Cour de Rohan: Courtyard I and other Paris, France Off The Beaten Path Tips

1st Courtyard
Called the "Best Hidden Courtyard" by Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Paris is a cluster of 3 cloistered, cobblestoned, medieval courtyards collectively known as the Cour du Rohan found in the St-Germain-des-Prés district of the 6th arrondissement. Accessed via rue du Jardinet (street of the small garden) or Cour du Commerce St-André (both accessed from rue du St-André-des-Arts or Bd St-Germain), the courtyards sat just inside the Phillippe-Auguste wall. You may still see a tower inside 4, Cour du Commerce St-André. Rohan is a bastardization of the name Rouen, as this was once the hôtel of the bishops of Rouen, built during the 15th century.

Because this is a private courtyard, the gate is marked Privé and is sometimes locked and only accessible via a digicode. Gates are definitely locked on Sundays. However, I've you have a better chance entering in the morning as this is when deliveries occur and also when the gates are open to parents dropping off their children to a nursery/daycare/school inside. Thirza Vallois, who wrote Around & About Paris and also Romantic Paris says the best time is to "come back after dark (hopefully the gates won’t be locked). I shall refrain from saying more and let you unwrap the surprise on your own."

In the first courtyard at 9, Cour de Rohan you’ll find Madame Alvarez's (Hermione Gingold) apartment (10), where Gigi (Leslie Caron) lived with her Grandmamma in the Lerner/Lowe film classic, Gigi.

Photos:
1) Cour de Rohan from Cour du Commerce St André - a glimpse of Madame Alvarez' home.
2 - Madame Alvarez's Home in Gigi. You'll remember the scene when Leslie Caron runs up these steps to return home.
3 - Blue Skies over Cour de Rohan. Just on the other side of this wall is the Cour du Commerce-St-André which will lead you to the back entrance of Le Procope, the oldest café in Paris.
4 - Roses in a window box.
5 - Elephant set inside a niche in the wall. Walk around to discover more unusual details!

Photos: February 2006 & November 2007

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Website: http://www.insecula.com/salle/MS02023.html

2nd Courtyard
In the 2nd courtyard you’ll find the filming location for Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's apartment in the 1952 version of Moulin Rouge directed by the great John Huston and starring José Ferrer (who was married to Rosemary Clooney, and was uncle to George Clooney) who played artist Toulouse-Lautrec. Although in reality his apartment is supposed to be in Montmartre, this location was used for filming instead.

In this cour you'll also see a 3-story Renaissance building originally built for the mistress of Henri II (husband to Catherine de Medici), Diane de Poitiers, in the 16th century, which is also when a street was built through here.

In the 2nd photo, you can see a stone block that some sources state is a pas de mule, a point from which people could climb onto a mule or horse or into carriages. This is supposed to be the only pas de mule left from medieval times in all of Paris!

Photos:
1 - Once you've passed into the 2nd courtyard turn around to view Gigi's home throught the archway into the 1st Cour. Do you see the blocks on either side of the archway that prevented carriages from banging into the walls?
2 - Supposedly a movie star lives here but I don't know who. Pas de mule is to the left beside the bush.
3 - Pretty vine-covered lamp with leaves in autumn colors.
4 - Diane de Poitiers Renaissance home.
5 - Details in the Cour de Rohan.

Photos: February 2006 & November 2007

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Website: http://www.nndb.com/people/500/000097209/

3rd Courtyard
In the 3rd cour, you'll see an ancient well and also an iron tripod, which may also possibly the pas de mule (this was mentioned in CadoganGuides Paris as the pas de mule whereas other sources mentioned the block of stone seen in the 2nd cour).

You'll also find the Association Giacometti (artist Giacometti’s atelier) also known as the Alberto and Annette Giacometti Association at 3, cour de Rohan. This is in the same building that Balthus, a close friend of Giacometti, once lived and painted in (from the window of his studio). Giacometti studied in Paris under Antoine Bourdelle.

Also at 3, cour de Rohan lives an internationally reknowned fiber artist, Sheila Hicks. This may be her atelier; however, she lists her address as "Pas de Mule" so the iron tripod is most likely the pas de mule.

Photos:
1 - Looking into the 2nd cour with pas de mule in corner.
2 - 1, Cour de Rohan & Giacometti Association to the right.
3 - Cour de Rohan - posibly Giacometti's or Sheila Hick's Atelier.
4 - Cour de Rohan Medieval Well.
5 - Cour de Rohan - Even from rue du Jardinet you can see part of Diane de Poitier's home!

