Adventures thru the Lens - Sharing Ideas through Images

In Saint Denis Samsung Rules. OK! - Part 1

So here I was exiting the metro at Porte de La Chapelle. Sunny skies, locals on their cell phones and me gliding higher and higher on the escalator like Stairway to Heaven. For those who haven't been here before, you know it's a metro because of the big sign. See the M on the left. Not to be confused with the letter M, which the French use for Merde.

Porte de la Chapelle is only a few steps (famous last words used by hotels to describe their proximity to the center of a city when in fact they are miles away!) from Saint Denis on the outskirts of Paris. St Denis, which as you all know, has a Basilica where most of the kings of France were laid to rest. Well actually they are turning in their graves. How do I know?  you ask in that ever so reticent voice so as not to offend the writer.  I did a survey! No - really Larry?  Ok then, Look up! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No - its a Sign of Things to Come. Foreign domination in France. Mon Dieu! You cry.  Yes - its the sad truth that St Denis has new rulers. Welcome King Samsung.

St Denis has suffered numerous setbacks. It lost most of it's population during the Hundred Year War, lost it's name during the French Revolution, was run by Communist Mayors for 40 years at the beginning of the 20th century, and suffered from the economic depression of the 70s and 80s leaving its heavily industrialized base in disarray. So of course the market was left wide open for the Koreans and Japanese to walk right in and leave their mark for all to see all over the tallest washing-machine like apartment buildings in the area, which at least adds some color to the otherwise depressing local skyline.

 

A hop, skip and a jump later and you are at the door of St Denis itself.  And I mean hop, skip, and a jump because there is no pedestrian walkway from the ring road to St Denis. Yes that's right. You have to dodge 6 lanes of traffic from 2 directions simultaneously, make it across an off ramp on a blind curve next to the Bowling Alley on the the corner. And, if that's not enough, when you get to the fork in the road you have to hop over the metal barrier, walk over a bridge, skip over the trash and jump out of the way of the cars who are trying to rear end you. Ok. I made it.

Onward to my destination. Ill tell you in a minute where that is. Be patient! So where was I? Oh yes. Is this the doorway to the Valley of the Kings? No - its the local cemetery for the surfs -  like you and me.

 

Can it get any worst before it gets any better.  Well today it doesn't, despite the fact the crime rate in St. Denis is double the national average. Do I see a glimmer of hope?

 

A little way down the road at number 80 is an office/warehouse complex, which once inside, leaves you with the feeling of "Phew - I'm safe at last".  Inside the well manicured grass lawns and Hausmannian designed roads, once can find several film studios. It is also home of EICAR International Film School where the young students still show off their ever so innocent smiles and creativity is flourishing.  Could this be St Denis's answer to economic recovery? Will we see the birth of the French version  of Slumdog Millionaire.

 

This important question and more they you ever wanted to know about Paris will be discussed ad nauseum in part 2. So stay tuned Space Fans.

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte

One of my favourite French histories is that of Nicolas Fouquet. Fouquet was born in Paris to a family of nobles on January 27th 1615. His father being a judge of high standing, the young Fouquet quickly followed in his fathers foorsteps entering the Paris Parliament as an avocat at the age of thirteen.

Cardinal Mazarin, God father to Louis XIV took charge of the young Fouquet and mentored him well.

And by 1653 Fouquet was awarded the position of Superintendant of Finances.

He did his job well, and gained the respect of many of his seniors for his ability to make successful and very lucrative transactions for the king. He amassed enormous wealth himself, and in 1658 decided to build a chateau that would be one of the most influential buildings of the 17th century. He brought together three of the greatest artists to work on his chateau, the architect Louis le Vau, the artist Charles le Brun and the creator of the French garden we know today André le Notre. It took more than three years and five thousand workers to complete the masterpiece we have to day. It was rather foolhardy therefore of Fouquet to invite the man who paid his wages to the most lavish banquet ever seen outside of the royal court. There were thousands of candles lighting the magnificent gardens, lottery tickets and prizes for everyone, fireworks, Moliere performed a play written especially for the occasion and they dined with solid gold cutlery to a gastronomic delight served by the famous Vatel. This vexed the king so much he had Fouquet arrested two weeks later on charges of corruption. The case lasted three years and without clear evidence Fouquet was found guilty of the charges.

It wasn't long before the twentytwo year old king employed the services of the same artists that Fouquet had employed to create the masterpiece we have today at Versailles, while Fouquet languished in a royal prison until his death. Louis XIV was not content with the decision of the court to banish Fouquet from France, he insisted that he spend the rest of his life in prison. It is the only time in French history that a King has over ruled a decision made by the courts.

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Paris - A Stroll thru Passy

Just before Christmas I went walking with my son who as all kids can't seem to feel when it is minus a gazillion. We did not have a specific destination in mind so we just headed towards the Eiffel Tower from the Ecole Militaire where we live. The sky was a little iffy but there was no going back. Don't you just love the way the tops of the trees are cut so they all match. So French!

We passed the tower at which point I said "ready to go back yet, its bloody freezing" -  "No" came the short answer and whose going to argue with an overactive 13 years old with cabin fever.

We headed towards the Australian Embassy's housing project and over the Bir Hakeim bridge, which has a wonderful memorial statue pointing towards the Eiffel Tower. Even though the light was flat I could not pass up the chance for a photo.

  

Onward and up ward past the steps next to the Passy Metro entrance which I always love to walk because it give me the feeling of Paris of the 20s and 30s.

And then looking back along the overground train tracks towards the 15th on metro line 6.

Alright then.  Time to move on. Its not getting any warmer or brighter.  We walk along the main hight street of Bourgeois Passy where the rich "old money French" live and shop toward Metro Muette where there is a bar.nightclub that is supposed to be the number one night spot in Paris where they converted an old railway station into a restaurant. Its quite cool really. Architecturally,the high street its not that interesting except I do like the old covered food market, the Marche de Passy. If anyone knows when it was built I would be interested to know.

 

We arrive at the metro and from here one can walk to the park and the Marmottan Museum to see the Monet collection.  We didn't do that. About half way is a fabulous statue of Jean de la Fontaine so we decided to pay tribute and my son recited one of his famous poems Le Loup et l'Agneau. The light was so flat its not worth showing a photo.

Time to head back, finally. We started with a very expensive hot chocolate at an Art Deco brasserie La Rotonde where all the local rich kids hang out , Bah Oui!

- walk down the hill and back across the bridge.

and under the Eiffel Tower and past te Coney Isalnd Ice Cream stand where so many photographers take photos of the Eiffel Tower from.

Back under the Eiffel Tower and still thousands of people queing up to take the elevator up to the first floor.

 

Home Sweet Home.