6.11.09

Walking down rue Bonaparte...


On your way from Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés (see previous post) with its abbey, its little park with a Picasso statue of Appolinaire, the café “Les-Deux-Magots”, its Zadikine statue, its Wallace fountain, some remarkable buildings...
... and its old cobblestones (notice the used metro ticket)...











... you will probably take rue Bonaparte if you head for the Seine.


















On the way and before reaching the “’Ecole-des-Beaux-Arts”, definitely worth a visit (see previous post), I recommend a closer look on the courtyard of no. 21 of rue Bonaparte – see also top picture...






... and I guess that you will not miss Ladurée and its macarons.

I would then recommend that you turn to the right and take a look at an insignificant little narrow street, rue Visconti (named, not after the Italian film director, but after the sculptor Louis Visconti, who among other things made Napoleon’s tomb at the Invalides – see previous post - and the fountain on Place Saint-Sulpice – see previous post).

Behind these walls and doors, some remarkable personalities have lived and worked: Honoré de Balzac tried to make business as a printer here for two years (1826-28), at no. 17-19. Eugène Delacroix had his studio in the same building for almost ten years (1836-45) and painted among others Georges Sand and Frédéric Chopin. Jean Racine died here in 1699 – there is a “dispute” about in which building, but the plate is on no. 24. The most famous actress in the early 18th century, Adrienne Lecouvreur, held “salon” at her home, at no. 16, and received among other visitors Voltaire...

Today the street is full of art galleries.

Again, if you look to the right and the left, you will find some very nice courtyards and the smallest Paris public park.

Behind the buildings, between rue Visconti and rue Jacob, is a small “forest” and, hidden on private ground, in a garden, a small “temple” with uncertain origins. A rich American lady, Natalie Barney, held during the first decades of the 20th century “salon” at her home, garden and "temple" and she had among other guests Hemingway, Joyce, Proust... You can see Miss Barney in front of the Temple here (photo from an excellent and very complete site about rue Visconti).

I wish you a nice weelend!

33 comments:

Nisha said...

Looking at the last set of photos, I wonder how you could enter that private property. Doesn't anyone object to it?

Here in India, many times we are being objected to even clicking a photo of a nice building or a gate if the owner is looking our way. Perhaps for security reasons.

Carole said...

Ah les macarons....
J'en ai l'eau à la bouche...
Bonne journée Peter

hpy said...

C'est un quartier et une promenade des plus charmants. Sauf s'il pleut des cordes comme chez nous.

Adam said...

You didn't manage to get inside then? Any idea where the entrance is?

I know the Rue Bonaparte mostly because of the Centre culturel tchèque. They used to have jazz concerts in the caves each Friday evening, and they also served excellent czech beer and sausages! I haven't been for a while, so I'm not sure if they still organise these events.

Cergie said...

Je me répète les macarons c'est Nancy comme la bergamote.
Bonaparte n'a pas habité sa rue, si ?
:)
Il avait changé de nom ou de prénom disons de dénomination, comme une mariée ?
Les cours ressemblent à bien des cours, mais c'est sympa d'en avoir une lorsqu'on habite Paris, c'est mieux que rien.
Quant au ticket de métro, je me faisais la remarque en en retirant un de la poche de la chemise de Patrick après passage en machine, que je l'avais échappé belle, dieu sait si j'en ai bavé lorsqu'ils étaient jaune ou violet

claude said...

Chaque jour je voyage )0 Paris gràace à toi et c'est un vrai plaisir. Il se pourrait, je bien, il se pourrait, que pour Noël, nous allions à Paris avec mon Chéri.

alice said...

Tiens, tiens, un quartier que je connais bien...;-)

Kate said...

There are all kinds of hidden treasures in Paris, if only one were able to find many of them. Delightful photos. Peter, have you read Julian Green's _Paris_? It's one of my favorite books.

James said...

Hello Peter. Sorry to be late. It's nice to catch up with your wonderful photos.

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Thank you Peter, a lovely walk. I did walk that area, but obviously didn't do what to look for! Saw the Laudree shop and a wonderful church though!

Starman said...

