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!
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