Thursday 23 October 2014

The Marais in Paris - Along the Rue François Miron in September

Francois Miron lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries; he was both a magistrate and, which meant he was a king's agent, managing the affairs of such businesses as wheat-measurers and tavern keepers, amongst others! So he got a street named after him!

Rue François Miron, in the Marais area of the 4th arrondissement, starts at Place Gervais where the St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church stands. 

The church appears to be one of the oldest in Paris and is mentioned as early as the 4th century. The present church is recorded as being built over a period of many years! It was started, in the Gothic style, in 1494, the chapels of the apse were finished in 1530 and the transept in 1578. The doorway of the church was built in the classical style in 1616–1620 by Claude Monnard. 

The street  is also home to two of the oldest medieval houses of Paris, at numbers 11 and 13 (see below), dating probably from the 14th century.
On 29 March 1918, a German  artillery shell  fell on the church, killing 88 people and wounding 68 others; the roof fell in as a result of the explosion, which happened while a Good Friday service was in progress. This was the worst single incident involving a loss of civilian lives during the German bombardment of Paris in 1918.

The inside of the church; the windows and roof have been restored, with stunning results.

I took many photos, the best of which I hope I have chosen  for you to see




The rear side of the church 

Numbers 11 and 13 Rue Francois Miron, two of the last 14th century houses in Paris. These gabled houses are narrow, with only two windows per floor. Their sides are built out on corbelling at the first floor level, their facades end with triangular pediments and are topped with steeply pitched roofs that allow rainwater to drain down the sides of the buildings. These houses are easily recognisable, thanks to their half-timbering which was uncovered, relatively recently - during restoration work in the 1960’s!


The sign outside the houses for those who enjoy reading the history in French.

Yet another interesting doorway on the corner of Rue François Miron.


My daily diary can be seen HERE

See also My Life Before Charente (updated 16 October 2014) 
Sorry about the long delay in posts on the above but I will endeavour to keep it up to date more often!



67 comments:

  1. Such lovely photos...what gorgeous architecture!

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    1. Thanks Linda, we did enjoy the trip and tried to see things we have not visited before. Keep well Diane

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  2. You must have enjoyed the Marais area....it seems to have gone up and down market over the centuries but seems to be on an up at the moment.

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    1. Fly we enjoyed our trip all together, except for the visit to Versailles, beautiful place but just too many people! I did eventually get some photos and I will blog them but we could not get out of there quick enough! Hope you are both well Diane

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  3. A very interesting and informative post Diane. It's difficult to fathom (almost mind-boggling) a building dating to the 4th century is still standing, The stained glass windows are incredibly beautiful in the stately church. It must have been really a joy for the renovators of those two 14th century homes to discover the half-timbering.
    Sam

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    1. Thanks Sam for the visit. In 1607, Henri IV ordered that visible wooden elements be covered with plaster as a means of fire prevention, so they must have been delighted to have found the timber underneath. A lot of the houses in our area are plastered, it was supposed to be a sign of wealth. Many people now, including ourselves, have removed the plaster to expose the beautiful stone work here in the Charente. Keep well Diane

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  4. Love this post, your thoughtful photos, and the history lesson.
    Bravo.

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    1. Thanks Rick, glad you enjoyed it. keep well Diane

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  5. Brilliant photos and one of my favourite areas of Paris , I think I have the same sign as you do , I will try to read everything in French :-) Your church photos are beautiful , the second and third photos are my favourite, as they have added architecture in too. take care xo

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    1. Thanks Anne, I also like the second and third best, the inside of the church is amazing. Hope all is well and that the computer is back up and running. Diane xox

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  6. Beautiful pictures Diane. I have been to Paris but didn't really see much except the Eiffel Tower. My daughter and I were only interested in shopping, we're not much into historical or artistic monuments. Shame on us:)

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    1. Francesca I shop when I have to and not for the love of it :-) I used to hate history, but since living in France I am hooked on it. So much of history here and it goes back so far. Keep well Diane

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  7. Beautiful church and thanks for sharing so much history.. I love all these beautiful architecture in Paris, though did not get to see these when I was there.

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    1. Elaine previously we missed most of these things as we did all the tourist things in a rush. This time we relaxed a bit, and other than Versailles, we tried to visit places were we were not falling over the crowds! Have a good weekend Diane

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  8. Lovely church......it must have had a fantastic atmosphere!

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    1. Vera it was stunning and so very quiet and peaceful, all the crowds I guess were at the Notre Dame and the tower! Hope your weekend is a good one. Diane

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  9. Now I wish I was in Paris again! I love the place. I would have loved to have seen the rally in your previous post - and so would my hubby. It looks super. I hope you are both keeping well and loving your life in France - you certainly look as if you are! xxx

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    1. Diane next year we hope to go to the racing in Angouleme as well as the Rally but it seems you have to book early to get on a stand! We love France and have no plans to go anywhere else to live:-)) Keep well and have a good weekend xx

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  10. Hi Diane - what wonderful finds ... the restored church is amazing - the workmanship really shines through. I love stained glass ... while those amazing houses ... they really have stood the test of time and bent to accommodate their years ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary, I agree that church is amazing and not one the tourists seem to take over thankfully. It was quiet and peaceful inside. It was a trip to try and see what the tourists don't swarm all over! We both hate crowds. Hope you are well Diane

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  11. Wonderful post, Diane.I have only been to Paris once and the visit was pretty much a dismal failure -- due mostly to poor planning on our part! But I so want to go and I am determined to do it if I have to go by myself!!! The church is a real treasure! I am interested in what you wrote about not getting out of Versailles fast enough! Anyway, this church is a good one to know about and I will put it on my list! Are the stain glass windows all original and did they suffer damage in 1918?