Photos: November 2007 & February 2006

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Website: http://www.sheilahicks.com/main.html

VTers, shrimp56, Tsarina & I took a tour with Michale Osman of the Philippe-Auguste wall. This wall was built by Philippe-Auguste (King Philippe II), Capetian king from 1180-1223, as a fortification to protect the Paris while he was away on his 3rd Crusade.

Photos:
1) We began our walk in the 6th arrondissement at the Institut de France where we found a plaque for the Tour de Nesle (circa 1200) on the side of the building on the Quai de Conti.

2) The Histoire de Paris explains this is the first component of the Philippe-Auguste wall on Left Bank built about 1200, named for Phillipe Hamelin who chaired its construction. It then became part of the Hôtel de Nesle, built about 1270 on the field of Laas and acquired by Philippe le Bel (the Fair) in 1308. It then proceeds to tell the legend tells of the martyrdom of the three princesses of Burgundy, Marguerite, Blanche and Jeanne.

3) Wall inside Galerie Arnoux – 27, rue Guénégaud
In the photo you see the reflection of the building opposite, 12, rue de Guénégaud. If you look on a map you see it almost directly across from the mouth of the Impasse de Nevers.

4) Rue de Nesle & Impasse de Nevers
Notice the slant of the building at the end of the impasse; it follows the original course of the Philippe-Auguste wall.

5) The Wall Underground – Parking Mazarine at 29, rue Mazarine.
A nearby Histoire de Paris explains how the wall was absorbed into adjoining buildings as borders of property, bases for houses or for stone quarries, and that a long section of the wall and base of a tower are visible in the underground parking garage. Use of the wall in this fashion ensured its preservation.

Photos: February 2006

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Website: http://www.philippe-auguste.com/uk/mur/plan_photos/plan_actuel_rive_gauche.html

When you compare the map of the course of the Philippe-Auguste wall & a present-day map, you can see that rue Mazarine follows the course of the enclosure. You can also see how the wall shaped odd angles in streets as well as in buildings!

Photos:
1) Porte Dauphine Plaque – 44, rue Dauphine
This sign tells how Porte Dauphine (gates in the wall allowing entry to the city) was demolished in 1673 during the reign of Louis le Grand by order with an inscription to show where the porte had been.

2) Ancienne rue Contrescarpe (rue André Mazet & 49, rue Dauphine).
See the odd angle of the building? The contrescarpe follows course of wall.

3) Left Bank Wall Tour – 42-44, rue Dauphine - Back portion of the buildings follows the course of the wall.

4) Histoire de Paris - Porte de Buci (rough translation):
This porte of the Philippe-Auguste enclosure is thus renamed in the 14th century at the request of the inhabitants of the quarter, to the name of an adviser of State of king Jean le Bon (the Good), Simon de Buci, known for his charitable spirit and piety. It is in 1418 the theatre of a tragic event and full of consequences for Parisian life, in the disturbed context of the civil war between the Armagnacs and Burgundians, at the time of the madness of Charles VI. On the night May 28-29, indeed, Perrinet Leclerc, son of a merchant of the Petit-Pont, quartenier of the guard, will sneak the keys from the room of his father. He thus delivers the city to the partisans of Jean Sans Peur, who cuts the throat of thousands of people within three days time. The faithful provost of Paris, Tanguy of Châtel, has only time to save the dauphin, rolled up in a cover. The future Charles VII, with the nickname of "king de Bourges" will remain 19 years exiled from his capital.

Not followed on this day as we did our touring on a Sunday & the following 2 were closed (and the wall portion can only be seen on the inside):
Language Institute - 20, Passage Dauphine
Tower Language Institute - 34, rue Dauphine

Photos: February 2006

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Website: http://www.philippe-auguste.com/uk/mur/plan_photos/plan_actuel_rive_gauche.html

Still in the 6th arrondissement, our group (shrimp56, tsarina, Michael Osman & I) is now at 4, Cour du Commerce St-André at the Office de Tourisme Catalogne. Cour du Commerce-St-André was previously a moat just outside of the city wall. When later the wall was removed, the moat was filled in and became a street. Located inside the Office de Tourisme Catalogne is a tower of the former wall seen clearly through the large windows. The entrance is gained via the accompanying Cour de Rohan.

