Little Bits About the History of Passy
I've been having fun digging through the history of our neighborhood called Passy here in the 16th district. Like every nook and cranny of Paris, it's full of history!
The Overview:
Before it was swallowed up by the city of Paris in 1860, Passy was just a small village on the outskirts of the capital.
As you might know, Paris originated on the two little islands in the Seine River, where the Notre Dame still stands, right around 3rd century BC. It was conquered in 52 BC by the Romans. And the original inhabitants eventually took back their city, and country, and crowned their first king in 987 AC. (I'm just summarizing here, from source.) As Paris prospered and grew, helped by the River Seine, it started to pull in the neighboring villages. Which eventually included Passy to the west.
In the mid-1600s, hot springs were discovered in Passy attracting wealthy French and English families who built their country homes here. It's upscale reputation is still intact, thanks some of those beautiful and historic chateaus and the world embassies that are now on almost every street.
But a lot more was going on here...
The History I Found:
Franklin Was Here
Benjamin Franklin lived in Passy while acting as the American Ambassador from 1777 to 1785, during the American Revolutionary War when his main role was to sustain French aid to the cause. That's when Passy was a village three miles outside of Paris, known for beautiful parks, gardens and large chateaus. He was invited by a Frenchmen sympathetic to the American cause to live on his estate here, and Franklin thought it convenient as it was in between Paris and Versailles. During his nine-year stay he built a small print shop and a science lab, that he shared with other scientists, to continue his experiments. He was well-known and loved around the village. Today there's a street in Passy named for him ... and a boutique hotel. (Source)
Balzac's Home
From 1840-1847 the French writer Honore Balzac (someone I'm honestly not too familiar with) rented a house in Passy -- using a pseudonym since he was being hounded by creditors. (Authors!) He was very productive here, writing Comédie Humaine and other great works. He also entertained many friends and avant gard painters -- cubists, fauvists known as the "Artists of Passy." Balzac's home is now a museum where you can see his writing space. And it has a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower and Paris.
Resting Place
The cemetery in Passy is no Père Lachaise but it is the final resting spot for Impressionists Edouard Manet and Berthe Morisot. And composer Debussy. I haven't yet visited, but it's on the list of things to see.
A Death at Our Address!
At our very address, the Italian composer best know for The Barbershop of Seville died on November 13, 1868 at the age of 76 of pneumonia. His name was Gioachino Rossini and he was such a prolific composer he once joked: "Give me the laundress' bill and I will even set that to music." Ha! He was funny! He was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery, but in 1887, his remains were moved to the Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence, at the request of the Italian government. And don't worry! The building we live in was constructed in 1903 -- so he didn't die in my dining room or anything. Gross!
Our Party Garden
Right outside our window is Jardin Ranelagh. I've been researching that as well, and found that in 1774 a portion of the garden was given to a Frenchman named Morisan to construct a cafe and ballroom similar to the one Lord Ranelagh built in Chelsea, London. It was called the "Petit Ranelagh" and it was THE place to be seen dancing and carousing with friends. Marie-Antoinette even came to dance! (She had a residence near by called Chateau La Muette.) It didn't last, of course, and in 1859 it was given over to Baron Haussmann during the reconstruction of Paris (he's famous for the lovely cream-colored buildings and wide promenade streets Paris is famous for) who remade it into this lovely triangular green-space.
Early Flight
This garden is also famous for it's place in aeronautical history: That's right! Two aviation enthusiasts, de Rozier and d'Arlandes, made their first untethered flight in hot air balloon (called a a "Montgolfier") on 21 November 1783, taking off at around 2 p.m. from right here at the Jardin Ranelagh in the presence of the King and Benjamin Franklin. Their 25-minute flight travelled slowly and only about 5½ miles to the southeast, landing between to windmills in Butte-aux-Cailles, then on the outskirts of Paris. (Source) So, that must have been a spectacle to witness!
A Rock'n Roll Modern Architects
Right around the corner there is a street called Rue Mallet-Stevens and I often see little groups of tourists with a guide who is gesturing wildly. (There's a great boulangerie right there.) So I looked it up. The street is named after Robert Mallet-Stevens, a French architect and designer best known for combining art deco with modernism/cubism. He designed the six residences on that street in his distinctive style (source). When he died in 1945 he requested his archives be destroyed, so he is a bit obscure. But thanks to an exhibition in 2005 at the Pompidou Center, his legacy is growing. Hence, the tours to his rue.
Just down the street is Maison La Roche, designed by a Mallet-Stevens contemporary (and much better known) architect Le Corbusier -- considered one of the pioneers of modern architecture. The Maison is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses a museum where you can learn more about his innovative ideas, including urban planning and design. Who knew?!
I know! It's a lot! And I'm pretty sure I'm even missing things. So I'll have to keep my eyes open for anything else from my Passy neighbor or even the rest of the 16th district. History is so fun! Especially when there isn't a test later.
