The Paris Story
422
If
you are planning a quick stopover in Paris and know little or nothing
about its history, you should be warned that quite a lot has happened
since the official kick-off back in 52BC when Julius Caesar turned up
in a teeny Celtic settlement on a little island in the Seine (the Ile
de la Cité) and declared, “From this day forward, this place shall be
known as… Lutetia!” Errr, well at least he was making an effort! Sometime
later, in the 1950’s in fact, when Jack Kerouac first dropped in on
Paris, he wasted a lot of time and energy–and found himself being
laughed at quite a bit–as he marched around desperately trying to
locate the Bastille prison. Maybe he was looking for Burroughs and
figured this was his best shot? Anyway, it does go to show that a
little immersion into the history of the city may well enrich your
visit. But if you don’t have the
time or the inclination to sit down and read a big fat book about the
incredible history of this, the greatest of cities, or be dragged all
over town in a wide-eyed gaggle of amateur photographers as some
‘expert’ spells it all out for you, you could try ‘The Paris Story.’
Located at 11bis, rue Scribe (just west of Opéra Palais Garnier), and
open Nov-Mar 9am-6pm; April-Oct 9am-8pm, playing every hour on the
hour, this is a 45-minute sound and vision history of the city, which
is so sugar-coated you could put on weight as you sit watching. (Price:
Adults, 8 euro; under 18/students, 5 euro.) I
bought my ticket from a friendly guy at reception who kindly spoke
English as he furnished me with a post-card sized advertisement for
something called ‘Les Visites de Paris,’ which ‘The Paris Story,’
turned out to be connected to. The foyer of ‘The Paris Story,’ was
quite pleasant, filled with tourist trinkets, guide-books,
photography-books, brief histories and a dull-looking exhibit called
‘Paris Styles,’ designed to help us ‘better understand the Paris
monuments.’ My problem was that I would also have needed to better
understand the French language, which unfortunately I don’t. Whilst
waiting for the previous crowd of history buffs to exit the arena, I
looked at the ‘Les Visites,’ card and saw several pictures of different
events: boat rides down the Seine; a wine museum; a cinema complex; a
cabaret show; a little train-ride around Montmartre; a couple of
restaurants; Tour Montparnasse. A full-on and fun-filled tourist trap,
in fact. On the flip-side were the official titles of these events,
along with addresses, phone numbers, web-addresses, etc., and discount
coupons valued at one to two–and in the case of the cabaret show,
five–euros. Those coupons
seemed very much a token gesture to me, but the idea struck me as a
useful one for anybody on a flying visit into Paris; anybody who simply
doesn’t have the time to stroll around and discover things for
themselves. First, you stop off at the Paris story to get a quick-fix
history of the city–a kind of starter on the events menu, to stick to
the food metaphor above–then you simply go a la carte and start
picking off events as they catch your eye, moving effortlessly from one
to the other as it suits. So the
question is: Is that sugary starter going to spoil your appetite? Let’s
review: Once allowed into the arena I found myself in a cinema-seat
with a set of headphones attached and a simple little remote-control
type device fixed in at the side. (I had been advised before entering
to press the buttons on this device until the number 1 appeared on the
display, which would give me an English language commentary. The fact
that I found this a simple procedure means that it is foolproof.) There
was a main cinema screen with two small screens fixed at slight angles
on either side, and when the lights went down Victor Hugo appeared–as
a kind of ghostly hologram–on the left screen. He started talking to
‘lady’ Paris, as we the audience found ourselves immersed in a
night-time view of the city looming up above one of the gargoyles of
Nôtre-Dame. The music swept romantically across the night sky as
Monsieur Hugo charmed the lady and she softly delighted him with a tale
of how a bunch of people had once got their heads chopped off on Place
de la Concorde. I wondered if they’d had discount coupons like us, but
nobody else seemed interested. But
somehow, through all the glossing over and the smug mood–I didn’t
blame them for this; it’s understandable, considering the subject–the
story itself still managed to make itself heard and I actually found
myself interested in it. For some reason, the story of the Middle Ages
and the innovations in Gothic architecture throughout that period held
me spellbound. They told the secret of the amazing design innovations,
explaining how they built great cathedrals whose weight was not
supported by the walls, thus allowing great walls of glass with light
pouring through. Stained glass in temples of natural light–visions,
awesome and beautiful–telling their own religious histories and
tragedies, illuminated and glorified by the sun itself. Astounding. I
hadn’t realised how little thought I had given to walls until that
moment. Strange, considering that I spend huge amounts of my time in
extremely close proximity to four of the damn things. Obviously,
Gothic architecture took off in a major way for a few hundred years,
making itself much more than just a part of the city’s history. Then
everyone got bored with it and decided to hold a Renaissance instead,
during which time simple little pictures and sculptures of naked young
nymphs became the order of the day. Ah, Paris! Of
course, I’m making fun because ‘The Paris Story’ is put across in such
a frivolous, glossy way that it’s hard not to. Having said that, the
very fact of having so many powerful and conflicting events and images
reduced to forty-five minutes of post-card pretty history makes certain
things stand out to those who are paying attention. What really struck
me was that one thing remained constant throughout those years: the
absolute influence of the Roman Empire. Even today, if you look around
Paris, that influence is palpable, from all those grand, bold designs
to the unashamed celebrations of sensuality and luxury; from the hunger
for knowledge to the strong-willed push towards progress, that original
influence…
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Ifyou are planning a quick stopover in Paris and know little or nothing
about its history, you should be warned that quite a lot has happened
since the official kick-off back in 52BC when Julius Caesar turned up
in a teeny Celtic settlement on a little island in the Seine (the Ile
de la Cité) and declared, “From this day forward, this place shall be
known as… Lutetia!” Errr, well at least he was making an effort!
