South of Pigalle

Community Highlights Europe South of Pigalle

After a day with lots of rain, followed by one with none at all, today’s forecast was for sunshine and showers. We decided on another walk, with the possibility of a couple of small museums for shelter if the rain became too much. So after breakfast in our usual place for this trip, Le Village Ronsard, we headed to Pigalle to follow a route recommended on the official tourist website, Paris Je T'Aime, in the district known as Nouvelle Athene or SoPi (‘South of Pigalle') Unlike yesterday’s walk, this was a new area for both of us. It has lots of elegant 19th architecture and was home in the past to many of the city’s most famous creatives including Victor Hugo, George Sand, Rimbaud, Verlaine, Edgar Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec and many more.

I’ll describe the walk from our perspective but if you want to have a look at the version on the website it’s here: https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/a-walk-in-the-nouvelle-athenes-a1094. We did however find the map there inaccurate, so if you fancy following the same route do as we did I suggest you use Google maps to navigate. And they also muddle the house numbers for the two images of Heloise and Abelard on the Rue Notre-Dame de Lorette.

Our walk

Starting in the Place Pigalle we followed Rue Victor Massé which has some beautiful neo-Renaissance style buildings. We also peered, but couldn’t walk, down the gated Avenue Frochot. The website told us that Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Toulouse-Lautrec, Edgar Degas, gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinardt and film director Jean Renoir, son of painter Auguste Renoir, had all lived in this elegant street.

The walk’s itinerary steered us towards Rue Victor Massé where I was struck by one building in particular (number 27).

In the Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle we found more lovely architecture, a view of the Sacré-Cœur, and the nightclub Chez Moune. The sign, Cabaret Féminin, dates from when this was the site of Paris’s most famous lesbian club, run by an unusual character, Monique Carton, who called herself Moune.

Musée de la Vie Romantique

Although the weather was quite bright when we arrived at the Musée de la Vie Romantique part way along the Rue Chaptal, we decided to go inside, attracted by the pretty building. Entry was free, but not knowing anything much about the work of George Sand, who is featured on the ground floor, or Ary Sheffer, who once lived there and whose work is on display upstairs, we didn’t linger long.

The Rue Chaptal was one of my favourite roads on our walk. It was closed to motor traffic (perhaps because it was a Saturday?) and busy with local families taking a stroll. Opposite the museum we found a friendly little coffee shop so sat outside for a while enjoying macchiatos and watching the activity.

The website guided us to Rue Notre-Dame de Lorette to ‘admire the façade of number 49 and its front door adorned with the faces of Héloïse and Abelard. The same faces are to be found on the gates of the building at number 54’. We struggled to find them at first but that was perhaps because they are on the gates of number 49 and the façade of number 54!

We zigzagged our way along several other streets, following the route recommended, and taking plenty of photos as we went. The Rue Catherine de la Rochefoucauld was another favourite, with lots of photo opportunities.

Musée Gustave Moreau

Part way down this road we came to the Musée Gustave Moreau which we found much more interesting than the Musée de la Vie Romantique . The house was lovely, especially the spiral staircase between the upper floors. And although neither of us knew much about this artist, we both found the works on display interesting.

When we came out it was to discover the promised rain had started so we deviated from the recommended route to find an early lunch in the hope it would stop while we ate. It didn’t, but it was only fine so after our light meal in a modern café we continued our walk.

Despite the challenge of handling umbrella as well as camera I managed to take some photos in the elegant Place Saint-Georges, with its statue of the caricaturist Paul Gavarni (no, I hadn’t heard of him either!)

According to the walk’s website, number 28 here is the ‘ancient hôtel particulier occupied for just one year by the socialite and courtesan Esther Lachman, known as the Marquise de Païva. In 1851, she married the Portuguese marquis Araujo Y Paiva, who gave her this residence built in 1840 by Edouard Renaud. The building's neo-Renaissance facade, criticised in its day for its abundance, is nonetheless entirely characteristic of the style prevalent in New Athens.’

Nevertheless it was harder to take photos with umbrellas up so we were glad when the shower didn’t last too much longer. I found some wonderfully intricate doors to photograph back in the Rue Notre-Dame de Lorette.

The church of Notre Dame de Lorette was under restoration, so the outside was covered in hoardings, but we found a side door open and popped in to discover some rather striking wall paintings.

Rue des Martyrs

We then walked the length of the rather wonderful Rue des Martyrs, full of appealing food shops, restaurants and more. We sat outside one bar with a drink for quite some time, as there was so much to watch on the street, including a very friendly passing dog and a beautiful cat looking down from a window opposite.

Flea market

Almost at the top of the road we detoured on to Avenue Trudain, attracted by a line of flea market stalls. We didn’t walk the full length but even so saw plenty of varied and interesting stalls selling everything from stylish mid-20th century furniture through vintage clothing to old toys and bric-a-brac.

We then continue to the top of Rue des Martyrs and back to Pigalle Metro station to return to the apartment.

Last evening

For our final dinner in Paris for this year we went to a friendly bistro just around the corner, l'Annexe de la Petite Perigourdine. The atmosphere was casual and service a little slow, but we were in no hurry and enjoyed our evening there. My salmon was perfectly cooked, and I had room for a coffee ice cream sundae afterwards.

Postscript

The next morning it was time to say goodbye to Paris for another year. For a change we had breakfast at the nearby Cafe de Victor. The coffee was good but the croissants not quite on a par with those at Le Village Ronsard.

We left the apartment around 10.00, sending an appreciative message to our hostess Isa. We’d enjoyed our stay and might well return another year. We caught the Metro to the Gare du Nord which was quieter than usual (perhaps because it was a Sunday?) The train boarded promptly and left on time. The journey went smoothly too as did the Tube journey from St Pancras, so we were home more or less exactly five and a half hours after shutting the door to the apartment. Yes, I have a feeling we may be back there one day!

This featured blog entry was written by ToonSarah from the blog Travel with me ....
Read comments or Subscribe