The rich lady gets Hemingway, Proust and Joyce. I couldn't even get some fellow bloggers. C'est la vie !

krystyna said...

I always learn something being here.
Interesting informations with beautiful photos compositions make my walking like in real.
Thanks Peter!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Virginia said...

P
I believe you and I attempted to get inside the Ecole-des-Beaux Arts if I'm not mistaken. Seeing that Lauderée's again makes me want just one or two caramel macarons! Sigh.....
V

Thérèse said...

Tous ces trésors!
Encore une belle balade que tu nous offres là et d'intéressantes découvertes.
Bon week-end!

Ruth said...

I haven't been to that Ladurée, Peter. More surprises in those pretty courtyards and the smallest park, so much to discover, it blows me away.

Now I want macarons and tea.

Catherine said...

another wonderful tour..you are like an eyewitness gude!!

Mona said...

Wow! what lovely colors on your blog again. I just came from Keith's blog , where he also has posted some vibrant colorful leaves pictures!

ASTERIX! I WAntthat book for my collection! I wonder when it will come to India! I hope soon!

Shionge said...

Thanks for the walk Peter :)

PeterParis said...

Nisha:
Sometimes I just walk in, discretely, sometimes I ask somone... :-)

Carole:
Nous sommes nombreux, amateurs de macarons! :-)

hpy:
Il pleut rarement à Paris! :-)

PeterParis said...

Adam:
I think that you should use 20 rue Jacob, but the doors remain closed! :-)

Cergie:
Je ne pense pas que Bonaparte est passé par là, pourtant... :-)

Claude:
Donc, on se verra peut-être? :-)

PeterParis said...

Alice:
J'ai l'impression que tu connais beaucoup de quartiers de Paris! :-)

Kate:
Yes, I have read it, with pleasure! :-)

James:
Better late than never! :-)

PeterParis said...

Anne:
Sometimes you have to returen to see things better, with other eyes! :-)

Starman:
Lif is not always fair with you! (Hope you are doing better now!) :-)

Krystyna:
One can learn a lot from blogging! :-)

PeterParis said...

Virginia:
We got in and saw it partly! :-)

Thérèse:
Il y en a partout! :-)

Ruth:
You must be one of the few Americans who has'nt been to Ladurée! :-)

PeterParis said...

Anonymous:
Hope you will be back, now when you have found the way! :-)

Catherine:
Happy that you appreciate! :-)

Mona:
I'm pleased to see that my Indian visitors all seem to know Asterix very well! :-)

PeterParis said...

Shionge:
A walk in nice company is nice! :-)

GMG said...

Walked down Rue Bonaparte many times from St. Germain back to the Hotel on the Rive Droite, but usually it was so late that everything was already closed... ). Amazing what you found about Miss Barney...

Parisbreakfasts said...

Rue Bonaparte and rue Jacob were my two oldest, best friends in Paris for the longest time. Yet I never knew the story of Natalie's temple. What a tale of talent and intrigue and sadness in the end!
Thank you Peter

from cali said...

I can't tell you how many times I have walked down Rue Bonaparte and yet never noticed some of these things! I feel so silly . . .

Cezar and Léia said...

Fabulous post dear Peter!
*** J'ai besoin de parler à Cezar cesser d'aller à Paris pour affaires et de planifier un voyage à Paris pour profiter et monter cette belle ville! :)
Thanks for your always kind visit and comments!
Léia

PeterParis said...

GMG:
So, you have to try it daytime next time! :-)

ParisBreakfasts:
Of course, Ladurée must be one of your temples! :-)

From Cali:
Maybe before you became a blogger; it makes you look at things differently! :-)

PeterParis said...

Léia:
Yes, you must; soonest! :-)

arabesque said...

okay, this post has a lot to digest!
i like this route bonaparte via visconti... where Balzac used to live and those tempting macarons which i bet are expensive! ^-^
and how can you get in those small courtyards? is it okay for you to go inside and have look and take pictures?...

PeterParis said...

Arabesque:
Sometimes it's open, sometimes you can push the doors, sometimes you can hope that someone lets you in... sometimes it's closed! :-)