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In this Issue: |
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The Ile St-Louis, the Island with the Luxurious Palace |
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Urban Plan |
It was King Louis XIII who, along with the queen mother Marie de Médicis, decided at the start
of the 17th century to implement a great urban plan
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Let's Live Hidden, Let's Live Happy! |
The novelty of the plan was not just based on the clearing of streets. For the first time, the
dwellings were oriented towards the outside
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The Hôtel Lauzun |
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This falsely modest townhouse located at number 17, Quai d'Anjou, deserves a bit of our attention
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Talented and Unusual Tenants |
One could also imagine the dramas that took place behind the door at 19 quai de Bourbon,
as it was in this studio that Camille Claudel worked
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The Art of Conversation |
In the 17th century, the main activity for members of the high society who had plenty of time and money,
was to amuse themselves
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onjour!
Bonjour, this month let's take a walk in Paris to discover a neighborhood where time seems to have been standing
still since the 17th century. You probably already know the Ile de la Cité and its jewel, the cathedral of Notre Dame,
but have you ever crossed the bridge that leads to the small island upstream on the Seine? Whereas the first island
is rather large and very lively, the second one is relatively small, measuring about 1,722ft long by 820 ft wide.
An almost provincial serenity pervades this charming islet of only 27 acres. Nonetheless, you are in the heart of
Paris on the Ile St-Louis, an island with an absolutely fascinating history.
But before continuing, please remember that you can access and read all the newsletters already
published at http://www.francemonthly.com/
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The "Ile Notre Dame" and the "Ile aux Vaches"
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At the start of the 17th century, the island was not yet named after King Louis IX, whose piety and
generosity led him to be canonized in 1297, less than 30 years after his death. At that time, it was
actually still comprised of two islets.
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View from the Pont de la Tournelle, Paris
(Click photo to enlarge)
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The largest one, located downstream, was called the Ile Notre-Dame while the one upstream was known
as the Ile aux Vaches (Cows). Completely uninhabited, this small islet was used for pastures. The busy
washerwomen bent over washing their laundry on the banks of the Seine were first in line to witness a
strange happening, that of cattle being transported from one bank to the other on small boats. This
rustic island also attracted fishermen, swimmers, boaters, and of course lovers who would go there
to flirt, far from prying eyes. However, such a peaceful scene was from time to time disturbed by the
court-ordered duels that would take place there. Indeed, when the king's justice was unable to declare
anyone guilty of a crime for lack of proof, a duel was organized between the protagonists, after which
the winner would be declared innocent.
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The Legend of the Montargis Dog
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Legend has it that Aubry de Montargis, a lord held in very high esteem by the king, was assassinated
in a cowardly manner during a hunting party by Macaire, a knight as disreputable as he was jealous.
After he committed his crime, and just as he was about to mount his horse, this heathen felt a sudden
pain in his calf. It was the greyhound belonging to Lord Montargis, avenging his master. Mad with pain,
the knight clubbed the animal's head and sped away. As time went by, this event was all but forgotten
and the king's grief attenuated. However one day, as he was leaving his palace, Macaire was ferociously
attacked by a dog. It took a good dozen servants to restrain the animal, but what startled everyone was
how docile it became when a woman called its name. This woman then explained that she had found the dog
when she'd gone to the forest of Bondy to gather up some wood. One of the servants present was quick to
report this strange story to the king, who then summoned Macaire and had the dog brought in as well. The
knight swore he'd never seen the animal before but the sudden aggressiveness of the greyhound towards him
seemed to prove otherwise. The king ruled that only a duel between the two protagonists could reveal the
truth. It was on the Ile aux Vaches that a defeated Macaire admitted his crime and slit the greyhound's
throat once the fight was over. Macaire was then sentenced to be hanged.
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Recipe for Sept 2011
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Apple and Speculaas cake
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Urban Plan
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It was King Louis XIII who, along with the queen mother Marie de Médicis, decided at the start of
the 17th century to implement a great urban plan first devised by his father, Henri IV: to transform
the two islets (the Ile Notre Dame and the Ile aux Vaches) that today constitute the Ile St-Louis into
one single neighborhood that would be as prestigious as the Marais.
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View from the Quai d'Orléans, Paris
(Click photo to enlarge)
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Christophe Marie, general builder for the Public Works, was put in charge of filling in the ditch that
separated the two islets, and developing the banks. In exchange for his pro bono work, he was granted a
license to build sumptuous residences there, where the rich financiers and affluent magistrates of the
time would come live far from the bustle of the city. Marie went into partnership with two builders,
Lugles Poulletier and François Le Regrattier, and chose Louis Le Vau as the architect. In 1614, the
ditch was filled and townhouses made their appearance between 1620 and 1650. This project was a real
architectural revolution: for the first time in Paris, engineers worked off of a carefully drafted
urban plan. It was no longer an option to build by just following the topography of the ground. The new
streets were to be built straight and perpendicular to a central axis. From this point on, stone
and slate were to replace wood, plaster, and thatch roofs, thereby reducing the risks of fires.
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Let's Live Hidden, Let's Live Happy!
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The novelty of the plan was not just based on the clearing of streets. Indeed, for the first time,
the dwellings were oriented towards the outside, with windows and balconies facing the
river to better take in the views.
