Hotel Lutetia 45 Boulevard Raspail
In 1910 Marguerite Boucicaut of the Bon Marche thought their clients and vendors needed a place to stay close to the store. Architects Louis-Charles Boileau and Henri Tauzin created this lovely hotel in the Art Nouveau style. Named after the original name of Paris, it is decorated with the sculptures of Léon Binet and Paul Belmondo.
During World War II on June 15, 1940, German Intelligence moved in and drove all the guests and many employees out. Some quick-thinking workers hid all the good wine in a tunnel away from their greedy grasp. The Nazi officers had a rather high taste and wanted the finest crystal, silver, and china and the Lutetia fit the bill.
As the Liberation of Paris unfolded they left as quickly as they came. On April 26, 1945, the next chapter in the life of the Lutetia began when the first batch of evacuees from the German death camps arrived. For a solid month, more than 500 people arrived each day. From the harshest conditions, they arrived at the Lutetia tetia and were able to shower, dress in real clothes and sleep in a bed alone. Each day family members arrived in hopes of finding their loved ones or any information they could. This went on until August 1945, and in total 20,000 people returned to a life they were forced from with a stop at the Hotel Lutetia.
It went through a lavish eight-year renovation, reopening in 2018. Visit the bar and walk through on your next trip.
Rue du Cherche Midi
No 21 former home of René Laennec inventor of the stethoscope
No 19 bas relief was originally added in 1675 and replaced in 1874 depicting an astronomer holding a tablet with a sundial that gave the street its name, looking for noon.
No 18 Hotel Marsilly, built 1738-1744 by Jacques-Hardon Mansart for Claude Bonneau. It remained in the family as well as members of the court of Louis XV
No 14 Home to Felix-Eugene Edmond Humbolt engineer during the 2nd Empire and director of the Paris water department,
No 8 Poilâne
The amazing Poilâne bakery begin in 1932 by Pierre Poilâne in this very store. Downstairs in the bread ovens, he created his miche sourdough loves that lasted through World War II since it used gray flour with spelt and not the white flour that was unavailable through the war years.
In 1970 his son Lionel took over, adding new items and the Punition cookies. (these are the best, stop and get some when in Paris). In 2002, Lionel and his wife died in a horrible helicopter accident off the coast of Brittany. Their 18-year-old daughter Apollina who was in the US at school at the time returned and stepped into the role her father and grandfather both held.
If you can’t make it back to Paris soon, you can order your own loaves and cookies and they will arrive fresh to your door in days. Worth every cent of shipping for a taste of Paris.
Place Michel-Debré
Named for the politician and resistance fighter. Formally known as the Carrefour de la Croix Rouge where in 1750 a riot broke out. A mother had lost her three children and rumors spread that it was Louis XV that had them kidnapped and sacrificed for their blood for the kings bath.
Le Centaure by César
Created between 1983 - 1985 by French artist César, the centaur's face is a self-portrait while the mask he holds is the face of Picasso. A smaller version is found on his tomb in the cemetery of Montparnasse. A small Statue of Liberty is on his chest
Rue de Sèvres
No 6 built-in 1902 by Georges Baaleyguier, the Renaissance-inspired beauty is also decorated with mosaic art by Gian-Domenico Facehina. The five tiled pieces depict the five continents. Oceania, Asia, Europe, America, and Africa
No 10 Built in 1911 by architects Charlet & Perrin
Rue Juliette Recamier
Named for the beauty of the early 19th century who spent her final years in the Abbey-aux-Bois that once stood here. Listen to more of her story in the episode of Paris History Avec a Hemingway.
Square Roger-Stéphane
Originally the Square Recamier until 2008 when it was renamed for the resistance fighter Roger-Stéphane. In 1941 he created the newspaper Combat for resistance fighters. Arrested many times and released or escaping he stayed in journalism most of his life. In 1994 he killed himself after a long illness.
Square Boucicaut
Named for the founder of the Bon Marche, Aristide Boucicaut, who founded the store in 1852. Monument to Marguerite Boucicaut and Baroness Clara de Hirsch by Paul Moreau-Vauthier.
No 33 Rue de Sèvres
Eglise Saint Ignatius, hidden off the street and built in 1855
Le Bon Marche
The first store opened in 1838 by Paul & Justin Videau selling men’s clothes and home goods. Aristide Boucicaut worked here and in 1852 he became a partner and began to revamp the store. In 1863 Aristide and Marguerite bought out the Videau brothers and built a new store in 1869 on the former Petits-Menages hospital for lepers.
La Grande Epicerie
No 38 Rue de Sèvres opened in 1923 and is the destination for all your French goodies including butter, cheese, wine, and for ex-pats in Paris a few of those American items they miss like peanut butter.
Rue de Bac
No 120 Former home of François-René de Chateaubriand who lived here from 1838 until his death on July 4, 1848. The author of the Romantic movement started out in politics and was a devoted royalist. During the French Revolution, he went to America visiting Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Lexington inspiring his book Journey to America.
A close friend of Juliette Recamier and possible lover, he would only leave his home once a day to visit his lovely friend a few blocks away.