Tractors, farmers...

Last week Paris was invaded by (according to the organizers) 1733 agricultural tractors and a few thousand farmers, of course with the aim to demand something… - minimum prices, less national and European regulations… There are different opinions about all this and I’m not sufficiently in the picture to give my own opinion. What I can say is that, from what I saw, everything went very smoothly, with a lot of smiles… The farmers are fairly well regarded and even the traffic jams created led to relatively limited protests from the Paris population. Some of their representatives were received by the Prime and the Agricultural ministers, and obtained some promises - however, to many of the farmers, not enough. 

The tractors – as well as the farmers – came from all areas and several had been on the road for days, considering a tractor's low speed. They arrived via the ring road (Périphérique) and went up the Cours de Vincennes to the Place de la Nation (see previous post).

The central monument, “The Triumph of the Republic” was party invaded.

The crowds of course gathered to listen to the official speakers.

Some of the tractors carried placards.

There were a few (three) cows to be seen.

It was an opportunity to learn the names of tractor manufacturers.

Even some of the side streets were full of tractors.

The farmers took time to eat, drink, tell some jokes… 

Close to Place de la Nation

After my visit to Place de Nation (see my post yesterday), I had walk in the neighbourhood. The area is generally a mixture of older Haussmann type and more modern buildings, fairly well integrated. You will find quite a bit of green space. But there are also traces of when this was a more industrial area during the 19th century. Very close to the Place de la Nation we will find a street with a very speaking and somehow surprising name – Rue des Immeubles Industriels (Industrial Buildings Street). The buildings along this street date from 1872 and are all similar - ground floor and first floor for workshops and then three floors for living. The apartments were from the very beginning equipped with gas, warm and hot water and the street had its own power station. The business here was then basically furniture manufacturing. Today, you will find mostly smaller offices and cabinets downstairs and normal flats on the upper floors. Always looking to the left and the right and with a bit of luck you can find small side streets and courtyards with some interesting features. Slightly further away from the Place, where Rue de Montreuil and Rue Titon meet, I found one open gate and discovered what you can see here below and on the top picture. I have no specific info about these buildings, obviously old workshops which have not yet been transformed (or destroyed?). Today they are occupied by some small workshops, some temporary art galleries and a few people seem still to live here, including, I believe, some squatters. I even used one of the stairs to visit the second floor - definitely not the highest standard. Walking up Rue Titon I found some other courtyards where the old workshops from the 19th century have been transformed into more modern and quite nice looking small offices and cabinets. On this spot you could during the 18th century find a small paper mill where Pilâtre de Rozier, partly using paper as material, was given the opportunity to manufacture a Montgolfier hot air balloon onboard which he, here, in October 1783, became the world’s first astronaut (80 meters, 260 ft, above ground with the Montgolfier retained by ropes). A few weeks later he made the first ever flight from what now is the 16th to the 13th arrondissement in Paris (see two previous posts; 1, 2).

Place de la Nation

I have the intention to show you some small more “secret” sites in the neighbourhood of Place de la Nation, but first I thought I must say something about the place itself.

The place was originally called the “Place du Trône” (the Throne Square), as a throne was temporarily placed here to welcome the newly wedded King Louis XIV and Queen Marie Thérèse on their arrival in Paris 1660. During the Revolution the place got the name “Place du Trône-Renversé” (the Overthrown Throne Square). The present name was given in 1880 on the occasion of the first 14th July (National Day) celebration. In the middle of the place you have a statue, called the “Triumph of the Republic”, erected in 1889 (100 years after the Revolution) in plaster, and in bronze 10 years later. Place de la Nation has together with Place de la Bastille and Place de la République been part of a triangle where different political manifestations, mostly “left”, traditionally take place. The lady on the top of the statue (“Marianne” representing the Republic) looks symbolically in the direction of Place de la Bastille. The columns and two pavilions being part of the “Fermiers Généraux” (Tax Farmers) wall (built in order to collect taxes on food, beverages, building material etc. - see my post January 18) were erected just before the Revolution. The statues of King Philippe Auguste and Saint Louis (King Louis IX) on top of the columns were added later (1845).

The guillotines which came into frequent use during the Revolution were not placed only on the present Place de la Concorde (then, Place de la Révolution). Another guillotine, then also frequently used, was placed close to one of the above mentioned pavilions. You can now instead find a shop (“Damart”). Some of these pictures can be found on my photo-blog.