Sometime
later, in the 1950’s in fact, when Jack Kerouac first dropped in on
Paris, he wasted a lot of time and energy–and found himself being
laughed at quite a bit–as he marched around desperately trying to
locate the Bastille prison. Maybe he was looking for Burroughs and
figured this was his best shot? Anyway, it does go to show that a
little immersion into the history of the city may well enrich your
visit.
later, in the 1950’s in fact, when Jack Kerouac first dropped in on
Paris, he wasted a lot of time and energy–and found himself being
laughed at quite a bit–as he marched around desperately trying to
locate the Bastille prison. Maybe he was looking for Burroughs and
figured this was his best shot? Anyway, it does go to show that a
little immersion into the history of the city may well enrich your
visit.
But if you don’t have the
time or the inclination to sit down and read a big fat book about the
incredible history of this, the greatest of cities, or be dragged all
over town in a wide-eyed gaggle of amateur photographers as some
‘expert’ spells it all out for you, you could try ‘The Paris Story.’
Located at 11bis, rue Scribe (just west of Opéra Palais Garnier), and
open Nov-Mar 9am-6pm; April-Oct 9am-8pm, playing every hour on the
hour, this is a 45-minute sound and vision history of the city, which
is so sugar-coated you could put on weight as you sit watching. (Price:
Adults, 8 euro; under 18/students, 5 euro.)
time or the inclination to sit down and read a big fat book about the
incredible history of this, the greatest of cities, or be dragged all
over town in a wide-eyed gaggle of amateur photographers as some
‘expert’ spells it all out for you, you could try ‘The Paris Story.’
Located at 11bis, rue Scribe (just west of Opéra Palais Garnier), and
open Nov-Mar 9am-6pm; April-Oct 9am-8pm, playing every hour on the
hour, this is a 45-minute sound and vision history of the city, which
is so sugar-coated you could put on weight as you sit watching. (Price:
Adults, 8 euro; under 18/students, 5 euro.)
I
bought my ticket from a friendly guy at reception who kindly spoke
English as he furnished me with a post-card sized advertisement for
something called ‘Les Visites de Paris,’ which ‘The Paris Story,’
turned out to be connected to. The foyer of ‘The Paris Story,’ was
quite pleasant, filled with tourist trinkets, guide-books,
photography-books, brief histories and a dull-looking exhibit called
‘Paris Styles,’ designed to help us ‘better understand the Paris
monuments.’ My problem was that I would also have needed to better
understand the French language, which unfortunately I don’t.
bought my ticket from a friendly guy at reception who kindly spoke
English as he furnished me with a post-card sized advertisement for
something called ‘Les Visites de Paris,’ which ‘The Paris Story,’
turned out to be connected to. The foyer of ‘The Paris Story,’ was
quite pleasant, filled with tourist trinkets, guide-books,
photography-books, brief histories and a dull-looking exhibit called
‘Paris Styles,’ designed to help us ‘better understand the Paris
monuments.’ My problem was that I would also have needed to better
understand the French language, which unfortunately I don’t.
Whilst
waiting for the previous crowd of history buffs to exit the arena, I
looked at the ‘Les Visites,’ card and saw several pictures of different
events: boat rides down the Seine; a wine museum; a cinema complex; a
cabaret show; a little train-ride around Montmartre; a couple of
restaurants; Tour Montparnasse. A full-on and fun-filled tourist trap,
in fact. On the flip-side were the official titles of these events,
along with addresses, phone numbers, web-addresses, etc., and discount
coupons valued at one to two–and in the case of the cabaret show,
five–euros.
waiting for the previous crowd of history buffs to exit the arena, I
looked at the ‘Les Visites,’ card and saw several pictures of different
events: boat rides down the Seine; a wine museum; a cinema complex; a
cabaret show; a little train-ride around Montmartre; a couple of
restaurants; Tour Montparnasse. A full-on and fun-filled tourist trap,
in fact. On the flip-side were the official titles of these events,
along with addresses, phone numbers, web-addresses, etc., and discount
coupons valued at one to two–and in the case of the cabaret show,
five–euros.
