Category Archives: Paris quartiers

Lorette

“What is the significance of the name Loretto?” asked Norman, looking at a picture of the former Loretto Academy in Niagara Falls. “It reminds me of that church in Paris.” Notre-Dame-de-Lorette in Paris is an imposing Neoclassical edifice in the … Continue reading

Posted in Paris churches, Paris history, Paris quartiers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Asylum

Last month, when I learned that absinthe had been known as the “Charenton omnibus” – Charenton being the site of a famous mental hospital – I became curious about mental institutions in the Paris area. There are many interesting stories … Continue reading

Posted in Paris history, Paris hospitals, Paris quartiers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Early one morning

We do not, as a rule, take early-morning walks in Paris. If we do not have a morning appointment, we tend to dawdle over breakfast, reading and chatting and enjoying the view from the windows. Quick showers are not an … Continue reading

Posted in Paris gardens, Paris history, Paris hospitals, Paris parks, Paris quartiers, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Art Nouveau and Aerodynamics in Auteuil

The southern reaches of the 16th arrondissement might be considered the Wild West of Paris. Auteuil was largely countryside when Haussmann was at work on central Paris, and his ideas about tidy facades that lined up neatly never stood much … Continue reading

Posted in Paris architecture, Paris history, Paris quartiers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Borders, boundaries, and snails

Toronto has recently completed a Ward Boundary Review, its first since, oh, 2000. City councillors were concerned that some wards had far more voters than others. Population was growing downtown and declining in the inner suburbs. After 17 years, Something … Continue reading

Posted in Paris civic functions, Paris history, Paris quartiers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rescued from oblivion

On the morning of April 12, 2016, three of us set out from this courtyard on an astounding walk through the Marais. But the story starts much earlier. In 1980, a sharp-eyed passerby spotted some photographs in a Paris dumpster … Continue reading

Posted in Paris architecture, Paris history, Paris markets, Paris quartiers, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

American clubs and Canadian fists

“We went to the American Club.” The words sound simple enough. But if you want to identify the address in question, complications arise. It depends on who is talking and when. Paris is positively littered with sites that are or … Continue reading

Posted in Paris history, Paris quartiers, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The colours of the Batignolles

The Batignolles does not attract many tourists. That, in itself, is part of its charm. But there are many reasons to venture there. Food. Gardens. Places for children to play. And colour, because that is what struck us both – … Continue reading

Posted in Paris gardens, Paris parks, Paris quartiers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

A palace of commerce and a 1904 rendez-vous

“Dimanche soir – reçu lettre ce matin. Compte sur toi pour mercredi. Embrasse tous. Jean.” Sunday night – received letter this morning. [I] count on you [to come] on Wednesday. Love to all, Jean. The date on the postmark is … Continue reading

Posted in Paris history, Paris postcards, Paris quartiers, Paris shops, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Notre Dame du Travail: more than meets the eye

If I had to pick only one place to visit on a trip to Paris, it would be Notre Dame du Travail. What makes it so special? It starts with the eye, but there is more than meets the eye. … Continue reading

Posted in Paris churches, Paris history, Paris quartiers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments