Norman Ball is a retired university professor who loves visiting Paris and wandering about the city. He is the author of half a dozen books on the history of technology and is currently doing research on the technologies of communication among the blind: typewriters, Braille-writers, and more.
Philippa Campsie is a Toronto writer who studied in Paris as a university student, and has never quite got Paris out of her system ever since. She collects Paris maps and travels there with Norman as often as possible.
The fallen tree at the top of the blog is called l’Arbre des Voyelles, the Tree of Vowels, and it is a sculpture by Giuseppe Penone, installed in the Tuileries Gardens in 1999.
Parisian Fields 
Chestnuts – how wonderful. And a breath of Paris and Ravel. Thank you.
I like the companion pictures. Bookends? Not quite but a great combination of prose and pictures. Please keep it up for all of your groupies.
Hi, I’m afraid I could not find your email address hence this note – please can you contact me at carole@expatfocus.com regarding an Expat Focus Recommended Website Award for your site? Thank you.
Kind regards,
Carole
Hey there, would love to invite Parisian Fields (*the two of you) to my exhibition GOD & COUNTRY which opens Thursday 1 September at STORIE, 20 Rue Delambre 75014…
Can you send me your e mail? Me: http:/matthewrosestudio.net/
Thank you!
Matthew
Dear Philippa Campsie:
“The Balcony Scene”
I was re-reading the articles on your blog this morning and wanted to mention that I read De Waal’s book on the Ephrussi family and Charles’ netskes after reading of it on your blog this month. My father-in-law collected netskes right after the second world war and my wife and her sister have many beautiful ones. I enjoyed reading about the history of their arrival in France and wanted to connect that story, of the Japanese craze to hit France at the end of the 19th century, with your article on “The Balcony Scene” showing Caillebotte’s ariel-view painting. That point of view was also a result of the influx into Paris of “cheap” Japanese woodblock prints. Their use of the “birds-eye view’ was repeated by countless painters in the impressionist and post-impressionist camp.
“Cheap Eats”
We met Sandra Gustafson in LA at The Traveler’s Bookstore one April evening back in about 1993 or ’94 when I had an art show of my watercolors of Paris and she was there promoting her books as was Mark Eversman, promoting his fine newsletter, “Paris Notes”. We used her book to find three or four hotels before settling exclusively on one where we became friendly with the owners and remain in contact to this day. We too gradually moved on to rent and now have purchased a part ownership in an apartment in Paris for our visits.
We also used Sandra’s books, as well as her editions on London, and she eventually dropped the “Cheap” in the title. Mark Eversman’s monthly newsletter eventually went online and then he retired. Now the internet makes travel information instantly available to everyone.
I know you put a lot of effort in your articles and want you to know I really enjoy reading them. Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Richard Ewen
Did you run across any material about this bridge that mentions that when it was first opened to foot traffic there was a lot of “swaying” of the structure, and that it was shut down temporarily and something was done to stabilize it? I was going to Paris each summer when the bridge was being built and seem to remember that it was opened and then closed for a while. Perhaps it was another bridge and my memory is incorrect.
Thanks for your comment and yes, you are correct. As often happens with elegant pedestrian bridges there was a swaying problem which was fixed rather quickly. No problem now. There is a long history of swaying bridges, the most famous being Galloping Gertie a vehicle bridge over Tacoma Narrows that swayed to destruction.
Norman
I was lucky enough to discover your website and enjoy reading the posts. I especially wanted to commend Norman for his ‘Beauty and the Bridge’. His thoughts on space and the function/beauty aspect were well expressed and the pictures were great. I love the bridges in Paris also.
Hi There Norman & Philippa!
I do love reading your postings, and it’s always a pleasure when a new one pops into my in box.
I was wondering if you could tell me where a sign in your ‘Signs of Paris’ posting from 13th May (I think) is located. I’d love to photograph it myself! It’s the one saying ‘Maison salubre tout à l’égout eau et gaz à tous les étages’ or something like that, all on one plaque. It’s terribly corroded though. My e-mail is sab@parissetmefree.com . Let me know if I can help you out in any way too 🙂 Sab
Norman Bell:
http://peter-pho2.blogspot.com/2011/11/nothing-special.html
Peter’s Paris’ Blog today posted some neighborhood shots, one of which would interest you. It shows some curiously curved stacks. Scroll down the collection of photos and you will see what looks like a low first or second story small roof.