Those coupons
seemed very much a token gesture to me, but the idea struck me as a
useful one for anybody on a flying visit into Paris; anybody who simply
doesn’t have the time to stroll around and discover things for
themselves. First, you stop off at the Paris story to get a quick-fix
history of the city–a kind of starter on the events menu, to stick to
the food metaphor above–then you simply go a la carte and start
picking off events as they catch your eye, moving effortlessly from one
to the other as it suits.
seemed very much a token gesture to me, but the idea struck me as a
useful one for anybody on a flying visit into Paris; anybody who simply
doesn’t have the time to stroll around and discover things for
themselves. First, you stop off at the Paris story to get a quick-fix
history of the city–a kind of starter on the events menu, to stick to
the food metaphor above–then you simply go a la carte and start
picking off events as they catch your eye, moving effortlessly from one
to the other as it suits.
So the
question is: Is that sugary starter going to spoil your appetite? Let’s
review: Once allowed into the arena I found myself in a cinema-seat
with a set of headphones attached and a simple little remote-control
type device fixed in at the side. (I had been advised before entering
to press the buttons on this device until the number 1 appeared on the
display, which would give me an English language commentary. The fact
that I found this a simple procedure means that it is foolproof.)
question is: Is that sugary starter going to spoil your appetite? Let’s
review: Once allowed into the arena I found myself in a cinema-seat
with a set of headphones attached and a simple little remote-control
type device fixed in at the side. (I had been advised before entering
to press the buttons on this device until the number 1 appeared on the
display, which would give me an English language commentary. The fact
that I found this a simple procedure means that it is foolproof.)
There
was a main cinema screen with two small screens fixed at slight angles
on either side, and when the lights went down Victor Hugo appeared–as
a kind of ghostly hologram–on the left screen. He started talking to
‘lady’ Paris, as we the audience found ourselves immersed in a
night-time view of the city looming up above one of the gargoyles of
Nôtre-Dame. The music swept romantically across the night sky as
Monsieur Hugo charmed the lady and she softly delighted him with a tale
of how a bunch of people had once got their heads chopped off on Place
de la Concorde. I wondered if they’d had discount coupons like us, but
nobody else seemed interested.
was a main cinema screen with two small screens fixed at slight angles
on either side, and when the lights went down Victor Hugo appeared–as
a kind of ghostly hologram–on the left screen. He started talking to
‘lady’ Paris, as we the audience found ourselves immersed in a
night-time view of the city looming up above one of the gargoyles of
Nôtre-Dame. The music swept romantically across the night sky as
Monsieur Hugo charmed the lady and she softly delighted him with a tale
of how a bunch of people had once got their heads chopped off on Place
de la Concorde. I wondered if they’d had discount coupons like us, but
nobody else seemed interested.
But
somehow, through all the glossing over and the smug mood–I didn’t
blame them for this; it’s understandable, considering the subject–the
story itself still managed to make itself heard and I actually found
myself interested in it. For some reason, the story of the Middle Ages
and the innovations in Gothic architecture throughout that period held
me spellbound. They told the secret of the amazing design innovations,
explaining how they built great cathedrals whose weight was not
supported by the walls, thus allowing great walls of glass with light
pouring through. Stained glass in temples of natural light–visions,
awesome and beautiful–telling their own religious histories and
tragedies, illuminated and glorified by the sun itself. Astounding. I
hadn’t realised how little thought I had given to walls until that
moment. Strange, considering that I spend huge amounts of my time in
extremely close proximity to four of the damn things.
somehow, through all the glossing over and the smug mood–I didn’t
blame them for this; it’s understandable, considering the subject–the
story itself still managed to make itself heard and I actually found
myself interested in it. For some reason, the story of the Middle Ages
and the innovations in Gothic architecture throughout that period held
me spellbound. They told the secret of the amazing design innovations,
explaining how they built great cathedrals whose weight was not
supported by the walls, thus allowing great walls of glass with light
pouring through. Stained glass in temples of natural light–visions,
awesome and beautiful–telling their own religious histories and
tragedies, illuminated and glorified by the sun itself. Astounding. I
hadn’t realised how little thought I had given to walls until that
moment. Strange, considering that I spend huge amounts of my time in
extremely close proximity to four of the damn things.