Related posts:
More Paris posts
Traveling with kids is the BEST!
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| Passy is Roughly In That Red Circle |
Before it was swallowed up by the city of Paris in 1860, Passy was just a small village on the outskirts of the capital.
As you might know, Paris originated on the two little islands in the Seine River, where the Notre Dame still stands, right around 3rd century BC. It was conquered in 52 BC by the Romans. And the original inhabitants eventually took back their city, and country, and crowned their first king in 987 AC. (I'm just summarizing here, from source.) As Paris prospered and grew, helped by the River Seine, it started to pull in the neighboring villages. Which eventually included Passy to the west.
In the mid-1600s, hot springs were discovered in Passy attracting wealthy French and English families who built their country homes here. It's upscale reputation is still intact, thanks some of those beautiful and historic chateaus and the world embassies that are now on almost every street.
But a lot more was going on here...
The History I Found:
Franklin Was Here
Benjamin Franklin lived in Passy while acting as the American Ambassador from 1777 to 1785, during the American Revolutionary War when his main role was to sustain French aid to the cause. That's when Passy was a village three miles outside of Paris, known for beautiful parks, gardens and large chateaus. He was invited by a Frenchmen sympathetic to the American cause to live on his estate here, and Franklin thought it convenient as it was in between Paris and Versailles. During his nine-year stay he built a small print shop and a science lab, that he shared with other scientists, to continue his experiments. He was well-known and loved around the village. Today there's a street in Passy named for him ... and a boutique hotel. (Source)
From 1840-1847 the French writer Honore Balzac (someone I'm honestly not too familiar with) rented a house in Passy -- using a pseudonym since he was being hounded by creditors. (Authors!) He was very productive here, writing Comédie Humaine and other great works. He also entertained many friends and avant gard painters -- cubists, fauvists known as the "Artists of Passy." Balzac's home is now a museum where you can see his writing space. And it has a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower and Paris.
Resting Place
The cemetery in Passy is no Père Lachaise but it is the final resting spot for Impressionists Edouard Manet and Berthe Morisot. And composer Debussy. I haven't yet visited, but it's on the list of things to see.
At our very address, the Italian composer best know for The Barbershop of Seville died on November 13, 1868 at the age of 76 of pneumonia. His name was Gioachino Rossini and he was such a prolific composer he once joked: "Give me the laundress' bill and I will even set that to music." Ha! He was funny! He was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery, but in 1887, his remains were moved to the Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence, at the request of the Italian government. And don't worry! The building we live in was constructed in 1903 -- so he didn't die in my dining room or anything. Gross!
Our Party Garden
Right outside our window is Jardin Ranelagh. I've been researching that as well, and found that in 1774 a portion of the garden was given to a Frenchman named Morisan to construct a cafe and ballroom similar to the one Lord Ranelagh built in Chelsea, London. It was called the "Petit Ranelagh" and it was THE place to be seen dancing and carousing with friends. Marie-Antoinette even came to dance! (She had a residence near by called Chateau La Muette.) It didn't last, of course, and in 1859 it was given over to Baron Haussmann during the reconstruction of Paris (he's famous for the lovely cream-colored buildings and wide promenade streets Paris is famous for) who remade it into this lovely triangular green-space.
This garden is also famous for it's place in aeronautical history: That's right! Two aviation enthusiasts, de Rozier and d'Arlandes, made their first untethered flight in hot air balloon (called a a "Montgolfier") on 21 November 1783, taking off at around 2 p.m. from right here at the Jardin Ranelagh in the presence of the King and Benjamin Franklin. Their 25-minute flight travelled slowly and only about 5½ miles to the southeast, landing between to windmills in Butte-aux-Cailles, then on the outskirts of Paris. (Source) So, that must have been a spectacle to witness!
Right around the corner there is a street called Rue Mallet-Stevens and I often see little groups of tourists with a guide who is gesturing wildly. (There's a great boulangerie right there.) So I looked it up. The street is named after Robert Mallet-Stevens, a French architect and designer best known for combining art deco with modernism/cubism. He designed the six residences on that street in his distinctive style (source). When he died in 1945 he requested his archives be destroyed, so he is a bit obscure. But thanks to an exhibition in 2005 at the Pompidou Center, his legacy is growing. Hence, the tours to his rue.
Just down the street is Maison La Roche, designed by a Mallet-Stevens contemporary (and much better known) architect Le Corbusier -- considered one of the pioneers of modern architecture. The Maison is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses a museum where you can learn more about his innovative ideas, including urban planning and design. Who knew?!
I know! It's a lot! And I'm pretty sure I'm even missing things. So I'll have to keep my eyes open for anything else from my Passy neighbor or even the rest of the 16th district. History is so fun! Especially when there isn't a test later.
Related posts:
More Paris posts
Traveling with kids is the BEST!
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