Category Archives: Charles Barbier

Paris Camino

Paris is a city for walking – for tourists, for flâneurs, and also for pilgrims. For some, it is the conclusion of a pilgrimage. On the rue du Bac, you will see pilgrims from many countries entering the courtyard of … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Barbier, Paris churches, Paris history, Paris hospitals, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

How blind people learned to write: the truth can be told

Exactly 200 years ago, in June 1821, a crucial experiment was taking place in a school on the rue St-Victor in Paris. The school was the Institution Royale des Jeunes Aveugles (the Royal Institution for Blind Youth) and the students … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Barbier, History of the blind, Paris cemeteries, Paris history, Paris museums | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Avoiding the crowds in Versailles

It may seem impertinent to write about Versailles on Bastille Day, the ultimate Republican holiday, but I am not talking about that Versailles – the royal chateau, now overrun with tourists. I want to talk about the other Versailles – … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Barbier, Paris history, Paris markets | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments