La rue de Montorgueil - When the world turns back-
By Paolo Pizzimenti
22 Jun 2008
Walking through this ancient and magic street of Paris, I can still feel the wheels of the chariots and the noise of the horses' hooves..
I'm sure that if I turn back my eyes I can see the "rue" as it was into 1792. I'm frequently visiting Paris and I've never been there, thanks to a help of of good friend of mine (Thank you Alain) I've been able to discover this singular and wonderful pedestrian street. The "Rue montorgueil" was used by the fishermen coming from Normandie or Manche to deposit their fishes and seafood at Les Halles refrigerators cellars. Les Halles as denominated by Emil Zola "Le ventre de Paris " were the city place where to keep stores well bonded. Les Halles were founded into 1137 and to substitute the ancient market place, where today is Paris Town Hall ( L'hotel de ville ). When you walk along Rue Montorgueil, it seems that time will stop for awhile, some facades of the old palaces, all made in wood, recall me the "Comedie humaine" by Honore de Balzac, who has very often recalled this place into his masterpiece. One in particular " Le rocher de Cancale" (Today a rinomate restaurant) is charming. The facade is "wasted" from the time and by the weather, but it's still charming as on old lady still able to receive people and to offer them a comfort, a comfort for a night, a day maybe a life...His facade is like a watercolor painting, very tender, a light paint-brush has left a subtle coulors which helps to find the peace of mind and maybe to meditate, some other are like old copper oxydized by the weather and the hopes of the traveller who spent sometimes into the old building try to find a better way to live. In nowadays this pedestrian street offer a lot of small and warm places where to eat, to drink, to conversate, or some others to make shopping by very typical greengroceries, baker shops, pastry shops; one of the most famous and well know is the Patisserie Stoher founded in 1730 and where some original painting of Thivet and Paul Brady can be seen. The "district" is frequented by "Bobos" people who are not "freaks" or "preppies" or "yuppies", but just Bobos, they are a little on "gauche " side ( politically left) but with an eye to the caviar! They do not go bed very late at the evening, but they spend most of the time sitted at the cafe' try to find inspiration to write poems, or teathre scenario, or to get inspiration to paint..
La Rue Montorgueil speaks words of history, history of an ancient Paris when people were trying to "change" the rules and where they can find the power to fight for their rights.
1 response
-
Camille Chevallier said (25 Jun 2009):
My Mom lived there when she was young! Since i'm little, this street is one of my favorite places in the city where I live now... You've wonderfully told its story! Great pictures!
