Monday, June 13, 2022
Avenue Rachel
Tragedian Elizabeth Rachel Felix, known as Rachel (1821-1858), after whom this avenue was named in 1899 was born in Mumpf, Switzerland. She entered the Comedie-Francaise, the oldest active theatre company in the world, founded in 1680, at the age of 18.
Cimetière de Montmartre
Around 10h00, I was at le Cimetière de Montmartre, only an 11-minute walk from the café. The cemetery opens at 8h00. I must have been there for just over two hours.
The cemetery opened in 1825 and is officially known as Cimetière du Nord is located at 20 Avenue Rachel.
It is one of the four large cemeteries created at the four cardinal points of Paris in the early 19th century. The cemetery was developed in the old lime quarries situated at the foot of the Butte Montmartre.
It has about 20,000 burial plots scattered over 11 hectares and is the third largest Parisian necropolis after Le Père Lachaise and Cimetière de Montparnasse. It is often compared to the latter for its romantic layout and appearance.
The Montmartre cemetery has 783 trees of 38 different species. Among the famous people buried there includes Francois Truffaut, Stendhal, Gustave Moreau, Berlioz, Sacha Guitry and Dalida, whose grave is the most visited and has the most flowers. You will also find the grave of American singer Carole Fredericks who lived in France where she died in 2001; she was the sister of Blues musician, Taj Mahal. Émile Zola was initially buried in his family mausoleum; his remains were later transferred to the Pantheon and a cenotaph now tops the family mausoleum.
Adolphe Sax
Born on November 6, 1814, Dinant, Belgium
Died on February 7, 1894, Paris, France
(aged 79)
Belgian-French maker of musical instruments and inventor of the saxophone.
Edgar Degas
Born on July 19, 1834, Paris, France
Died on September 27, 1917, Paris, France
(aged 83)
French Impressionist artist famous for his pastel drawings and oil paintings. Degas is especially
identified with the subject of dance; more than half of his works depict dancers.
Jacques Offenbach
Born June 20, 1819, Cologne, Germany
Died – October 5, 1880
(aged 61)
Born in Cologne, Germany, the son of a synagogue cantor, Offenbach showed early musical talent. At the age of 14, he was accepted as a student at the Paris Conservatoire but found academic study unfulfilling and left after a year. From 1835 to 1855 he earned his living as a cellist, achieving international fame, and as a conductor. His ambition, however, was to compose comic pieces for the musical theatre. Finding the management of Paris’ Opéra-Comique company uninterested in staging his works, in 1855 he leased a small theatre in the Champs-Élysées. There he presented a series of his own small-scale pieces, many of which became popular.
Offenbach is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss Jr. and Arthur Sullivan. His best-known works were continually revived during the 20th century, and many of his operettas continue to be staged in the 21st. The Tales of Hoffmann remains part of the standard opera repertory.
Dalida
Born on January 17, 1933, Cairo, Egypt
Died on May 3, 1987, Paris, France
Professionally known as Dalida, Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti was a French-Italian singer born in Egypt to Italian parents. She sang in eleven languages, and sold millions of records internationally. Her best known songs are Bambino, Les enfants du Pirée, Le temps des fleurs, Darla dirladada, J’attendrai, and Paroles, paroles.
First an actress, she made her debut in the film A Glass and a Cigarette by Niazi Mustapha in 1955. One year later, having signed with the Barclay record company, Dalida achieved her first success as a singer with Bambino. Following this, she became the most important seller of records in France between 1957
and 1961. She remained a major artist in France, and she enjoyed international success. Her music charted in many countries in Europe, Latin America, North America, and Asia. Among her greatest sales successes were Le jour où la pluie viendra, Gigi l’amoroso, J’attendrai, Salama ya salama. She sang with big names on the international scene such as Julio Iglesias, Charles Aznavour, Johnny Mathis and Petula Clark.
Dalida was deeply disturbed by the suicide of her partner Luigi Tenco in 1967. Despite this, she moved ahead with her career, forming the record label International Show with her brother Orlando, recording more music and performing at concerts and music competitions, but she continued to suffer bouts of depression. On May 3, 1987, Dalida committed suicide by overdosing on barbiturates. She left behind a note which read, “La vie m’est insupportable. Pardonnez-moi.” (“Life is unbearable for me. Forgive me.”)
François Truffaut
Born on February 6, 1932, Paris, France
Died on October 21, 1984, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
(aged 52)
French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more than 25 years, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.
Truffaut’s film The 400 Blows is a defining film of the French New Wave movement, and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run, made between 1958 and 1979.
Truffaut’s 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Truffaut’s other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.
Built in 1888, le pont Caulaincourt is the first bridge in Paris to be constructed of steel. It spans over the cemetery.
France experienced a sweltering week amid a record heatwave with temperatures in the mid 30s. Returning to an air-conditioned hotel room was welcomed, even with BFM Paris Île-de-France, a regional news channel as background noise. A cold shower and a change of clothing was like started my day again. My On Clouds where ready for the 25-minute walk to la Basilique du Sacré Coeur.