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    1. Thanks for the comment, there is so any beautiful things to see in Paris and my husband plans trips weeks ahead and it seems to work for us. We hate crowds, but we did want to see Versailles. In one doorway inside we waited twenty minutes for a group with a guide to allow us through!!! You can imagine how long the queue was behind us. It just completely spoilt it for us, but the gardens are beautiful and much quieter. I have no idea about the stained glass windows, but I am sure that there must have been some restoration work done on them as well if the roof caved in.
      Hope you get there and just do some planning ahead. My husband even sorts out what restaurants to eat in as well and we generally have amazing food at a fairly sensible price. Enjoy your trip when ever it is Diane

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  12. A marvelous tour around Paris. Wonderful photos and ones I enjoyed very much. Thank you :)

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    1. Thanks Denise, more to come and still quite a lot for me to edit. Always the problems with holiday, so many photos to edit on return!! Glad you enjoyed these. Have a good weekend Diane.

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  13. These details are what makes a city come alive, the old and the new, all giving personality and identity.

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    1. Rosaria you are so right, it is amazing how the old and the new give each other character, Have a good weekend Diane

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  14. So much beauty and interest in one street, Diane, superbly photographed by yourself!

    Have a wonderful weekend - - - Richard

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    1. Thanks Richard for the kind comment, hope you have a good weekend as well looking forward to your holiday photos. Diane

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  15. D and N - finally catching up on our blog reading now that we have our own internet connection via a dongle purchased in Blois. Loved reading thru you past posts.
    L and S

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    1. Thanks Leon, pain when internet is a problem!! Take care, hope to see you soon. D & N

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  16. How beautiful pictures Diane and especially love the vitraux and I love the 14 th century houses lovely:)

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    1. Thanks Gloria, so beautiful inside the church and the old houses were very special. Take care Diane

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  17. The history of the church is amazing yet more so the architecture and stained glass. Don't suppose the rooms are very big on #11 & 13, but I like the style.

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    1. Thanks Gaelyn, I am sure you are right they would be very small rooms in those days. Interesting church with masses of history. Hope you are well Diane

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  18. I enjoyed all the photos Diane. I especially enjoyed the stunning, stained glass windows. I hope you are having a lovely weekend. xx

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    1. Joyful those windows are amazing, hope your weekend was good and that you have a good week coming up. Diane

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  19. Such a beautiful part of the city and so much to see. Love the old houses, so interesting. Have a great weekend x

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    1. Kerry we found the old houses very interesting, so different to the buildings around them! Have a good week D & N xx

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  20. Great old buildings - it reminds me of York in the UK.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. Europe has some amazing history Stewart. Being mainly brought up in South Africa I never appreciated very old buildings Thanks for the comment take care Diane

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  21. These are magnificent shots of the church.
    I only heard of it but never had an opportunity discover it.
    Sad so many people were killed during the war and during a Good Friday service...
    Makes one wonder!!
    Enjoy your sunday, Diane, keep well!

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    1. Noushka I know what you mean, it does make you wonder I agree. The church is a magnificent building though and those stained glass windows..... Have a good week, hope the back is better. Diane

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  22. Love the different subjects. Your photos are excellent!

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    1. Thanks José, your comments are always very welcome. Hope all is well Diane

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  23. Cette fois-ci, je connais. Des quartiers beaux et chargés d'histoire.
    A bientôt

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    1. Votre région de France. Plus à suivre. A bientôt. :-))) Diane

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  24. It is so hard to believe such old buildings still exist. They were built before Australia was discovered. The church is beautifully restored and the inside is breathtaking. The old houses must be a treat to see, I'm glad that they uncovered the timber.

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    1. diane you are right they were built before Australia was discovered, quite a thought. Take care t'other Diane

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  25. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks for the comment Bill, glad you enjoyed this post. Take care Diane

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  26. The stained glasses inside the church are really gorgeous!

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    1. Rose the stained glass windows are amazing. Hope you are well, have a good week Diane

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  27. Obrigado pelo comentário. Bom dia. Diane

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  28. I love all and everything in the Marais ..

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    1. Thanks Belgium, it is a great spot. Hope that you have a good weekend. Diane

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  29. The stained glass windows in this church are really beautiful.

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    1. Not sure what goes on with Google, almost all my replies I have had to publish more than once and this is no exception!!

      Thanks Linda, I think this is one of the best I have seen, they are superb. Hope this finds you well, take care Diane xx

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  30. Dang, people think my house is old at 90 years! 700 years is really something! Imagine the maintenance nightmares there.

    That church is really wonderful. You always show us the most beautiful stained glass windows!

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    1. Ha ha Marjie, even our house is over 200 years old, yours is quite young still. I have to admit though maintenance is quite high even for us compared to a new house! Those windows were about the best I have seen. Have a good day. Diane

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  31. Marvelous photos! I am always fascinated by the centuries old buildings in Europe. The stained glass windows are magnificent, as is the church.

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    1. Denise the old buildings here never cease to amaze me. Having lived in South Africa most of my life, I have never seen buildings that are really old,130 was old to me there. Enjoy your day. Diane

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  32. What an interesting post. The church is so beautiful and there is so much history in that road. Thanks for sharing :) Maggie xx

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    1. Maggie I am sure we missed much, I would like to take another walk down that road and see just what we did miss. Glad you enjoyed the virtual walk. Take care Diane

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  33. wow amazing stain glass and love old houses like this

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    1. Thanks Rebecca, these windows were quite amazing. Hope you are well Diane

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  34. I know those ancient houses. What a lovely reminder of their strange beauty, twisted like old people with the deformities of age.
    Lovely pictures!

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    1. Thanks Deana, they are gorgeous and have so much more character than today's buildings. Hope you are well Diane

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