Montorgueil (3)

Leaving Rue Montorgueil, there is much more to find round the corner, e.g. some very narrow streets, some other nice shops and restaurants... See especially the surprising cork-tree. There are different stories about the reason for this tree here, the simplest one is probably that there used to be a cork manufactory here. I would however especially like to draw the attention to some covered pedestrian passages. There are some 25 similar pedestrian passages in Paris. I have already posted about Passage Vendome, Prado, Jouffroy, Panoramas and Brady. Here we can find two other ones.

The first one is today quite modest and has no shops any more, but some interesting workshops. It’s called Passage Bourg l’Abbé and dates from 1828. The nice architecture is still there, you can find some old shops signs – which don’t describe the present activities – and a beautiful clock and barometer. The second one is called Passage du Grand Cerf. It dates from about 1830. Previously this was the place for a restaurant with the same name (Big Stag) which until the Revolution was the departure and arrival point of mail-coaches of the “Messageries Royales”, destroyed in 1825. This is the highest of all Parisian passages (some 12 metres = 40 ft) and you can find some surprising shop signs. It has been renovated the last decades and you can today find some nice shops, although it’s not the most visited one of the Paris pedestrian passages. ... but it’s a beauty for the eyes!

Some of these pictures can be found on my photo blog.

Montorgueil (2)

I’m coming back to Rue Montorgueil. Among a lot of nice shops and restaurants there are a few that are worth a special mention!

The pastry shop "Stohrer" was founded in 1730 by a retired “pâtissier” at the court of Versailles. Nicolas Stohrer invented, among other nice and sweet things to eat, the (at least in France) famous “Baba”, a brioche soaked in Malaga wine and filled with “crème pâtissière”. Stohrer is also the creator of the version “Baba au Rhum”. I guess that also the “Puits d’Amour” (Well of Love) is worth mentioning among his inventions. The original recipes are still made here, but there are also some more newly invented ones. Some 30 bakers are employed! The present decoration dates from 1864 and is executed by one of the decorators of Opéra Garnier (Paul Baudry). The shop is beautiful and is now classified as a historical monument. You can also note the ornament above the side entry gate! There is a very nice looking restaurant (which I have not tried), “L’Escargot” (The Snail) which dates from 1832. Their specialty is as the name indicates snails in different forms. Many celebrities have been dining here, including Sarah Bernhardt and part of the interior decoration comes from her home. At last I would like to mention “Au Rocher de Cancale” (The Rock of Cancale), knowing that Cancale is in Brittany; in former days this used to be the major street for oysters and other sea food. You can see the façade on the top photo. It may be interesting to know that during the 19th century the average yearly consumption of oysters among the adult population in Paris is estimated to something like 25 dozens! Oysters normally did not even appear on the menu, they were just some kind of cocktail snacks. Consider then also that oysters could then not be transported during the warmer months (the months without “r”)!

The restaurant moved here from a across the street in 1846 and the name of it is mentioned by Balzac (who was one of its customers) in his “Comédie Humaine”. The interior of the restaurant has some wall paintings by Paul Gavarni. (In the meantime, the present restaurant has been used for other activities and unfortunately part of the original decoration was destroyed… but a lot remains.)

Some of these pictures can be found on my photo blog.

Montorgueil (1)

(I mentioned in a preceding message that my PC seemed to give up, making some “funny” noise. I managed to buy a new one and to get it more or less functioning, so after all I made my Monday post!)

In some of my previous posts about e.g. Rue Saint Denis and Rue Réaumur we have already been very close to what is called the area of Montorgueil. There are several things to see around here, but let’s start with the street from which the area has got its name. Rue Montorgueil is one of the older Paris streets (13th century), has had different names before it got its present name during the 17th century; the name in English would actually be Mount Pride Street or something similar - it was the way to a rather lousy area which was called Mount Pride (Mont Orgeuilleux) by mockery.

You can join this street e.g. from les Halles, the old food centre of Paris, transformed to an underground shopping and cinema centre, maybe not the best one in Paris, but there are plans for rebuilding and modernising.

Rue Montorgueil is basically pedestrian and has today become very fashionable. Most of the buildings are old and so are also many of the shops, bars and restaurants. I will revert to some specific shops and restaurants and also tome side streets and covered pedestrian passages in one or two future posts; today we will just have a general look on the street and I also show a few examples of some old fashioned shop and restaurant facades and signs.Please note that the street is busy during the day, but very (too?) calm late evening.

Some of these pictures can be found on my photo blog.