25.1.10

A Queen's Promenade

Walking along the Seine from Place de la Concorde (see previous posts) in the direction of the Eiffel Tower (see previous posts), one would normally be attracted by the river scenes, the Grand Palais (see previous posts), the Petit Palais (see previous post)....

However you would, staying on the right bank (Rive Droite), follow what was created already in the beginning of the 17th century, called the Cours de la Reine (the Queen’s Promenade). Of course the aspect has changed since those days – the surrounding ditches have disappeared -, but it’s still a “green walk” (not really that green in January). You can compare today’s Google map with one from 1739. Part of the promenade has later been renamed Cours Albert I after one of the most popular Belgian kings.

Today it’s a place where a number of statues can be found.

The Statue of Albert I is the first of the statues that we can find along the walk. This is to commemorate his essential role during WWI. It was erected in 1938, four years after his death.

The next statue is of Simon Bolivar, a gift to the city of Paris by the “Bolivarian republics", Venezuela, Colombia, Equator, Peru and Panama.

Then follows the statue of General Lafayette, a gift by the school children of the United States.

The next statue is of an Armenian composer and patriot, Komitas, and is also devoted to the victims of the Armenian genocide 1915-17, certainly involving several hundred thousand, possibly and according to the inscription, 1.5 million.

The last statue along this walk (by Antoine Bourdelle), which you can also see on the top picture, was placed here in 1928 and is consecrated to the Polish poet Mickiewicz (see previous posts) and the Polish – French friendship.

40 comments:

Louis la Vache said...

Very interesting, Peter. When «Louis» lived in Paris, he walked along part of this without realizing what it was!

Virginia said...

Well we saw a lovely exhibit at the Petit Palais a while ago, but my next visit we MUST see the inside of the Grand Palais. How have we missed it so many times? Paris....so much to see......so little time, oui?? La sigh.

Olivier said...

qu'est ce que j'ai pu me balader dans ce coin...j'adore, et ce melange de sculpures, tout le charme de Paris

Trotter said...

Through your lens, it looks like a King's walk!!

alice said...

Belle balade encore aujourd'hui! Il faut vraiment que j'arrive à entrer dans ce Grand Palais... En ce moment, s'y tient une expo qui fait beaucoup parler d'elle, as-tu l'intention d'y aller?

Adam said...

I'd be interested to know how involved the schoolchildren of the USA were in the selection of the Lafayette statue! Did they pay for it with their pocket money?

Ruth said...

I do love this walkway and the Lafayette statue and story.

Cezar and Léia said...

This is a special place and I want to do this promenade again for sure!
One more time I need to say I'm enchanted by your pictures, it's perfect!Thanks a lot!
hugs
Léia

Anonymous said...

Peter, here's some info in regards to Adam's question.
To commemerate the Paris Exposition of 1900 a wealthy, prominent Chicago businessman Ferdinand Peck created the Lafayette Memorial Commission which would raise money for a statue to be presented to the citizens of France on behalf of the school children of the U.S., in appreciation of Lafayette's role in the American Revolution.
Peck by the way, hired the architectural firm of Adler and Sullivan to build one of Chicago's most spectacular buildings, the Auditorium Theatre in 1886.
But, back to Lafayette. School children were taught about the General's involvement in the war and the kids gave whatever pennies they could to help pay for the construction of the statue. A mix of education and fundraising!
The Commission also worked with the U.S. Mint in striking 50,000 special gold, commemorative coins to help raise funds.
The cost of the statue was estimated at $100,000 and the total raised by school children was reported in the $50,000 range.
Peck presented the statue, which stood in the center of a small fenced area in the Place du Carrousel called Lafayette Square, to the President of France on July 4, 1900 at a very elaborate ceremony.

Jim

BLOGitse said...

Thank you again!
I really like these tours with you...

Anonymous said...

So much history. So little time.

Catherine said...

Et chacune des statues semble t'indiquer une direction particulière...A suivre....

hpy said...

Cours la Reine n'était pas vraiment sur ma route de travail, mais c'est normal, je ne courais pas et je ne suis pas une reine. J'ai néanmoins vu ces statues un jour ou l'autre, et c'est toujours agréable de" stroller" le long de la Seine.

Capy89 said...

oh, such a long time no blog! It seems that I have missed many interesting articles.
Thank you for the encouragement :) I'm sorry for late reply, I was so busy with some projects at shool :(

claude said...

C'est très intéressant de découvrir toutes ces statues dans un joli espace vert.
J'ai modifié mon post rien que pour toi.

Thérèse said...

All the trees are really well behaved and the line up is perfect!
An excellent way to brush up on history!

Rakesh Vanamali said...

I admire the manner in which Europe has given birth to some fine architecture!

Very impressive!

Cergie said...