HI Philippa and Norman,
I just left a post on your Christmas blog and then took a peek at your bio. I really like your blog – well-written and great photos. We have a similar story – my husband takes the photos and I write about our favourite topic, France.
I’m wondering if you would be interested in receiving a review copy of our latest book, “How to Cook Bouillabaisse in 37 Easy Steps – Culinary Adventures in Paris and Provence”. It’s a culinary romp that takes the reader to cooking classes, wine tastings, champagne exploration and truffle-hunting…
Long title, I know! It’s currently available on Amazon and soon to be available at Chapters. It’s been getting some nice press so we’re trying to get it into the right hands.
I hope we can send you a copy!
Diane Shaskin
I am dazzled by your blog, your research, your stories, your photos. I want to sit here and read through all your archives and take notes and then visit the places you describe so thoroughly and so evocatively! Thank you for sharing.
My poor husband–he’s going to get very tired of my bugging him that we should take our family to Paris very soon!
I’ve added this site to my blogroll and plan to come back often.
Just wanted to thank you very much for the pleasure that your postings provide me. I love the details of life and am lucky to lately be able to visit Paris yearly. My visits last for only a week or ten days–but due to your generosity I’m able to see your Paris. (I just purchased note cards from Richard Ewen’s website and may be able to visit the gallery in Austin, Texas–the ripples that emerge from computer trolling.) Thanks very much for sharing your research, photos, and thoughts.
Kitty Olney
Your blog is beautiful, Philippa and Norman. I found you while looking for just that: beautiful blogs to nominate for the One Lovely Blog award. I’m following you now and I’m excited to do so, as I’ll learn a lot about Paris through your eyes, including while I’m there for the month of July! Take a look at your nomination here, and keep up your wonderful work! http://teresayoung.com/2012/06/12/a-blog-award-nomination/
We love your blog …
Hello Philippa, My husband and I are going to Paris in five weeks. My great grand-father was an artist who lived and painted in Paris and I feel called to go. I am interested in checking out flea markets, the artists scene and generally seeing as much as possible. What advice would you give us?
Hello Janice,
I would love to know more about your great grandfather. What do you know about him?
There are two main flea markets — Vanves at the southern edge of the city (smaller, cheaper, and more informal) and St-Ouen on the northern edge (much larger, more expensive, and semi-permanent). We started with the former, which is less intimidating and filled with reasonably affordable treasures. Also look for temporary antique markets called “brocantes” that pop up here and there for a few days at a time.
As for the arts scene, look out for “vernissages” (gallery openings) and “portes ouvertes” (days when artists’ studios in a particular quartier are open to the public). We generally stumble across these things by accident, but the mairie (or city hall) of each arrondissement usually has information (in French) about such events. We’ve visited galleries and artists’ studios in the Marais, St-Germain, Belleville, and Montsouris just by wandering around and looking to see what is open.
If you have other questions, just ask. Have a wonderful time!
Philippa
Hey, I recently uploaded a video about Paris on vimeo, thought it might be interesting for your blog 😉
We are envious! Where we are, spring is very late and there are still a few piles of snow here and there. Thank you for the reminder of what spring can be in Paris.
Philippa and Norman
Nice.
Hello Philippa and Norman — I’ve just discovered your blog and enjoyed reading about the two of you and your shared love of Paris 🙂 Look forward to exploring further and reading more of your knowledgeable posts.
Cheers from the City of Light (at least for the moment – yay).
Carolyn B.
Dear Philippa and Norman,
I am an MA student and I am writing my dissertation about stained glass windows representing the Neville family members. One of the figure possibly represents Philippa of Hainault and I am looking for the source of inspiration of this representation. I came across the picture of the painting of Philippa on your blog and I would like to know where it comes from. It would really help my research if you could share that with me.
