12th Century Real Estate
In his edition of ~The Pocket Book of Parisian Addresses~ (Elzevirian
Library, 1878), Edouard Fournier reproduces many "small announcements." I offer
here a few which date from the year 1670, and they seem to me eerily familiar
to those, in our current day, who wish to live in Paris:
A house by the gate to rent immediately, rue des Poitevins, near
St-Andre-des-Arts, a short way, shed, 4-horse stable, 3 houses around it, 4
rooms on the main floor, and one small main building with two levels in the
back, all for 900 Livres. House of Mr. le President de Mesgrigny, in the above
street.
Large Hostel to rent for Easter, there are 2 main buildings, a large
courtyard, barnyard, it is on the rue des Maquignons, 5 or 6 sheds , 2 stables
for 30 horses, all for 2700 l. House of Mr. Procurer General de la Chambre des
Comptes, rue de Richelieu.
Large house to rent immediately, with 2 main buildings separated by their
courtyards, this by the coachmans' gate for 1000 l. another like this at the
small gate for 550 l. in the cul-de-sac of the r. S. Denis, near the r. aux
Ours.
A large house to sell of three main buildings, two stores, four to five
fireplaces, four stables for thirty horses, two gardens, three cellars, and one
quarry for 20 000 livres, rue Mouftar in the faubourg S. Marcel, nr. S. Medard.
House of Mademoiselle Privat, at the same lodgings.
A large house to let for Easter, rue Neufve-Montmartre. Two main buildings, one
large and one small, one with three levels, servants, cellars, 3 sheds, two
stables for fifteen horses, one turnaround for a six horse carriage with a
large garden at the end, all of this for 1000 liv. House of Madame Balduc
Orphevresse, rue Bourg-Labbe in the town of Sedan.
Large house to let for Christmas, in the Marais, r. neuve S. Claude, with 2
large courtyards , 3 sheds, stables for 12 horses, 3 levels with 5 fireplaces,
a main floor with an apartment off the back; all of this for a clean 800 l.
House of Mr. de la Tour, counsellor to Chastelet, rue des Mauvais-Garcons near
the St. Jean Cemetery.
***
Paris and its Jules
Twenty-six Parisian arteries honour those with the name Jules. Some of them
owned the land through which the street now passes, others are celebrities. Can
you find out what the professions were of these fifteen Jules?
1. Jules Bourdais: a) journalist b) municipal councillor c) architect
2. Jules Breton: a) poet b) industrialist c) painter
3. Jules Chaplain: a) actor b) sculptor c) painter
4. Jules Cheret: a) graphic designer b) novelist c) composer
5. Jules Claretie: a) physician b) writer c) explorer
6. Jules Cloquet: a) deputy b) chemist c) surgeon
7. Jules Cousin: a) historian b) painter c) philosopher
8. Jules Dupre: a) painter b) doctor c) composer
9. Jules Henaffe: a) geologist b) ambassador c) municipal councillor
10. Jules Janin: a) actor b) drama critic c) theatre director
11. Jules Joffrin: a) general b) municipal councillor c) geographer
12. Jules Jouy: a) singer b) municipal councillor c) painter
13. Jules Lefebvre: a) philosopher b) mathematician c) politician
14. Jules Siegfried: a) urbanist b) mathematician c) politician
15. Jules Simon: a) psychologist b) politician c) writer