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Wealthy apartments from Quai d'Anjou
(Click photo to enlarge)
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For lack of space, the building courtyards were narrow and the gardens almost nonexistent. All efforts
were focused on the interior design of the apartments. Only the few facades decorated with "mascarons"
(heads or faces), those few balconies adorned with splendid wrought iron work, and the few monumental
great doors that horse-drawn coaches used to rush between hinted at the wealth of the owners. Otherwise,
the majority of the facades remained rather sober and this is precisely what makes the charm of this
neighborhood. Today, visitors must be accompanied by guides to step beyond a few of these great doors.
The island's residents, often actors, politicians or very wealthy businessmen, are intent on preserving
the ultimate privilege of their anonymity. But you can just imagine the beautiful stories or terrible
tragedies that must have taken place behind these doors.
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The Hôtel Lauzun
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This falsely modest townhouse located at number 17, Quai d'Anjou, deserves a bit of our attention,
as the interior ornamentation is as magnificent as the facade is plain. In 1670, Antonin Nompar de
Caumont, Count of Lauzun, was one of King Louis XIV's favorites. He wasn't very tall or very handsome,
with a somewhat unsightly nose occupying his face,
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The Seine River from Hôtel Lauzun, Paris
(Click photo to enlarge)
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but he was nonetheless the idol of the ladies thanks to what at that time was a most essential quality:
the ability to engage in refined and subtle conversation. He was in love with the Duchess of Montpensier,
the king's first cousin known as "la Grande Mademoiselle", and hoped to marry her. But this was not taking
into account the hatred that "Monsieur", the king's brother, felt towards him. Under pressure from "Monsieur"
and his entourage, Louis XIV ended up forbidding their union and, just to make sure this idea was put to rest,
he had Lauzun arrested. First imprisoned, the poor man was then transferred to the Fort of Pignerol, in Italy,
where he stayed behind bars for 10 years. Mademoiselle de Montpensier's tenacity eventually paid off when she
finally succeeded in getting him released. One year later, in 1682, the Count of Lauzun bought the residence
located at 17 quai d'Anjou and secretly married his lady-love. Unfortunately, the couple didn't get along and
was even prone to violent fights. This union would not last more than 3 years.
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Talented and Unusual Tenants |
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One could also imagine the dramas that took place behind the door at 19 quai de Bourbon, as it was
in this studio that Camille Claudel worked. The sister of the famous poet and writer Paul Claudel,
she was a genius sculptor who became both the student and the Auguste Rodin's mistress. But in the minds
of the art critics of the time, she remained no more than Rodin's student. She couldn't stand this
absence of recognition which eventually ended their love affair. Her tremendous grief only aggravated
the young woman's already fragile mental health. Her father was the only one who encouraged her and
supported her financially, and after he died, her mother and brother had her committed to an asylum
where she would spend the remaining 30 years of her life. At number 16, quai de Béthune, lived another
rather unusual character, the Duke of Richelieu. Born in 1696, he was the great-grand-nephew of the
famous cardinal. He was another one who owed his success in high society to his quick mind. But this
very mind of his, perhaps a bit too sharp for his own good, led him several times to the Bastille prison:
once when he was 15, then back again when he was 20 and 23 years old. The ultimate recognition of his sharp
mind came at the age of 24 despite his unimpressive spelling skills, with his admission to the
Académie Française, the institution in charge of the protection and evolution of the French language.
Yet another character, Louis Hesselin, lived in one of the most beautiful townhouses on the island, of
which only an original door remains at number 24 of this same street. As the "administrator of pleasures"
and organizer of ballet performances under King Louis XIII, he was quite a busy man. He died though, following
a bizarre bet that had him eat 294 walnut halves!
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The Art of Conversation
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In the 17th century, the main activity for members of the high society who had plenty of time and money,
was to amuse themselves while improving their knowledge. Salons grew in numbers in the prestigious
residences of the Marais and Ile St-Louis neighborhoods.
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The Pont Marie by night, Paris
(Click photo to enlarge)
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These essential meeting places were frequented as much to be seen as to be heard. Conversation was a
real exercise where one delighted in developing games that featured verbosity as the main object of
the entertainment. The winner was the one who came up with the most subtle and daring pun. All it
took to elevate oneself to the heights of Parisian society was a clever word or a pertinent reference,
but one could just as quickly be savagely ridiculed if unable to respond to the "opponent" with tact,
and at the right moment. Indeed, this form of entertainment often transformed itself into real
confrontation and the consequences of a flat or inadequate retort were all the more dramatic in
the king's court, as opposed to the salon of such and such a fashionable person. Indeed, to lose
face in what became absolute verbal jousting could cause the downfall of the loser and his rejection
from the royal court, all to the cheers of the courtiers thrilled with the ousting of yet another rival.
Very fortunately, guests in the Ile St-Louis salons were just there to have fun and win each other over
as well, but only with words and interactions of no great consequence...
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An Invitation to Travel... |
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It was in 1725 that the island was named Ile St-Louis in honor of Louis IX, an extremely pious king
who liked to come pray in this peaceful place that invited contemplation. The special feature of this
neighborhood is its 17th century uniqueness, as it managed to shield itself from all the hustle and
bustle of Paris. Today, it is lovely to walk through this real haven of peace, to stroll along the
banks imagining the most romantic or tragic stories unfolding behind the facades of these beautiful
structures. Then, you can reach the right bank by way of the Pont Marie bridge, or the Ile de la Cité
by the Pont de la Tournelle, and immerse yourself with pleasure in the turbulence of the City of Light.
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