman times and was the only way to get to the left bank. In 1185 Bishop Sully had a new bridge built until the floods destroyed the bridge a few times. The current bridge dates to 1853.
The Rive Gauche and Rue de la Bucherie
One of the oldest streets on the left bank and once where the medical school of the Hotel Dieu stood.
The Prefecture de Paris is just opposite the church and in the 7th century stood the Abbey of Saint-Martel. The current building is much newer and created under Haussmann. On August 15, 1944 it became the site of the breaking point in the Liberation of Paris that lasted for 9 days.
Petit-Pont Cardinal Lustiger.
The original bridge dated back to Gallo-Roman times and was the only way to get to the left bank. In 1185 Bishop Sully had a new bridge built until the floods destroyed the bridge a few times. The current bridge dates to 1853.
The Rive Gauche and Rue de la Bucherie
One of the oldest streets on the left bank and once where the medical school of the Hotel Dieu stood.
Square René Viviani and oldest living tree in Paris.
Named for French lawyer and politician René Viviani who served on the French council and minister of justice that passed a law allowing women to become lawyers in 1900. In the center is a sculpture by Georges Jeanclos that tells the story of Saint Julien added in 1995.
The park also holds former pieces from Notre Dame de Paris removed under Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century.
The oldest living thing in Paris is also found her but we all took a collective gasp when we saw it. Hopefully it is just pruned back a bit for the winter. It dates back to 1601 and was added by Jean Robin who was the gardener to Henri IV and director of the Jardin des Plantes. It survived WWI when a shell hit it and destroyed two branches. Two concrete braces have been added to hold it up and we will be checking in on it again soon to be sure it is still doing ok.
Eglise Saint Julien le Pauvre is located on the route of the Saint Jacques de Compostela and at the intersection of two Roman roads. In the courtyard of rh church to the left of the cage is a piece of the old Roman road, making it one of the oldest things in Paris. The church itself dated back to the 6th century and was destroyed by the vikings in 886. Rebuilt in 1125 it was the school of the students of the Hotel Dieu and Sorbonne
The legend of Saint Julien as written by Gustave Flaubert dates from the Middle Ages when one day hunting in the woods, a deer he had in his sights turned to him and told him that he may want to kill him now, but next he will kill his parents next. Years later after he has married he went out hunting again, but is still haunted by the reminder of what the deer told him. While he was gone his parents came to visit.
Tired from their trip, they slept in his bed. Julien returned home thinking it was his wife with another man in their bed and he killed them. The curse of the deer had come true. Horrified, he fled the house and spent time alone until he came across a river. Giving himself up to a life of service he began running a boat from shore to shore. One day a leper arrived, asking for clothes and a place to sleep. Julien gave him the clothes off his back and his bed. The leper revealed himself that he was in fact Jesus, and absolved him of his sins.
Just down the street a bit is the oldest street sign in Paris.
Dating back to the 14th century, maybe even longer. First mentioned in 1380 the sign at 42 rue Galande depicts a scene from the story of Saint Julien l’Hospitalier. Rue Galande itself dates back to 1200 and was once the Gallo-Roman road connecting Lutecia to Fontainebleau. Named after Ettienne de Garlande who served as the archdeacon of the nearby Notre-Dame in 1105 and a close confidant of king Louis VI. Within the wall of Philippe Auguste Garlande owned a large piece of land, the Clos de Garlande with a vineyard, orchard and large home. Today all that remains is the street named after it, and without the R.
The bas-relief on rue Galande, depicts that moment. The relief you see is a copy, the original is safely away in the Louvre. We are also just steps away from the Eglise Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre where you will also find the last remaining stone of the Gallo-Roman road.