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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2012 18:43:51 GMT
There is probably almost no Parisian neighbourhood that is not steeped in just about more history that anybody can bear, but each area lurches ahead in time erratically like those carnival horserace games. In terms of lurching into the 21st century, Ménilmontant is one of those areas that is still back at the starting post, and that is part of its charm. Ménilmontant still has a slang name among older Parisians (young people do not use it) -- Ménilmuche. Anyway, it was out in the wilds until the 18th century. There was even a château there ( Château de Saint Fargeau) with a domain (woods and formal gardens and orchards and agricultural fields) bigger than the current surface of Père Lachaise cemetery. There remains not a single trace of any of this. Anyway, what made the 18th century important was that it was still well outside the walls of the city and therefore outside of the Parisian taxation zone. Wine and other beverages were much cheaper, and Parisians flocked there for a good time in all of the dance halls and seedier establishments. Obviously plenty of things changed in the 19th century when all of the outer arrondissements were annexed by the city, but Ménilmontant has remained one of the most working class districts of Paris -- cheapest area for real estate if anybody is interested -- and it does not resemble one bit the Haussmannian areas of the city (not that there's anything wrong with those areas). Anyway, rue de Ménilmontant is the backbone of the 20th arrondissement, so I decided that it deserved a report. Such a report starts at the Ménilmontant metro station on line 2. One of the first things that I learned is that even though most Parisians including me would call this space "Place de Ménilmontant" due to the metro station, I quickly saw that it has no name at all -- it is just the intersection of boulevard de Belleville, rue Oberkampf, boulevard de Ménilmontant and rue de Ménilmontant. "Place de Ménilmontant" is farther up the street. We'll see it later. It was market day, but I was not here to visit the market. It is a working class market of course -- they were selling clothing items for 1€. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2012 6:26:46 GMT
Noting that "Hôtel de Ménilmontant" as I started up the street, I just had to peek in the door since I couldn't imagine a tourist randomingly finding such a place. It looks like a throwback to the 1930's, but I did see the WIFI sticker on the window...  There are still lots of little artisan shops in this part of town.  Just like in my own neighborhood, all of the butcher shops are halal. To buy pork and other non halal meats, you have to go to the supermarket.  I thought that this was an interesting fusion of old and new times -- Boucherie Mogador. Mogador was the old colonial name of the Moroccan city of Essaouira before independence in 1956. The fact that an Islamic butcher shop would retain an old colonial name indicates that old times have not been forgotten and probably that the owner considers himself to be totally French as years have passed.  Just like in nearby Belleville, all ethnicities are mixed here.  Just about every 'old' school building in Paris looks identical, as though there were all built at the same time -- and they probably were. This would date back to the time of Jules Ferry, the politician who wrote the law that made school obligatory and free in 1882. He was also mayor of Paris then, which probably gave additional impetus for the construction of schools. "Jules Ferry" is still one of the most common names given to schools in France. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2012 6:59:55 GMT
This modern building struck me as being in complete disaccord with the other buildings.  However, the apartments appeared to have fantastic views.   Since it was being worked on, there was a sign telling me more about the building. Rather than being a luxury apartment complex, it is a residence for young workers operated by the charity organisation Emmaüs and the city of Paris. The main thing that struck me was that it was a "real live church" rather than one of the " museum-monuments" in the centre of the city. There were posters and brochures everywhere for church activities, and if it cluttered the view, well the view was just less important than getting the religious message across. As consolation, there is still the 1995 artwork by Jérôme Mesnager on its famous wall. As one of the first major graffiti artists, Jérôme Mesnager had covered the city with his famous "man in white" on walls everywhere in the 1980's. With all of the other graffers, they would not last very long now, but every Parisian remembers them -- and if they don't, there is always this wall, with the lyrics of an old Maurice Chevalier song. |
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Post by mossie on Nov 28, 2012 7:56:48 GMT
Thanks very much for reminding me of my favourite part of Paris. Now I really have got to make the effort to go back. I did not realise that Mesnager went back to the '80s.
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Post by bjd on Nov 28, 2012 9:28:19 GMT
Nice of you to show the less-visited parts of Paris. I often go to the 20th because it's not far from where I stay and I like just wandering, looking in shop windows, etc.
I always find those areas a combination of old, colourful places and bland modern apartment buildings. Although the people living in the old, colourful places would probably enjoy living in a more modern bland building.
What day was the market on the boulevard at the beginning of the report?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2012 11:41:16 GMT
Great pics and what a refreshing departure from the usual pics of Paris we usually see posted. I love that old hotel and yes, it really does look like a throw back to the '30's. Very cool.  Thanks Kerouac. |
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Post by lagatta on Nov 28, 2012 13:38:10 GMT
I usually stay around there too, as several friends live nearby, in Belleville, Ménilmontant and slightly posher areas nearby (Buttes-Chaumont), down the hill the other way in the 20th towards place de la Nation...
There is also a very good market at Place des Fêtes over in Belleville, though the Place itself is a horrid example of brutalist "urban renewal. I'm sure you could find porky products at Chinese and Vietnamese butchers' over on Belleville too (the two streets are really not far apart).
Some of the old buildings were indeed too decrepit to be renovated, but it is a shame that buildings so out of character with the architectural vernacular were allowed.
You get another view of these neighbourhoods up on rue des Pyrénées, with more trees and greenery.
A lot of adults might envy the food those schoolchildren get!
I remember at least a couple of the "meilleur boulanger de Paris" contest winners being in this general area (Belleville-Ménilmontant).
