Paris1972-Versailles2003

I have written before on many things in Paris and sometimes I found me new things not yet in my blog that should be, This is the case lately of finding old paper pictures in my vault , and Paris is a huge part of it. It is a wonderful area even if a bit touristy lately for my tastes ; you need to stop by at least once in your lifetime, Of course, it had to be the market day that I kept the picture! Therefore, here is my take on the rue Mouffetard of Paris !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I

The rue Mouffetard, colloquially named “La Mouffe”, is in the 5éme arrondissement of Paris. It is one of the oldest streets , which would probably go back to the time of the Lower Empire and date from the 3C or the 4C. Very picturesque, it is one of the most popular Latin district axes due to its many restaurants. The street today is 650 meters long,and descends in a gentle slope of the montange Sainte-Geneviève towards the Church Saint-Médard , and the old bridge over the Bièvre river covered underground in the 19C. It is the main street of Faubourg Saint-Médard. Back, then had a length of more than 1,500 meters and was part of the old 12éme arrondissement. Haussmann’s work amputated it from its southernmost part to build rue de Bazeilles and avenue des Gobelins.

The top of rue Mouffetard, to the Place de la Contrescarpe and the start of its descent to Saint-Médard, is mainly made up of food shops, cafes-restaurants, breweries, fast food and successive bars. At night, it is the most touristy and active part. The bottom of rue Mouffetard, which begins at the crossroads with rue Jean-Calvin, is occupied by a daily market of early primeurs and by traditional local shops of the neighborhood: butchers, fishmongers, cheese makers, bakeries, market gardeners, cavists , caterers, grocers, hardwareers, as well as some bars and neighborhood cafes. It also hosts a district cinema of two rooms called the L’Épée de bois ( wooden sword) and classified as an art and essay.

Some of the interesting buildings on it that I like are at no 1: Sign of the former cabaret de La Pomme de Pin (pine cone). This little corner of rue Mouffetard and rue Contrescarpe saw all the illustrious drinkers, from Villon to Chapelle, from the parish priest of Meudon to the canon of Saint-Victor. At no 53: During the demolition, of the house located in this location, it was discovered there in May 1938 the “Treasure of rue Mouffetard”, hidden by Louis Nivelle lawyer in the parliament of Paris under Louis XV and composed of 3,556 pieces gold, most of them with the effigy of Louis XV ! At no 60: The Pot-de-Fer fountain (1624) located at this number at the corner of rue du Pot-de-Fer. Originally fed by the Arcueil aqueduct, the current building dates from the 18C, At no 61: Monge barracks of the Republican Guard. The convent of hospital nuns of Notre-Dame de la Miséricorde, closed during the French revolution, was destroyed in the 1820s to be replaced by a Mouffetard barracks, which took its current name in 1933. Until the 1880s, entry main of the barracks was rue Mouffetard. At no 141: Church Saint Médard dating from the 15C.

Some anecdotes from this street tell us that on October 29, 1763, the Marquis de Sade was arrested in his boynnier on rue Mouffetard in the company of prostitutes , He was a man of letters, novelist, philosopher, doomed to anathema due to his work in eroticism and to pornography associated with acts of violence and cruelty,. The expression of virulent anticlerical atheism is one of the most recurring themes of his writings. Detained under all political regimes (monarchy, republic, consulate, empire), he remained locked up-over several periods, for reasons and in very various conditions-for 27 years on the 64 years that lasted his life, You will read about this street in the Les Misérables, Tome 2, Victor Hugo describes the leak of the character Jean Valjean in the tortuous streets neighboring rue Mouffetard at that time, Georges Duhamel, in Confession de Midnuit (1920), first volume of life and adventures of Salavin, Thus the description by his hero, Louis Salavin, of rue Mouffetard near which he lived, In 2018, Patrick Bruel released a song entitled rue Mouffetard. It is written by Vianney and refers to the brother of Patrick Bruel, who lived in this street. My favorite films are Sous le ciel de Paris (or under the sky of Paris) by Julien Duvivier, shot in 1951, located several scenes on rue Mouffetard , The painting Arts la rue Mouffetard, (1889 – 1890), by Maximilien Luce, shown a the Indianapolis art museum USA.

The Paris tourist office on the area around rue Mouffetard : https://parisjetaime.com/eng/transport/quartier-mouffetard-p1961

There you go folks, this is a popular street of my eternal Paris , for all to see, and a must for all to visit while in Paris. The street is very lively and wonderful eateries as well. Again,hope you enjoy this post on the rue Mouffetard of Paris as I

And remember ,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!