Paris Evening Walk and Bike Ride - 4K - With Captions!
Welcome to Paris! This is the St. Michael Fountain with the Archangel (Saint Michel in French) at the center and a spouting dragon on each side. The fountain was built between 1855 and 1860 and was originally supposed to have Napoleon Bonaparte at the center. Place Saint-Michel is on the left bank of the River Seine in an area known as the Latin Quarter.
This is Boulevard Saint-Michel, one of two major streets that runs through the Latin Quarter. It is also the boundary line between the 5th and 6th arrondissements (districts) of Paris. We are now entering the 5th arrondissement and going to walk down a short and narrow street, popular with tourists and locals, Rue de la Huchette. Prior the the 12th century, this was a path through the vineyards of the great Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, founded in the 540s. By 1284, this street was named La Huchette d'Or" meaning a 'box made of gold.' A huche is a box for wood or kindling. This street was famous for its food and bars even in the 13th century .
At that time there were a number of rotisseries (meat-roasters) here. Napoleon Bonaparte, Ernest Hemingway and Elliot Paul all lived on this street at one point. Today, the Latin Quarter has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants in the city. At the end of the street here on the right is the famous jazz club called Caveau de la Huchette; building No. 5. Ernest Heminway and Elliot Paul both lived above the club.
We exit along the Rue du Petit Pont. Just up ahead this street turns into Rue St. Jacques, a road built by the Romans that lead to Rome. Next we will walk down Rue Saint-Séverin, another famous street lined with restaurants and souvenir shops.
This is the Church of Saint-Séverin, built at the beginning of the 13th century in the Gothic style. It is one of the oldest churches in Paris. A semi-circular apse was added in 1489 along with other additions over the years. By 1520, the church took on the general appearance it still has today. The bell in the tower is the oldest in Paris, cast in 1412. We will walk down this street in a few moments.
You will notice that there are electric bikes and scooters all over the sidewalks. There are a bit of an eyesore as people leave them anywhere and everywhere, but I have to admit, it was very convenient to find a an ebike when I needed one. These are all ebikes here on the right. There are more than one type of ebike here in Paris. I registered with Bolt and was able to get around the city easily when needed. I never rode the bus or subway during this visit to Paris.
Notre Dame is just on the other side of the river only a minute away, but it is under construction and is blocked off so there is not much to see at the moment. This ancient narrow street was named after a member of the von Harpe family back in the 13th century. The street is most famous for its crime, specifically a series of murders which took place here in 1800. The story goes that two rich business men and their dog traveled to Paris together. They decided to get a shave here by a local barber. After the first gentleman was done, he left to run some errands while his friend was stayed to get his shave. When the first man returned to the barber, the dog was still there but his friend was gone.
The dog refused to leave the barbershop and the man became so concerned the police were called in. This was my hotel during my visit to Paris. The dog was tied up but barking and lashing out at the barber. When the dog was let loose, it ran down the stairs into a dark cellar where the crowd followed. In the cellar, the torso of a headless man was found, along with a hole in the wall which lead next door to a pastry shop.
It turns out, the barber and baker were in on it together. The barber would slice the person's neck with his razor, and then bring the body to the baker next door who would in turn grind up the body, cook it and sell it to customers. None of this was true however, but instead a story in the Tell Tale magazine published in 1825 which reported it as if it were true.
The story became the inspiration for the penny dreadful story, 'Sweeny Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street' and his baking accomplice Mrs. Lovett. We are still in the Latin Quarter just a few blocks west of where we just left off. This street was built in 1776 and is one of the only streets in Paris to retain its original cobblestones. The street is famous for Le Procope, the first café opened in Paris, founded in 1686. The café was a popular meeting place for Benjamin Franklin, the US ambassador to France, along with Voltaire, Rousseau and Diderot. This street was also the site where the doctors Guillotin and Louis tested out their very first guillotine on a number sheep.