La statue du compositeur arménien détonne dans cet ensemble, elle est simple et sans socle. Peut-être parcequ'elle ne représente pas seulemnt un homme mais une culture.
(Je strollai une fois avec toi au bord de Seine près de la Tour, t'en souviens tu ?)

Starman said...

I think I like the Queen's statue best.

Harriet said...

Pray tell, when do they trim all of those trees???

Nathalie H.D. said...

Une jolie série de cavaliers pour distraire la reine le long de sa promenade... d'accord, les époques ne sont pas raccord :-)

Vagabonde said...

I am always learning a lot when I read your posts. I posted a postcard of Albert 1er on my post about 11 November – he was quite handsome. As for the statue of Komitas Vardapet I did not know about it – it must have been erected in the last few years or I would have heard about it from my father’s family (my Armenian side.) I’ll have to take pictures of it for my daughters. Thanks for placing all these significant statues on your blog.

Jeanie said...

Oh, Peter, you show me so many wonderful things I missed in Paris -- every time I visit I am even more convinced I must return, just to see some of the things you share!

lasiate said...

Tu vas nous faire regretter le temps où la France comptait plus pour ses idées que pour les rodomontades de Sarkoléon.

BlossomFlowerGirl said...

A promenadefit for a Queen indeed. And such lovely images and scenery. It all looks so very "French". Your collage is excellently done.
Cheers.
Melbourne Daily Photo

Alain said...

Donc, c'est là que Marie-Antoinette faisait son footing ?

krystyna said...

Mickiewicz looks splendid here. Column is beautiful. It is supports by winged goddess of victory. Poet, with inspirational gesture indicates the direction - forward, upward.

Paris - a city of the Great Emigration, so there are also many Polish souvenirs. What a pity that I was never in Paris. I do not know whether in this life I will be able to visit Paris. If not in this life ... certainly in the next.

Thank you Peter!

PeterParis said...

Louis la Vache:
Before I retired and started blogging, I did the same thing! :-)

Virginia:
So, when do you plan your next visit? :-)

Olivier:
Il n'y a pas seulement à Evry qu'on trouve des statues! :-)

PeterParis said...

Trotter:
What would E II say if she read this? :-)

Alice:
On va y aller... mais l'expo actuel m'intéresse moyennement. :-)

Adam:
A very complete answer follows below! :-)

PeterParis said...

Ruth:
Good!! :-)

Léia:
Hugs to you as well! :-)

Designslinger:
Sincere thanks for thi very complete answer to Adam's question!!! :-)

PeterParis said...

BLOGitse:
Pleased to hear that! :-)

Abraham:
History is everywhere! :-)

Catherine:
Leurs directions ne sont pas là pour indiquer la nôtre! :-)

PeterParis said...

hpy:
En peut marcher, même lentement, "stroller", en effet. Ca laisse le temps de voir! :-)

Capy89:
So nice to see you back here! I hope you will soon find the time to blog yourself! I was so pleased to find a Vietnam blog! :-)

Claude:
"Rien que pour moi"! C'est presque trop! :-)

PeterParis said...

Thérèse:
Un jardin français! :-)

V Rakesh:
We do (did?) our best! :-)

Cergie:
Sans doute aussi parce que il est récent!
Oui, bien sur que je me souviens. A refaire! :-)

PeterParis said...

Starman:
The Queen's statue? I must have missed it. :-)

Harriet:
Often! :-)

Nathalie:
En effet! :-)

PeterParis said...

Vagabonde:
I believe that the Komitas statue is from 2003, so it's quite recent. :-)

Jeanie:
So you just HAVE to return! :-)

Lasiate:
Tu n'es pas un admirateur de Sarkoléon? :-)

PeterParis said...

BlossomFlowerGirl:
Thanks for you kind comments! :-)

Alain:
Déjà Marie de Medicis! :-))

Krystyna:
I would prefer that you made the trip already in the present life! :-)

Philadelphie said...

Bonjour Peter! Ive never heard of Komitas before, which is strange because i am of Armenian descent on my father's side. After my great grandmother lost her entire family in the genocide, she was shipped to France where she became a maid. She eventually met my great grandfather, who had escaped and they married in Paris. I always think of paris as thier safe haven from the turmoil and atrocities of the genocide, and I think this statue is a wonderful memorial to all those that found refuge there. Thank you for this post!! I enjoy the blog!

PeterParis said...

Philadelphie:
Very pleased that you have found my blog and also that there was something special to your attention! :-)

Virginia said...

P,
We're going to have to be Bonnie and Clyde for that to happen soon. Well just go ahead and but la Defense and Grand Palais on the new list. I'll be digging up some euros. Hey, I came home with 55 and some change! That's a start.:)
V

PeterParis said...

Virginia:
You know how it finished for Bonnie and Clyde! ... and I think that this kind of operation should not be handled openly, where everybody can read! :-)