And giving you and me a lift by updating this memorable post on my beloved Versailles. Tempting but could not avoid it, I lived in the city for 9 glorious years and we have great memories of it, forever. I did a run of posts on several streets of Versailles and would like to take this one for an update. Hope you enjoy as I, the Rue des Deux Portes in Versailles!
So taking you back to Versailles , never too far away my old lovely home.. I could write a book on Versailles but I am too lazy for that, so just enjoying my several posts on the city in my blog. There is so much to tell on a relatively small city about 100K it can have a big punch. And yes, do walk it and do get out from the palace/museum you will be surprise. And by the way, this is not a thing to do from Paris but a place to be visit on its own, talking like a real Versaillaise!
This is a very quant nice street in my old district of Notre Dame (see posts) , and one of the shortest nicest streets you can find in any town. The Rue des Deux Portes!
In the old Versailles, Notre-Dame district, the pedestrian street of Rue des Deux Portes is a place full of charm, calm, out of time. The rue des Deux Portes is an old passage of about 100 meters connecting rue Carnot and Place du Marché. It was formely closed by two doors. The rue Carnot (former rue de la pompe) is coming right off Avenue de Saint Cloud and takes you into rue des deux portes to the Notre Dame market! Very quant!! It dates from 1687 and has small balconies of the 18C. Over a hundred meters along the neighboring gardens of the former Hôtel de Toulouse, this passage had twelve houses spread on each side. of the way. The centuries have passed, but the Rue des Deux Portes has kept its character. This is certainly what gives it its so authentic spot.
A bit of history tell us that at No 17 in 1789 , the brother of the poet Jean-François Ducis was holding a shop of earthenware and porcelain of Sevres. On the market side, a plot corresponds to one of the exits of the former hotel of the Count of Toulouse which led to the rue de la Paroisse at No. 66 (today there is a LCL bank). Nowdays you can find nice eating places here such as the L’Elephant d’Argent at No 6; the Créperie des 2 Portes at No 12, and the Les Biscuits de Madame Georges at No 7. Coming into the Place du Marché (Notre Dame) you have on your right our old Orange tel internet store and next our fav must resto in Versailles Le Boeuf à la Mode ( see post).
And even if not there anymore, let me add a bit of old history of Versailles on the before mentioned Hôtel of the Count of Toulouse.
The Hôtel de Toulouse was at the rue de la Pompe today rue Carnot. It was given this name from the Count of Toulouse ,natural son of king Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan. After the death of the count the hotel passes to his son the Duke de Penthiévre, great admiral and governor of Bretagne, he stayed at the hotel and kept all his important papers there. In 1739, the secretary of the duke monsieur Delalot had a monkey with him and one evening very cold left the room, the monkey trying to imitate the master took the torch to bring more fire to the chimney and causing as a result a fire which destroyed the important papers of the State of Bretagne and the Marine!, while suffering heavy damage the hotel itself. It never recovered and is no longer there.
This is my old neighborhood , Notre Dame, full of charm indeed, and lovely and beautiful ok so get out of the palace/museum and walk Versailles, the city that is,enjoy it as I do.
The city of Versailles on its heritage: https://www.versailles.fr/ma-ville/decouvrir/patrimoine-et-monuments/
The Versailles tourist office to know the Notre Dame neighborhood (quartier) more: https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/notre-dame-area.html
And there you go folks, another jewel in the crown of Versailles, a city to walk and embark yourselves in the history of France, Europe and even the World!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 