Thank you very much,
Regards
Mylène
Chers Philippa and Norman,
So enchanted to have stumbled upon your blog yesterday! Such sparkling prose, such unexpected and varied topics . . . and a friendly warmth that is palpable. Part of my heart is rooted in the farmlands of Brittany, and in the boulevards of Paris. My maternal great-great-grandfather was from Brittany, and he and his bride were married in Paris in L’église de la Madeleine before emigrating, first to Québec, later to San Francisco, and finally settling in Seaside, Oregon, where my great-great-grandfather became the first mayor of the town. I grew up nearby, often hearing stories of our family’s French origins. Along with my mother, the family historian, I used to dream of visiting Paris and seeing the Madeleine one day. That never came to pass, sadly. But I am an armchair traveler now, and your writings have given me, already, several very pleasurable hours. I look forward to more, and shall come here often. For the future, happy travels, and many thanks for sharing your thoughts, experiences, and interesting researches and observations.
Bien amicalement,
Marie
a great-great-granddaughter of France
How very kind of you to write and we are delighted that you enjoy the blog. We are very fond of the Church of the Madeleine, where they serve lunch in the basement — we are subscribing members of their lunch club! Was your great-great grandmother a Parisienne? How did they come to be married there?
All the best,
Philippa and Norman
Thank you for your kind interest. I am unsure of the reason they were married in Paris. I’m not sure where they met and courted, or where they spent their early months of marriage, though answers to my questions may be linked to his war service. He was one of many brothers who fought as soldiers in the Franco-Prussian War. Most of his brothers did not survive. There is a family story that after their first child (my great-grandmother) was born, and while she was still tiny, they left Paris by moving under the streets, through the sewers, the baby carried safely out of the city in a cigar box (which I’m told would have been much larger than cigar boxes of today). But why the need for such an escape? My suspicion, impossible to confirm, is that when Paris fell to the Prussians, my great-great grandfather may have been caught up in the general chaos of the French defeat and possibly might have deserted in order to remove his new family from danger. That would suggest that his young wife was living near Paris as the war raged in the countryside. One signal fact, only recently discovered by another family historian, is that at some point during or after they emigrated, their name was changed from Guilbert to Gilbert. I now wonder if this was prompted by the need for disguise, for in French, of course, the pronunciation would have shifted. I don’t know how French deserters might have been regarded in Québec following the war. There is much mystery surrounding the early history of this branch of the family in North America.
How delightful that the Madeleine turns out to be such a favorite place for you! Thank you for mentioning it!
Best wishes to you both,
Marie
What an amazing story! Perhaps they left the city during the siege of Paris in the final stages of the Franco-Prussian War, when Paris was completely surrounded and the people were reduced to eating horse, dog, cat, rat, and zoo animals to survive. Messages could go out only by balloon or passenger pigeon. Very likely that some people escaped through the sewers. Your ancestor may not necessarily have been a deserter, since the armed forces more or less fell apart and surrendered in the end, didn’t they? Yet he may have felt conflicted about leaving the starving city. The name change is interesting…or possibly an orthographic error by a clerk. That did happen.
It sounds as if your family historians have plenty of rich material to work with.
Philippa and Norman
i JUST READ ABOUTTHE SCULPTURE OF THE FALLEN TREE. ALTHOUGH i LIVED IN PARIS FOR 4 YEARS AND ONTHE LEFT BANK ON RUE DE L’ uNIVERSITE i NEVER LOOKED FOR THIS SCULPTURE.i AM GOINGTO pARIS AGAIN TOMORROW AND WILL LOOK FOR IT NOW.
THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE BUILDING I LIVED IN ARE FROM THE BOURGEOSIE AND LOVELY. THEY HAVE OWN ED THE BUILDING SINCE THE 1800’S., WE STOP AND SAY HELLO EVERY TIME WE GO TO PARIS. THEDAUGHER NOW LIVES INTHE BUILDING AND LIVED IN nEW YORK WHEN i LIVED IN HER APARTMENT. WE LIVED AT 26 RUE DEL’UNIVERSITE. HOW i WISH i HAD BOUGHT A PERE DE TERRE WHEN I LIVED THERE.bUT AFTER 30 YEARS MY HEART IS STILL IN PARIS.WE STAYATTHE SAME HOTEL NEAR BY,” PAS DE CALAIS” AND THE OWNER KNOWS US BUT IT DOES NOT MATTER- WE STILL ARE ETRANGERS.WE DID MAKE FRIENDS AND SO WE VISIT EACH YEAR.i WENTTOTHE SORBONNE AND LEARNED FRENCH AND TUTORED AS I AM A TEACHER AND GUIDANCE COUNCELLOR.I RETIRED AND NOW AM A GOLDSMITH.MY INSPIRATIONS STILL COME FROM PARIS ANDSOMETIMES ITALY ALSO.AND FROM MY HEAD OF COURSE.i ENJOY THE ARTICLES AND IT IS AMAzING HOW MUCH I STILL DO NOT KNOW MY PARENTS WERE GERMAN AND THE LANGUAGE HELPED ME WHEN i DID NOT KNOW HOW TO BUY BY THE KILO.I MADE MANY MISTAKES AS AN AMERICAN AS WE DO NOT USE KILOS.i THINK i COULD WRITE A STORY ALSO. BUT NEVER HAVE.
TOMORROW WE LEAVE FOR OUR TRIP TO PARIS AND A VILLAGE NEAR cHARTRES WHERE WE VISIT FRIENDS INTHE COUNTRY. THE VILLAGE IS ST. MAUR AND IT IS LOVELY.
SO TILLWE GET BACK.
SINCERELY,
PAULINE PJULNY@AOL.COM
My wife and I try to make it to Paris every few years, and one of the things we enjoy most is walking around the city. I am reading a book that is partly about slowing down to enjoy life’s experiences, and the author talks about “a peculiar fashion in mid-nineteenth-century Paris, in which strollers sometimes took turtles for walks in the parks, the better to slow their pace and maximize the connoisseurship of their amblings.” I really enjoy your posts, and thought maybe you could do one expounding on this (if it is really true).
Since we love books, when we were there a few months ago we visited the wonderful little publisher/bookstore you wrote about that has Philippa’s name. The owner and her helper were very friendly and remembered your visit.
Keep us ‘posted’,
Tom & Kitty
Dear Tom and Kitty, The story about the turtles is new to us, although we’ve heard about the poet Gerard de Nerval taking his pet lobster for a walk! What is the name of your book? And we’re so glad you enjoyed the visit to Pippa. It’s a wonderful store! Philippa and Norman
The book I am reading is ‘Vital Signs’ by Gregg Levoy, but he got his story of walking with turtles from ‘Wanderlust: A History of Walking’ by Rebecca Solnit.
Well, this set us off on a bit of an exploration. We have the Solnit book, and once we had located it (no small feat, but we needed to tidy up some bookcases anyway), we found that she cites Walter Benjamin, in an essay on Charles Baudelaire. Benjamin says the craze for turtles took hold in the 1840s. You can read the essay here: https://victorianpersistence.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/benjamin-ii-the-flaneur.pdf The information is on page 54, but the whole essay is worth reading. Benjamin makes reference to a contemporary book by Georges Friedmann called “La crise du progrès” and the opposition between flânerie and modern progress. However, this doesn’t tell us where Benjamin got his story in the first place. It’s not as if he was around in the 1840s (Benjamin was born in 1892), so he must have read it somewhere. We will keep hunting…
Your research is always perfect and beyond normal searching. I am always touched and reminded how small the world is and how kind we are much of the time. I am proud to read and follow your glances into a part of our world. Posting on WW1 dead was so poignant. We must never forget how close we are to all of those needless deaths.
Hello, very interesting post about the street cleaning. Thanks for that. I have just linked to it from my blog (cschrader.eu/paris-und-das-klima) where I relate – in German – a scientific study done in Paris that the street watering actually cools the city. Admittedly, not an entirely outlandish thought. But a good way to add an aspect to the signing of the Paris accord today in NY. Best, Chris
Surprised that I haven’t found your blog earlier… I’m really impressed! I will as from now follow it very carefully! (I had the pleasure to see above in the comments that someone referred to my blog: http://www.peter-pho2.com/ ).
