Well here I am back into my updating/revising old posts in my blog. I said, this has been a wonderful adventure to relive these wonderful memorable spots in my world. And thank you for following me around, appreciated.
I take you now to an area of my eternal Paris very dear to me as for about 2 years was my going and coming to work in the city. Let me tell you a bit about the Madeleine ,noo not the church, but the neighborhood!
I was thinking about these old nice places after already been 18 years in France and 9 years in the Morbihan breton in Bretagne. It was time to reminicent of my times working in Paris. For whoever wants to know, I am French since 2000 while still living in Florida !! Thanks to a wonderful women name Martine, my dear late wife of always.
I would need to walk in and around the Church of the Madeleine!!! Well let me tell you a bit more as have several blog posts on the Church already. Again, this is an update/revision and new photos in the post as some of the businesses have change name/owners etc.
The neighborhood or quartier of La Madeleine is the 31st of Paris located in the 8th district or arrondissement. It takes its name from the Church of the Madeleine (see post). As you might know Paris is divided into 20 arrondisement of 4 quartiers each or 80 total since the grouping by Baron Haussmann in 1860 on orders of Emperor Napoleon III.
Located between the Avenue des Champs-Elysées and the Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, the Madeleine neighborhood includes embassies, major institutions and boutiques of art and luxury. The festive atmosphere of the neighborhood, given by many theaters, cinemas,but also breweries and restaurant, as well as the proximity of Gare Saint-Lazare, make it a very popular site. Symbol of the neighborhood and district, the Church of Madeleine, replaces in the 18C the old parish church which has become too small. Transformed into a temple to the glory of the French armies by Napoleon III, the church takes, after many hesitations, the form of an ancient temple.
After a century of successive changes, the Church of the Madeleine was consecrated in 1842. Hosting today the great ceremonies, Te Deum or National funeral, the Madeleine is, on the other hand the richness of its architecture, one of the most photographed monuments of Paris. Some of the renown buildings in this district are the Palais de l’Élysée, seat of the Presidency of the French Republic . The Hotel de Beauvau, seat of the Ministry of the Interior since 1861. Hotel de Charost, residence of the Ambassador of the United Kingdom in France. And the United States Embassy in France by Avenue Gabriel.
Some of the better known and nicest streets in the quartier are : Boulevard Malesherbes, Rue Tronchet (my route to work), Rue des Mathurins, Rue de la Ville –Lévêque, Cité Berryer, Rue d’Aguesseau, Rue de Suréne, Place Beauveau , Place de la Madeleine(past by it to work), Place des Saussaies, Passage de la Madeleine, and Square Louis XVI. Of course, the main attraction here is the Church of the Madeleine, and there is an Anglican Church Saint Georges of Paris too.
Plenty to get here and walk all over, after Paris is best on foot! However, to get here my best is the car even if to work needed to take the suburbian trains. The best are Parking Madeleine-Tronchet facing 21 Place de la Madeleine, and the one at Gare Saint Lazare , cars go in by 29 rue de Londres and pedestrians by 10 Place Budapest, as well as the Parking Meyerbeer Opéra by 3 rue de la Chaussée d’Antinare good underground parking that I have used over the years and central to all.
The public transportation abound here with the Metro Madeleine lines 8, 12, 14. Bus lines 24, 42, 52, 84, and 94, all passed by the Square. The 94 is great from St Lazare to Montparnasse; the 24 , 42 ,and 84 is great for tourists on major sites.
Some of the goodies I have enjoyed over the years on this neighborhood that are still there are:
There is a nice marché aux fleurs or small flower market to the right of the Church of the Madeleine. The Place de la Madeleine, which took its present form in 1842, was an old flower market, some of which still remain today. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 8h to 19h30. Another general market is the marché Aguesseau at Place de la Madeleine Open air market on the mail adjoining the left carriageway along the Church of La Madeleine, at the outlet of Boulevard Malesherbes.
Les Trois Quartiers , 23 Boulevard de la Madeleine. This was great as passed by every day to work back then, and did shop at Madelios! . The place has been redone, first in the 1990’s in offices and in commercial gallery with in particular the men’s ready-to-wear store Madelios (Au Printemps group) about fifteen shops specialised in cosmetics, clothing and perfumes. It included brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren and Madelios. Too bad by 2019, it has been change again this time it was converted into a mix building Le Madeleine housing many firms such as IKEA and Decathlon , and offices.
Galerie de la Madeleine. 9 Place de la Madeleine or 30 Rue Boissy d’Anglas; near my photo place! Is an arcade dating back to the 19C. With very elegant architecture, two beautiful cariatydes decorate the main entrance, it houses numerous luxury retailers and food shops.
Monoprix, 9 boulevard de la Madeleine, a general store with all the goodies you need including groceries. Now redesigned to a Monop style store of groceries.
Massimo Dutti, 34 Rue Tronchet, for the men/women’s clothing…still there
For food related like wines the Spanish chain tops Lavinia, 3 Boulevard de la Madeleine , still there !
The venerable Fauchon Paris, 30 Place de la Madeleine, the caterer Fauchon closed its choco gifts store at place de la Madeleine. The group has recently diversified into the luxury hotel business with Fauchon The Hotel Paris at the same location, the brand’s first hotel. There is the Grand Café Fauchon there too.
L’écluse Madeleine 9, rue Duphot. Still going strong.
La Maison de la Truffe, 19 Place de la Madeleine, still there !
Café Madeleine 35 place de la Madeleine(my must stop on way to and back from work across from the church)
Caffe Corto 11 Rue Tronchet, still there!!
Tante Louise,this has now moved a bit further and the management decided to change name. It is now call Loiseau Rive Droite a bit higher up All from the group Bernard Loiseau. By buying Chez Tante Louise in 1998, Bernard Loiseau decided to keep the name “Tante Louise”: this restaurant was a Parisian institution, created in 1929 by Louise-Blanche Lefeuvre. However, times and situations changes and now a new name and more upscale food: webpage: http://: https://www.bernard-loiseau.com/en/houses/loiseau-rive-droite/bernard-loiseau-rive-droite.html
As for lodgings well not tested by me as not needed but friends and business partners had tried these with good recommendations. The Hôtel de Sèze, 16 Rue de Sèze and the Madeleine Plaza Hotel, 33 Place de la Madeleine ; and the Hôtel de l’Arcade, 9 Rue de l’Arcade, (this is a story ;I once was asked four times in the same week how to get here while walking to work from Gare St Lazare, I finally asked them what is there, and it was folks looking for this hotel lol.)
The Paris tourist office on the Madeleine neighborhood or Quartier: https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/walks-in-paris/paris-and-its-neighbourhoods/parisian-north-west/Madeleine
The thrill of walking is great and I always advice folks coming to Paris to do as much as possible and forget the transports. Granted , we need to get to Paris somehow, I do more often by car ,but once find a central parking garage the rest is on foot and long walks all over, sublime!! Hope you enjoy the walk on gorgeous Paris.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 