IV.4.3.b. A WALK IN AN OUTSKIRT THAT USED TO BE CHILLING

"FEW PARISIANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE BUTTE-AUX-CAILLES..." 

The Bièvre river

"At last she was out of the horrible cave!...

She found herself in an abandoned cabin, and the icy wind blew through its decrepit walls. A moment later she was outside, in a wasteland that sloped steeply toward the valley of the Bièvre.

The opaque black, the black of an underground tomb, was gone. Far away street lights glimmered. She was free! ...

She had one thought only: get away from the bandits... " 

-- The Caporal by Lucien Victor-Meunier, 1909, shortened. For more extracts, please click. (In French)

A map of 1900 puts the present in perspective.

      Map of about 1900 / zoom

Quarries (please click and scroll down) protected the small houses by preventing heavy construction, and little has changed.

# # #

On a Tuesday, Friday or Sunday morning, start at the market next to place d'Italie:

Stroll up the slope.

(On rue des Cinq-Diamants)

Imagine the residents knowing from the smoke, cries and firing

that the Versaillais soldiers are about to arrive. They climb up passage Barrault below...

The arrow is yellow because it shows a location, here the enemy's path. Red arrows show our own path. 

Pass the seat of Les Amis de la Commune de Paris* with its mosaic of the rebels' famous general... 

*Friends of the Commune of Paris

Then at a grocery turn right to place de la Commune and its

street art:

Rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles

Place de la Commune

Turn back along the street of restaurants, cafés and very few cars...

The restaurant Le Temps des Cérises, named after a famous song that recalls La Commune

When you come to a playground...

 Paul Verlaine park

"Book nest: take one and put another in its place." 

Turn back to the crossroad. Look at the street you recently strolled up... 

Rue des Cinq Diamants seen from the crossroad.

Turn-of-the-19th-century postcard  

The towers will seem like science fiction 

and you will be sorry to leave this peaceful haven.

*     *     *

Next,

 IV.4.3.c.

 In the footsteps of "demons"