Recently aquired 4 framed engraving of Paris by Pujin. They have labels on the back that are numbered and say “Original Old Engraving from Views of Paris by Pujin. Looking for a little information on them.
Hello Linda, These are probably taken from the books of engraved images by Augustus Charles Pugin (1762–1832), published in 1830s (see https://parisianfields.com/2014/01/19/pugins-picturesque-paris/). Many dealers disassemble the books and sell the engravings separately.
hi – any unusual request – but in tour earlier blog ” paris decoded “you shared a section of the map of the underground workings beneath the 13th arrondissement. . do you still have a copy of the full map – and if so – may i have a copy of the file ?? YRS – AJ
Hi Andrew, I was given a hard copy of the map, which is huge. Too big to scan or copy. I’m not even sure where it is right now. If I can figure out a way to transmit it, I will let you know. Philippa
I’ve just read through your blog with great interest. I have recently “found” a hidden cousin in England who gave me a book on Plumstead called “Our Common Story”, a very interesting read about the history of Plumstead and the village Commons. As it turns out, I am related to the Stevens family through my Grandfather Edward Mellanby. Edward and “Polly” Mary Jane Stevens emigrated to Montreal and lived a happy life in Windsor ON, Canada. I am currently piecing together my own family history. I myself, live in Courtright ON. Anyway, I am hoping to discover more about my family and would love to hear from you, either through Cousin Geoffrey, or directly from you in Toronto. Thanks for your Blog and I hope you keep turning over new stones to assist us all.
Tim Mellanby
Courtright ON
N0N 1H0
Good morning.
I’ve just found your piece on the first omnibus and I loved it!
I would like to contact you via email. Where do I find it, please?
Best regards.
D’
Hello! You can write to us at parisianfields@gmail.com
Philippa! Norman! I SOOOO love this blog! So glad you are well and safe and surrounded by so much beauty in this confuzzled time. Please tell Norman to drop me his email addy. I have something fun I want to share with him. Hugs and healthy antibodies!! XOXO
Thank you. We’re delighted to hear from you! Norman will be in touch. All the best, Philippa and Norman
Just discovered your blogs. I am preparing a talk at our library the Paris you don’t get to see on those double decker bus tours and your insights are a treasure trove of info. I lived in the banlieue outside Paris for 17 years, so I am fortunate to have had much first-hand exposure to it.
I have been wondering (for a long time!) what the small “iron mesh-like grills” you sometimes see inlaid in stone doorways in Paris (often in the older centre ville areas) are called. And….what is their purpose?
It has been suggested they might be for ventilation but it would seem they would be easily be filled with debris/dust and rain which would be counter productive to say the least.
Any ideas?
Could you send a photograph to parisianfields@gmail.com? I can’t quite visualize the grills you mention. There is someone I know who might be able to answer the question.
Just discovered your blog and I am absolutely loving your content, and the history you have unearthed and shared with us francophiles. Wondering if you have any tips or resources for determining the materials that were used in lower/working class apartments in the early 1800s? My mother and I purchased an apartment built sometime before 1830 (based on the maps I have been able to uncover), but I am having a hard finding any resources that detail the types of materials (woods, wood finishes, stones, fabrics, colors, textiles, etc.) that were used in the time. Esp. in the more working class apartments. I would love to do our apartment renovations in keeping with the time it was first built, if at all possible. Thank you in advance for anything you might be able to share, and I look forward to keeping up with your writing.
Hello, and thank you for your comment and question. For what you have in mind, you may need to consult a restoration architect. A friend of ours does this work, but he is in Burgundy. Nevertheless, if you would like to put your question into an email and send it to parisianfields@gmail.com, we could forward it to him and he might have some ideas about resources or colleagues in Paris who could help you.
Hello. This is in relation to your post titled “Finding Typewriter History in Paris.” There is no place for a reply on that page.
The Remington Typewriter ad is not a receipt for payment for the obituary. Le Courrier de la Presse was a clipping service. Its clients paid it to read hundreds of worldwide newspapers and clip sections of articles that are of interest to them.
Someone paid Le Courrier de la Presse to find this obituary and send it to them. Unfortunately, we do not know for sure who the client was or what subject was of interest. Perhaps, though, it was a relative of the Count who wanted copies of all of the obituaries.