Le Procope is on the left but appears to be closed. Napoleon Bonaparte's hat was on display in the window of Le Procope. I'm sorry I missed it. This street was named in 1851 for the bishop of Tours and historian Grégoire de Tours (538-594).
The street dates back the the 13th century. Yes, this was filmed in July 2020 but at the time there were no requirements to wear masks outside and everyone thought the pandemic was almost over. The idea of a "second way" of the Cororna Virus was still just being discussed as a possibility but not an absolute certainty. A strict lockdown was implemented in Paris in mid-March which lasted until May.
Infections peaked in April and by June, most establishments were allowed to re-open. Here at the end of the street on the right is the beautiful Maison Sauvage restaurant. There is no need to call ahead. They don't take reservations. :) We are now across the river in the St. Gervais quarter of the the 4th district. This is a short street with a long history.
There were once water powered mills along the river and the mill here at this location was called Moulin des Barres, meaning Mill of the Barrier. In 1250, a mansion was built here called the Hôtel des Barres. To the left is the Eglise Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais church, built between 1500 and 1650.
There has been a church here on this spot since the 7th century. The Rue des Rosiers, which means "street of the rosebushes," is a street in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. Rue des Rosiers lies at the center of the Jewish quarter unofficially called "the Pletzl" (Yiddish for "little place"). Shopping hours are restricted in Paris, but an exception was granted to this area due to Saturday being the Jewish Sabbath. As a result, cafes and shops are open in this area on Sundays and holidays, which draws large crowds of both Jews and non-Jews. Every time I've been here, there has always been a long line at this place. I suppose I should try it sometime.
The first written mention of Rue des Rosiers dates back to around 1230. Rue des Rosiers and Rue des Barres are considered to be two of the most beautiful streets in Paris. We are now walking towards Rue de Rivoli which leads straight to the Louvre and turns into the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. After the next short walk, I will take you on a bike ride down Rue de Rivoli to the Louvre Pyramid and back to Place Saint-Michel. The bike ride starts at time 45:50. The street takes its name from the Battle of Rivoli in Valdadige, Napoleon's first victory against the Austrian army.
This road is about 3km long and is lined with commercial shops including the leading fashionable brands. This is the Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church, built between 1627 and 1641 by the Jesuit architects Étienne Martellange and François Derand, on the orders of Louis XIII of France. The bike tour will begin up here at the next intersection and head in the opposite direction. The Place de la Bastille is just 1.3km down Rue de Rivoli from where we just left off. The Rue de la Roquette is a historic street lined with bars, restaurants and a series of art galleries making it popular with tourists and artists. This road ends 2.6 km away at the Père Lachaise Cemetery where you can find the tombs of Oscar Wilde, Frédéric Chopin, and the Doors frontman, Jim Morrison.
This street owes its name to a horticulturist, Gérard de Lappe, who owned vegetable gardens in the 12th century . It already existed in 1652. In the 1930s, this street was home to 17 ballrooms and cabarets. The streets remains a popular area for its nightlife and has become the heart of the trendy Bastille district.
If you want to support the channel, the best way is to like and share this video. It really helps out my channel when you do that. Grazie! We will walk a few blocks up this next street before starting the bike ride down Rue de Rivoli to the Louvre. Earlier this same day, I filmed a walk of the Paris Catacombs and Montematre. I also filmed a walk from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe and back down Champs to the Grand Palais. So, needless to say, by this time I was hurting and could barely walk any longer. I was hoping I could find a bike to ride back to my hotel but I hadn't seen one in this area for a long time. Nope, no bikes there.
After I was done filming, I walked another block before I just stopped because I physically couldn't walk any further I was hurting so bad. :) I tried calling an Uber but they were not able to pick me up in the alley where I was and I couldn't walk to a pick-up location. After resting for a while, I walked to the end of the block and finally saw an ebike.
I was extremely happy! I filmed this 20 minute bike ride holding the camera in my right hand while riding the bike with my left hand.
2021-03-21 23:22