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Post by patricklondon on Nov 28, 2012 14:55:28 GMT
So that's the origin of "Mogador". But now the mystery is, why on earth they used that name for a London telephone exchange (in the days when they used names rather than numbers) or was it just that that's one of the few words that begins with MOG? As I recall, the exchange served a very ordinary outer suburb of London.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2012 15:00:21 GMT
Still climbing the hill. Bus 96 runs up and down the entire length of the street if you don't want to walk.  I had to investigate this tiny mystery.    Just a normal municipal office, but I did like the mosaics.    See? Every school looks the same.  Lots of interesting little shops  Ah, something else that requires investigation.  The text is a heartfelt protest of the eviction this cultural squat on 15 Ocrober.  What can I see through the crack in the locked gate?  If I had any brains I would stand tall and raise my arm and camera over the top of the fence to see it.  If you look way, way down the street, you can see it. Oh you can't see it?  My super zoom will help.   I wish I had the time energy to investigate some of the side streets, too.  Now this is a real contrast in architectural styles!  And what is this semi imposing building?  I'm as much in the dark as ever.  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2012 15:09:55 GMT
So that's the origin of "Mogador". But now the mystery is, why on earth they used that name for a London telephone exchange (in the days when they used names rather than numbers) or was it just that that's one of the few words that begins with MOG? As I recall, the exchange served a very ordinary outer suburb of London. All will be revealed, Patrick: www.essaouira.nu/history_british.htmWhat day was the market on the boulevard at the beginning of the report? That was Tuesday. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2012 15:42:03 GMT
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Post by lagatta on Nov 28, 2012 23:50:07 GMT
Yes, I certainly remember that old mansion at the top of the street. But what on earth is a "Maison de la laïcité"? Obviously not a church, mosque or synagogue, but what? www.mairie20.paris.fr/mairie20/jsp/site/Portal.jsp?page_id=651I had a sculptor friend with a workshop in Cité de l'Hermitage, but I've lost track of him. The little hotel does look clean and decent. Would that be somewhere a skint traveller might like to stay? |
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Post by fumobici on Nov 29, 2012 1:29:00 GMT
Here's the official homepage of the project: www.fdml.be/Not particularly helpful or expository as regards your question though. They seem to have problems clearly articulating whatever it is they do. |
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Post by lagatta on Nov 29, 2012 2:27:14 GMT
Indeed. Their text sounds stereotypically Europudding bureaucratese. Odd, as I rather like the idea.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 29, 2012 8:10:28 GMT
It's quite nice to see a street through your eyes Kerouac - especially one that I have been to and can recognise lots of things! The bus is an excellent idea to start this visit. We hopped on at Oberkampf/Richard Lenoir and rode it all the way to the terminus, before taking it back as far as about the Pyrenees/Menilmontant stop on the top, allowing us a leisurely stroll downhill. I admire your energy to walk up  It was delightful to see new and old sights. The building with Mesnager's dancing figures brought memories of a nice place to stop for a glass of wine and some olives at the Cafe` underneath on the corner, called L'Entrepots. It has a lovely big terrace area with friendly waiters. I loved seeing the beginnings of the renovations of the timbered house. All those ancient beams exposed for a short time before the 'filling in' process starts. The mosaics were very interesting and good use of old thrown away tiles most probably. I thought the walls looked great. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2012 12:22:25 GMT
| This was the site of the property occupied in 1832 by a group of followers of Saint-Simonism under the authority of Prosper Enfantin, known as Father Enfantin. The Count of Saint-Simon (1760-1825) was one of the forerunners of positivist philosophy and social science; he preached the advent of an industrial society, managed by the producers, where the interests of the owners and the workers would spontaneously come into harmony. In Ménilmontant, Saint-Simonians, dressed in white trousers with a purple tunic and a red vest, lived in a fraternal commune and engaged in manual labour while singing hymns. On Sundays they received many curious visitors who were amused by their extravagant ways. The commune quickly broke down for financial reasons, and the house was sold in 1835. |
As we reach the top of the hill, most of Old Paris is gone.  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2012 7:40:23 GMT
 Well, now she has a street, poor girl.  Up on top of Ménilmontant, the butcher shops are no longer halal.  Rue de Ménilmontant changes name at this intersection, but we will continue a little farther on rue Saint-Fargeau.  I've passed this church dozens of time on a bus but have never been inside.  Modern churches are generally horribly grim and austere.   I was about to start examining these divine intervention requests but a Church Lady came out of her office at the wrong time.  Sometimes these little houses are protected by the city for reasons of "architectural diversity."  another indispensable bazaar shop   Looks like a new street, but no, a building is planned here.  This was a very odd display, considering where it was located.  It's on the left under the new fire station building.  There is an old fire station next to the new one.  This is the end of my journey, the useless Saint-Fargeau metro station.   I think I'll go down the huge flight of stairs. Ménilmontant is deeper than Montmartre.  Anti-mugging mirrors in every single corner!  Not much choice on where to go.  This little scrap of metro line is only 4 stations long.  Well, anyway I did see a few things that I had never noticed before, so I will have to continue my Parisian investigations. |
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Post by tod2 on Nov 30, 2012 12:17:34 GMT
The little building which houses the entrance to the metro Saint-Fargeau is quite unusual in a Victorian sort of way. Why did you say "the useless Saint-Fargeau metro station."? They have muggers in Paris? ;D Thanks for telling us because I would never have known those were anti-mugging mirrors! I guess during the day it would be OK but at night......  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2012 12:49:54 GMT
The mirrors do not necessarily mean that mugging is a problem, but "fear of mugging" can be a problem, and the mirrors are a cheap way of pandering to public opinion.
All of the metro stations in that area -- Saint-Fargeau, Pelleport, Porte des Lilias -- are built in that style because they needed to be built with lifts to the surface.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 30, 2012 18:45:48 GMT
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