Thank you for letting us know that Le Courier de la Presse was a clipping service. Clearly Le Courier made a little extra cash by posting ads on the reverse. Unfortunately I do not know who the obit was for. Such is the way of researching these blogs; for every question we answer others turn up, not precisely unanswered but simply awaiting answers.
Hello there, I don’t know if you saw this programe available on Arte (with English subtitles) until 19 Nov 2021 about La Belle Epoque, lots of postcards https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/075193-000-A/paris-in-the-belle-epoque/
I look forward to reading your posts and put everything else down to see what the latest one contains. I think we are incredibly lucky to have such well-researched and beautifully written pieces about the Paris we adore, and can never know enough about, so a big thank you.
In 1987 my husband and I bought a very small apartment on the second floor of 73 rue de Turenne, nearly opposite the church. I have found a postcard of the street from that time but annoyingly the view stops just short of our building. I have heard that possibly we are living in the old servants’ quarters, or even the stables, of a grand house which has long since been demolished. I would love to know how I can find out more about the history of the building. It appears on the second oldest map of Paris that we have been able to find but it wasn’t built by the time of the earliest map. You would think that we would be able to get more information by looking at the map but it doesn’t help. Anything at all you could share with us would be greatly valued.
Dear Jill, Thank you for your kind words. I will see what I can find out about 73 rue de Turenne and get back to you. Stay tuned!
I had a look for information on 73, rue de Turenne. The building is not mentioned in Hillairet’s Dictionnaire historique des rues de Paris. It pops up as the address of various businesses over the years in old directories and newspapers found on Gallica: a vendor of supplies to clockmakers (1888), a woodworker’s shop (1899), a maker of braces and suspenders (1923), a bakery (1936), and a secretarial school (1947).
Hillairet notes that this portion of the street was formerly known as the rue Neuve Saint-Louis in the 17th century, and variations on that name (Grande rue Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis-au-Marais) until the early 19th century. That’s the name on the Turgot map. On my book of the Turgot map, the spot is maddeningly located right at the place where four plates join.
Hillairet also mentions the rue Ste-Anastase, which was created in 1620 through the grounds of a former convent. The building right on the corner (now 69, rue de Turenne) was owned by the Bruant family (Libéral Bruant was a noted architect). No. 9 was a substantial hotel, which might have connected to the rue de Turenne, but I am just guessing. Of the other cross-street, rue du Roi Doré (named for a gilded bust of the king), Hillairet mentions only that Balzac once lived at No. 7.
There is a collection of postcards of the street available here – https://bibliotheques-specialisees.paris.fr/ark:/73873/pf0002225789/0021/v0001.simple.selectedTab=otherdocs – but like your own postcard, the few that are of the right location show the church and some buildings on the other side of the street, but no. 73 is not quite included.
The collection of street photos available online through the Paris Archives has very little from the rue de Turenne. However, you might enjoy looking through its collection from the third arrondissement: https://archives.paris.fr/f/photos/mosaique/?&crit1=8&v_8_1=3e&v_8_2=31
The site of the building appears on a map showing land parcels in about 1860: https://archives.paris.fr/arkotheque/visionneuse/visionneuse.php?arko=YTo4OntzOjQ6ImRhdGUiO3M6MTA6IjIwMjItMDUtMDciO3M6MTA6InR5cGVfZm9uZHMiO3M6MTE6ImFya29fc2VyaWVsIjtzOjQ6InJlZjEiO2k6MTU7czo0OiJyZWYyIjtpOjMxNzQ7czoyMDoicmVmX2Fya19mYWNldHRlX2NvbmYiO3M6MTY6InBsYW5zcGFjZWxsYWlyZXMiO3M6ODoidHlwZV9pbWciO3M6Nzoiem9vbWlmeSI7czoxNjoidmlzaW9ubmV1c2VfaHRtbCI7YjoxO3M6MjE6InZpc2lvbm5ldXNlX2h0bWxfbW9kZSI7czo0OiJwcm9kIjt9#uielem_rotate=F&uielem_islocked=0&uielem_zoomifyInfos=2264.828696124403%2C4162.243615626132%2C0.4203410475278386&uielem_zoom=0 It is right at the very left-hand side of the image.
