Le Mouffe: The true heart of Paris

From the Pont des Arts, the Pont-Neuf spanning the Seine. ATOUT FRANCE/HERVÉ LE GAC

Le Mouffe is worlds away from the 17th century France most tourists see...

SUSAN HALLETT

If you think haute couture and great museums are the essence of Paris, think again. A visit to the Mouffe, an area which dates from Neolithic times, will probably change your mind.

A different view of Paris

Rue Mouffetard winds downhill to St Medard, once the parish church of a small market town on the Left Bank. It overlooks the River Bievre, a sparkling stream of clear water up until the 17th century. This stream no longer exists because dyeing, tanning, and bleaching turned it into a murky mess. In fact, the river was in-filled in 1940.

In the 17th century, people who lived in and around the Rue Mouffetard called the street Rue Mont-Cetard. It is on the fringe of the area now called the Latin Quarter or Gallo-Roman Paris. Within walking distance of the historic Pantheon, the romantic Luxembourg Gardens, Sainte-Chapelle (a Gothic gem with truly resplendent stained glass windows) and Notre-Dame Cathedral, Le Mouffe is the liveliest part of Paris I know.

But Le Mouffe is worlds away from the 17th century France most tourists see, such as the regal domain of Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV』s Secretary of Finance. Fouquet created one of the most outrageous monuments to French culture, the chateau and gardens of Vaux-le-Vicomte, approximately 37 miles (60 kilometres) east of Paris.

Built by Louis le Vau, architect of the Louvre, with gardens designed by Andre Le Notre and paintings by Charles Le Brun (both also worked for Louis XIV at Versailles), the chateau was so large that Fouquet was able to host the king and 6,000 guests at a fete on August 17th, 1661. The king was so annoyed at Fouquet for having upstaged him that he had Fouquet sentenced to prison for life.

The people of Le Mouffe were far removed from such splendour, most never crossing the River Seine to what is now the fashionable Right Bank. Now, however, many Parisians cross the Pont-Neuf, the bridge built in 1607 for Henry IV, to enjoy the area』s numerous ethnic restaurants. There』s also Sunday jazz, plenty of old-fashioned bistros and cafés, pastry shops, and outdoor markets.

Historic sites

The unique buildings in Le Mouffe, most dating from the 16th century, form a unique backdrop to the bustle of everyday life. The fountain at the intersection of Rue Mouffetard and Rue du Pot-de-Feu dates from 1671. Its water comes from the Arcueil Aqueduct built by Marie de Medici. And number 69 Rue Mouffetard, now a restaurant called the Maison du Vieux-Chene, was named after an oak tree carving on the facade. It is one of only a few wooden building reliefs left in today』s Paris.

If you go to the Place de la Contrescarpe, a lively square rimmed with sidewalk cafés, you will be in an area popular for merry-making in the Middle Ages. Rabelais, the great French writer, favoured this square. Look for the sign indicating 「Cabaret de la Pomme De Pin」, recalling the 16th century cabaret which was one of Rabelais』 haunts.

Susan Hallett is an awardwinning writer and editor who has written for The Beaver, The Globe & Mail, and Doctor』s Review among many other publications. Email: hallett_susan@hotmail.com

The back of Notre Dame cathedral from the Isle of St Louis. ATOUT FRANCE/HERVÉ LE GAC