Obviously,
Gothic architecture took off in a major way for a few hundred years,
making itself much more than just a part of the city’s history. Then
everyone got bored with it and decided to hold a Renaissance instead,
during which time simple little pictures and sculptures of naked young
nymphs became the order of the day. Ah, Paris!
Gothic architecture took off in a major way for a few hundred years,
making itself much more than just a part of the city’s history. Then
everyone got bored with it and decided to hold a Renaissance instead,
during which time simple little pictures and sculptures of naked young
nymphs became the order of the day. Ah, Paris!
Of
course, I’m making fun because ‘The Paris Story’ is put across in such
a frivolous, glossy way that it’s hard not to. Having said that, the
very fact of having so many powerful and conflicting events and images
reduced to forty-five minutes of post-card pretty history makes certain
things stand out to those who are paying attention. What really struck
me was that one thing remained constant throughout those years: the
absolute influence of the Roman Empire. Even today, if you look around
Paris, that influence is palpable, from all those grand, bold designs
to the unashamed celebrations of sensuality and luxury; from the hunger
for knowledge to the strong-willed push towards progress, that original
influence has never left this city.
course, I’m making fun because ‘The Paris Story’ is put across in such
a frivolous, glossy way that it’s hard not to. Having said that, the
very fact of having so many powerful and conflicting events and images
reduced to forty-five minutes of post-card pretty history makes certain
things stand out to those who are paying attention. What really struck
me was that one thing remained constant throughout those years: the
absolute influence of the Roman Empire. Even today, if you look around
Paris, that influence is palpable, from all those grand, bold designs
to the unashamed celebrations of sensuality and luxury; from the hunger
for knowledge to the strong-willed push towards progress, that original
influence has never left this city.
But
it didn’t win the battle for its soul. One major factor that jumps
right out at you, despite the limitations of ‘The Paris Story,’ is the
battle for the soul of Paris between the original gladiatorial Roman
influence, all military precision and mathematical genius, swords at
the ready, and the starving artists, with only the soft touch of brush
against canvas, the gentle tap of quill against ink-pot. Dreams of a
better world against the machinations of political cynicism; dreamers
battling it out against schemers for the soul of the greatest city on
earth. And the artists won.
it didn’t win the battle for its soul. One major factor that jumps
right out at you, despite the limitations of ‘The Paris Story,’ is the
battle for the soul of Paris between the original gladiatorial Roman
influence, all military precision and mathematical genius, swords at
the ready, and the starving artists, with only the soft touch of brush
against canvas, the gentle tap of quill against ink-pot. Dreams of a
better world against the machinations of political cynicism; dreamers
battling it out against schemers for the soul of the greatest city on
earth. And the artists won.
Actually,
you don’t even need forty-five minutes to sum up this town and
everything about it. Jack Kerouac summed it up in one sentence on the
day he first arrived in Paris, stepping off the train, looking around
and announcing (and I quote):
you don’t even need forty-five minutes to sum up this town and
everything about it. Jack Kerouac summed it up in one sentence on the
day he first arrived in Paris, stepping off the train, looking around
and announcing (and I quote):
“Wow! They really built themselves a city!”
Les Visites de Paris (Get off the beaten track!)
Vedettes du Pont-Neuf, 1 square du Vert Galant, Paris, 1er. Tel. 01.46.33.98.38. Métro: Pont-Neuf-Cité. (Boat rides down the Seine.)
Montmartrain. Departs: Place Pigalle. Parvis du Sacré Coeur. Tel. 01.48.00.90.80. Métro: Pigalle. ( Mini-Train-ride around Montmartre.)
Etoiles du Rex. 1, blvd Poissennière – Paris, 2er. Tel. 01.45.08.93.40. Métro; Bonne Nouvelle. (Cinema complex.)
Restaurant ‘La Bonne Franquette’. 18, rue St. Rustique, 18er. Tel. 01.42.52.02.42. Métro: Abbesses. (near Place du Tertre.)
Canauxrama. 13, Quai de la Loire, Paris, 19er. Reservation by phone. Tel. 01.42.39.15.00. Métro: Jaures. (Boat-rides.)
Tour Montparnasse – ‘The best view of Paris!’ Rue de la Arrivée, Paris, 15er. Tel. 01.45.38.52.56. Metro: Montparnasse-Bienvenue.
Restaurant ‘Les Noces de Jeannette’. 14, rue Favart, 2er. Tel. 01.42.96.36.89. Métro: Richelieu Drouot. (near Opéra.)
Musée du Vin. Rue des Eaux, 16er. Tel. 01.45.25.63.26. Métro: Passy. Closed Monday. 10am-6pm. Free glass of wine. (wine museum.)
Artishow, Caberet Transformiste Parisien. 3, rue cité Souzy, 11er. Tel. 01.43.48.56.04. Métro: Rue des Boulets. (Dinner spectacle.)
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