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onjour!
We are dedicating this end of the year newsletter to Baron Haussmann, the man credited for the
transformation of Paris from a medieval capital into the magnificent "City of Light" that we
know today and love to visit. But first, a quick reminder: you can access and read all the
previously published newsletters, as well as sign-up to receive our free monthly newsletter, at
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Baron Haussmann, and the Transformation of Paris
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Napoleon and Paris
Napoleon I had grand ideas for Paris, seeing it not only as the capital of France but also
of his Empire. He had developed plans to bring this foul-smelling and dark city out of its
state of medieval squalor. Although a certain number of urban design projects did get underway
during his reign, the City Manager’s lack of enthusiasm, as well as the wars Napoleon had
engaged the country in, kept him from completing his goals. His nephew Napoleon III, who
took power in 1848, shared his ambitions for the city and had himself drafted many urban
development plans for Paris during his long years in exile. The loyalty, tenacity and boldness
of the new City Manager, George Eugene Haussmann, allowed Napoleon III to undertake what would
be for decades the largest construction site in the world that resulted in the metamorphosis
of Paris.
Paris was Suffocating
In the mid-19thcentury, Paris was an unsanitary, dangerous and congested city. Between 1800
and 1850, the population had literally doubled to more than one million inhabitants, 2/3rds
of whom lived well below the poverty level. Nothing had really changed since the reign of Louis
XIV and the Parisians were suffocating. The surface area of Paris was locked in by a surrounding
wall that dated back to the Middle Ages. At that time one could only enter the city through
certain gates after having paid a tax on accompanying goods. To make matters worse, a second
defensive wall was built in 1841 under Louis-Philippe (the location of which corresponds to
today’s beltway around Paris). This only added to the Parisians’ feeling of confinement.
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| Recipe
for December 2002 |
The "Galette des Rois" |
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Cooking SOS ! If you
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The Epidemics
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Paris seemed to have reached a deadlock despite the goals set by the various monarchs who succeeded
one another up until the mid-19th century. Epidemic after epidemic devastated the area. In 1820 alone,
cholera took 45,000 lives and was still very much on everyone’s mind when it reappeared in March 1832,
during the King Carnival festivities in Paris. This time, the disease claimed 3,500 lives in less than
one week. As cholera was spread through water and waste, the police chief ordered that the street
cleaners remove all of the trash. Overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task, the city workers went on
strike. The streets of Paris then became dark alleys where sinister processions of hearses followed
one another indefinitely. More than 18,500 people died in the course of this outbreak. Then, in 1849,
a resurgence of cholera took another 9,000 lives. It was high time to clean up the city, and Baron
Haussmann would prove to be the man for the job.
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Paris Becomes Imperial
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Napoleon III placed a high priority on city planning for aesthetic, political, strategic and social
reasons combined. He wanted to embellish Paris and drew inspiration from London, a city he was
particularly fond of, in carefully drawing up his plans. He considered himself invested with an
imperial mission, and just like his illustrious uncle Napoleon I before him, he wanted to continue
the tradition of the sovereign builders. In only 25 years, Paris had experienced 9 uprisings, as
it was very easy to erect barricades in these narrow and dark streets. Napoleon III wanted to avoid
this in the future while also making it easier for the cavalry to get through. He carefully
calculated the width of the avenues based on the turning radius of horse-drawn canons. He also
applied aesthetic considerations to his design, creating architectural balance with a unified
building height. Another goal was to put an end to the Parisians’ misery, since “a happy people
was a submissive people”. The implementation and coordination of these changes were left to Haussmann,
who would also have to confront the inevitable wave of criticism such a massive construction site
would bring.
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A Modern Sewer System
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One of Haussmann's first priorities was cleaning up the city. At the time, Parisians still used
water carriers, and were only allowed 2 1/2 liters of water per day. There already was a sewer
system in place, but it was outdated and only extended for 100 miles. Haussmann appointed the
engineer Eugene Belgrand as Director of Water and Sewers of Paris. He attacked the twofold problem
of bringing in potable water and draining away waste water by creating a system that resembled
a city under the city. Water was collected from underground springs---some of which were located
over 60 miles from Paris, then directed by aqueducts to be stored in water tanks built right at
the entrance to the capital. In 20 years, the production of potable water tripled, and the sewer
system grew from 100 to 373 miles in length. Today, almost 2,113 miles of canalization, bound
by very strict health guidelines, wind their way under the city. You may find it very interesting
to tour the part of this network open to the public, near the Pont de l’Alma.
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A Titanic Task
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Haussmann's massive undertaking extended well beyond the creation of large avenues, grandiose monuments
and the development of magnificent parks. Haussmann also organized and considerably simplified the lives
of Parisians. First, he set in place the numbering system of both the districts and the streets of the
city. He started with the 1st arrondissement at the Imperial Palace in the Tuileries, in honor of the
Emperor. Then, the next 19 arrondissements unfurled in a snail-shaped clockwise spiral. The streets
that ran perpendicular to the Seine River would start with addresses of number 1 closest to the river
and consequent numbers fanned out towards the suburbs. The streets parallel to the river would have
ascending numbers in the direction of the current. He regulated traffic so that Parisians would have
to drive on the right side of the road. He also established an inexpensive public transportation system
that would cover the entire city. Ladies, however, were not allowed on the second level of the buses as
their ankles might show as they climbed the stairs. He really did not overlook any detail! He also
regulated the billposting of Parisian theatres which until then had been untidy, erecting the famous
green Morris columns which are still very much a part of the Parisian landscape.
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The Department Stores of the Boulevard Haussmann
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The middle of the 19th century marked the beginning of the French modern commercial era, and the
creation of large department stores went hand in hand with the "Haussmanization" of the capital.
Jules Jaluzot, an ex-employee of the Bon Marché store, the first department store in the world,
left to open his own business. He came from a family of rather modest origins, but his hard work
and savings enabled him to open "Le Printemps" in 1865. Its construction, however, created a general
uproar comparable to the one that would occur 100 years later with the construction of the Centre
Pompidou. Right in the middle of a row of Napoleon III style buildings, Parisians were shocked to
see a building that stood out with a Renaissance style dome, large picture windows, revolutionary
revolving doors, an imposing staircase and counters made from polished wood. Today it is commonly
referred to as the "Flagship", its two buildings joined by a footbridge, with a total sales area
of about 510, 850 square feet. It was, however, outdone by the "Galeries Lafayette Haussmann", whose
sales area reaches about 514,520 square feet since its 1975 renovation. Both department stores are,
however, equally associated with the Boulevard Haussmann where they are located, and represent an
equal source of happiness for Parisians and tourists alike, particularly during the Holiday season
with their enchanting illuminations and display windows full of animated robots.
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Invitation to Travel
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With 1,500 architects and 60,000 workers, Paris became the largest construction site in the world
in the fall of 1853. It would remain that way for almost two decades. We speak of a "Haussmann
Revolution" because under an emperor's impetus, a single man had the global vision and the willpower
to systematically modernize and embellish a city. Of course, this transformation brought about its
share of criticism, since it required the demolition of historic buildings, entire neighborhoods,
several hundreds of houses, and with all that painful expropriations that drove workers to the suburbs.
But it is Haussmann’s mission accomplished that allows the entire world -- Parisians and tourists
alike -- to enjoy PARIS, THE CITY OF LIGHT!
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