That is all I have found so far. If I think of anything else, I will let you know.
Hello,
A very nice blog.
It is nice to see these plates with “rébus”. I know who the painter was.
You can use my email to get in touch.
My father happened to be strolling in Paris when they were doing a Metro refurbishment (1970s?). He glanced at a pile of rubble and saw the lovely 2-tile station name, “Paris” lying there. He grabbed the tiles, and I still have those two tiles. I would love to get them to a place where people could see them. A museum, ideally. Any suggestions? You can see them here: https://parisfinley.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/metro-paris-1024×558.jpg
Hello Philippa,
As francophones and francophiles we are very much enjoying your posts.
I may have missed it, but what year did you spend in Paris as a student?
We have a friend who is currently renting (500 Euros/month) a “chambre de bonne”, also in the 16th.
Merci !
Dean
No, you didn’t miss it. I did not include the year! It was in the 20th century. 😉
So glad you are enjoying the blog. Philippa
Hi Philippa,
This might help you to have an idea of the Place Dauphine through time:
https://www.parismuseescollections.paris.fr/fr/recherche?keywords=place%20dauphine
Regards,
Claude
Thank you very much!
I read with great interest, your 2021 blog concerning the “beauty of Parisian roofs” dealing with the mining of Zinc and processing into zinc sheeting for roofing. At some point in the blog you suggest that some of the pipe organs in Paris might have pipes made of zinc. It’s entirely possible some might but I can confirm for certain that most organs built since the mid- 19th century in the English-speaking world, have their largest pipes built of zinc. In fact, Canada’s most prominent organ builder of the 19th century, Samuel R. Warren of Montreal (by 1878, Toronto) found himself in a controversy with a Quebec church for which he was building a very large pipe organ. He wrote a defence in answer to the controversy in 1853 that was largely created on account of his novel use of French roofing zinc to build the largest pipes.
I have no idea of the outcome, but Warren and his progeny continued to use “old mountain” roofing zinc for the organ pipes they manufactured until the 1890’s. To this day I continue to come across zinc organ pipes in Ontario, stamped with the manufacturers mark (in French) “Old Mountain” from as late (so far) as 1893.
I should mention that S.R. Warren is alleged to have contact and dialogue with the great Parisian organ builder, A. Cavaille-Coll. He may have influenced Warren to experiment with zinc. Warrens organs in Canada had a number of other features that were uniquely Parisian French in origin, at least as far as I can deduce.
I have great hope to be able to hear the restored C.C. organ, which is poised and ready for re-introduction to Notre Dame, starting sometime within the next 12 months.
Hello, Philippa (if I may). I very much enjoyed your post a few months ago about Georges Simenon and the Inspector Maigret novels. You were wondering about the location of Maigret’s Brasserie Dauphine, and I left a comment that I think of it as Taverne Henri IV, which is at the entrance of Place Dauphine. I just read an old magazine article that provides the name and location of “the real Brasserie Dauphine.” And coincidentally, the article identifies Taverne Henri IV as a cafe frequented by Simenon. I think you’ll enjoy this (read to the final paragraphs):
https://francetoday.com/travel/paris/georges-simenons-paris-following-footsteps-fictional-sleuth-jules-maigret/
Marsha Huff
This is wonderful. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for forwarding that article. You were right about Taverne Henri IV!
Perhaps you will see Simenon’s table in Taverne Henri IV on your upcoming trip. Bon voyage.
Dear Philippa Campsie – I am clearly very late. in spotting this, however I find myself every year at this time, searching for you – are you the Philippa Campsie who attended Havergal College? Come Redeemer is a piece of music that remains forever emblazoned in my heart and mind and if you are the creator of such – please let me know! I learned your music in music class with Mrs. Muir and to this day, search high and low for it.
Yes, I am that Philippa Campsie. I am so glad you like Come Redeemer and thank you very much for sending a message. Please tell me more about yourself. You need not use this public forum, instead you can send a private email to parisianfields@gmail.com
Best,
Philippa