La Basilique du Sacré Coeur de Montmartre
The majestic Sacré-Coeur Basilica is one of Paris’ most visited monuments. The basilica was designed by Paul Abadie. Six other architects succeeded him to complete the building. The architectural style is romano-byzantine and was inspired by churches, like Saint Sofia in Constantinople and San Marco in Venice.
The exterior cladding is travertine stone, known as ‘Château-Landon’, that comes from the Souppes-sur-Loing quarry in Seine et Marne and is particular in that it is extremely hard with a fine grain and exudes calcite on contact with rainwater, making it white.
In 1875, the first stone was laid followed by several months of foundation works. Pits 33 metres deep had to be dug which when filled in became pillars that supported the building. Without these pillars the Basilica would have sunk into the soil.
In 1914, everything is ready for the consecration, including the bell tower that houses the Savoyarde, a 19-tonne bell, but the breakout of World War 1 in 1914 puts it on hold.
The consecration took place on October 16, 1919.
The dimensions of the basilica are:
width of 85 metres,
length of 35 metres, and maximum height reaching 91 metres.
The church stands on top of the hill of Montmartre at an altitude of 130 metres above sea level.
At the foot of the Basilica, you will find this traditional double-decker carousel called Carrousel de Saint-Pierre.
It is Italian made and decorated with a Venetian theme. It has delightful bobbing horses, carriages, and a spinning teacup. Once you start exploring Paris you’ll find 20 or so carousels dotted over the city.
The 1900s is when carousels became really popular, or reached their golden age, due to public interest in mechanical movement and the seeking of new amusements. In Paris many of the carousels are situated near tourist attractions and in parks frequented by children. Have you noticed that many carousels turn in an anti-clockwise direction? Historically this is because they were designed for children to be able to wave with their right hand (closest to watching parents) while holding on with their left. The French claim the invention saying they are derived from Louis the XIV’s jousting competitions.
If my counts are correct, there are 138 steps to base of the Basilica, another 59 steps to next level, followed by 34 steps to next platform, and finally 48 steps to final landing. You are rewarded with a fascinating and very scenic view.
Count me out.
Saint Peter
Reproduction of the statue of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. His presence here is an invitation to pray especially for the Pope, Peter’s successor.
According to Christian tradition, Peter was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero. The ancient Christian churches all venerate Peter as a major saint and as the founder of the Church of Antioch and the Church of Rome, but differ in their attitudes regarding the authority of his successors. According to Catholic teaching, Jesus promised Peter a special position in the Church.
The Sacred Heart
Statue in solid silver, made by Eugène Bénet,
who wanted to translate something of the
immense sadness of “this Heart which has so
loved men and in return I received from most
of them only ingratitude” according to the
revelations of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary.
Equestrian statues in bronze
Above the narthex (long, narrow, enclosed porch, usually colonnaded or arcaded, crossing the entire width of a church at its entrance) stand two equestrian statues in bronze by sculptor Hippolyte Lefebvre:
- to the right Joan of Arc holding her sword and
- to the left Saint-Louis with the crown of thorns in his left hand.
Then, above the narthex and the two equestrian statues stands a representation of Christ. It is the basilica’s most important statue set inside a niche. The giant 5 m tall Jesus shows his heart to the whole city of Paris.
It was around 20:30 and time to have dinner on this Monday night. Just behind the basilica, and around the corner from Place du Tertre is La Bohème, a buvette (restaurant) with its red awning on rue du Mont Cenis.
In 1894 it was named Le Cabaret de La Boheme, and frequented by the likes of Suzanne Valadon and Erik Satie. It is rumored that this was also where Modigliani picked fights with Picasso.
I was not here searching for four struggling bohemians – a poet, a painter, a musician and a philosopher, but a server with a dinner menu in hand.
The travers de porc caramélisé with pommes sautées (caramelized pork, sautéed potatoes) was very savoury. That’s what French cuisine is all about. It paired nicely with a glass of Sauvignon.
The course that brought this haute cuisine meal to an end was a Pain perdu et sa boule caramel beurre salé (bread and butter pudding with salted caramel ice cream) which I had with a café crème (not pictured).
You’ve
probably
read
restaurant
reviews
over
at
Trip
Advisor.
Here’s
one
great
La
Bohème
review
from
just
around
the
corner.
Rue du Mont Cenis when strolling past La Bohème.
Gargoyles on the western side of Sacré-Cœur Basilica, seen from rue du Chevalier de la Barre. The etymology of the word derives from the French ‘gargouille’ meaning throat. Gargoyles serve the practical purpose of funneling water from the roof when it rains, directing the water out away from the walls and foundations, thereby helping too prevent water from causing damage to masonry and mortar.
Calling it a night at la Mairie du 18e arrondissement (1 place Jules Joffrin), a short 10-minute walk from my hotel.
Paroisse Notre-Dame de Clignancourt (Parish of Our Lady of Clignancourt, across from town hall) on left.
Mairie du 18e arrondissement (Town hall of the 18th arrondissement) on right.
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