Watch for tips covering the Philippe-Auguste wall on shrimp56's Paris page!

Photos:
Office de Tourisme Catalogne - 4, Cour du Commerce St-Andre - wall inside.

Photos: February 2006

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Phone: 01 56 81 29 29
Website: http://www.philippe-auguste.com/uk/mur/plan_photos/plan_actuel_rive_gauche.html

Our next stop on the tour takes us to the Latin Quarter in the 5th arr. & continues the wall's course along rue Monsieur le Prince and across rue Soufflot.

Photos:
1) 2-4 r. Antoine Dubois
This is on a small side street leading up from rue de l'Ecole de Médécine to rue Monsieur le Prince!
Notice the odd angles in the window sills determined by the direction of the wall.

2) 2-4 r. Antoine Dubois

3) Porte St-Jacques plaque located at the intersection of rue St-Jacques & rue Soufflot.

4) See the weird angles of the building indicating wall's course? This is located at 7, rue Soufflot.

5) Porte St-Jacques Histoire de Paris sign - rue St-Jacques - rough translation:
Composed of two twin towers and a passage under ogival arcade, the most attended doors of the southernmost part of the Philippe-Auguste enclosure opened here: located at the outlet of a large daily axis of circulation, it connected the principal meridian street of the other Petit-Pont to the road of Etampes and Orleans. It was thus vital to maintain its opening, despite of the disorders which affected the city, after the death of Charles V, last of the Valois dynasty. Whereas the majority of the others (portes) were regularly walled, the Porte Saint-Jacques was even equipped with a drawbridge during the summer of 1417, vis-a-vis with the Burgundian threat. After the failures wiped by Joan of Arc on right bank, it was here that the troops of Jehan Villiers of Isle-Adam penetrated the city on the dawn of April 13, 1436. Thanks to Parisians to the mowing down of the English occupation, Charles VII could thus make a solemn entry in his reconquered capital.

Nearby was a corner juxtaposing the old carved-into-the-stone sign of "Rue des Fossez St Jacques" with the current "Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques" sign. This street is so named because it was once a moat surrounding the wall. You may see this photo on my Ancient Street Signs - Part Deux tip.

Photos: February 2006

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Website: http://www.philippe-auguste.com/uk/mur/plan_photos/left_bank/W_cour_st_andre.html

We continued our walk in the Latin Quarter located in the 5th arronidissement in the area typically associated with Hemingway - that around rue Descartes and rue Thouin lying between the Panthéon/St Etienne du Mont church and the Arènes de Lutece/Jardin des Plantes.

One of the things I love about Paris are the winding streets, they don't run parallel nor perpendicular but follow ancient trade routes & pilgrim routes through the city, such the rue Saint-Jacques that runs not quite straight and is an old pilgrim route running from Campostela di Santiago in Spain to Cathédral St-Denis just north of Paris and onward to Orléans. Also, you'll notice some of the streets curve in a fashion that follows the path of the Philippe-Auguste enclosure; these include rue de l'Estrapade, rue Thouin, rue du Cardinal-Lemoine and rue des Fossés Saint Bernard (as the wall ran roughly between the 2 latter streets).

Photos:
1) Ancient well - 9, rue de l'Estrapade - You can see this courtyard and well from the street through a gate; whether or not it's locked, theres no need to ask permission.

2) Wall as back wall of resto - Bistrot de Cigales - 12, rue Thouin

3) Wall - 10, rue Thouin

4) Porte St-Marcel sign - 50, rue Descartres
2 towers are shown in the sign just on either side of rue Descartes. The plaque on the wall may be roughly translated as:
Enclosure of Paris raised by Philippe Auguste about the year 1200. Site of Porte Saint-Marcel known also as Porte Bourdet.

5) Wall in Courtyard - 62, rue du Cardinal-Lemoine - We lucked out when one of the inhabitants of the building came out & allowed us to take a peek!

Photos: February 2006

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Website: http://www.philippe-auguste.com/uk/mur/plan_photos/plan_actuel_rive_gauche.html

We are almost finished with our Left Bank portion of the walk in the 5th arrondissement, located just west of the Eglise St-Etienne-du-Mont on rue Clovis, of which you can see the southern side of the church from this location of the wall.

Photos:
1) Looking down rue Clovis, photo taken from about 7, rue Clovis; you can see St-Etienne-du-Mont background right with the wall to the left.

2) In the 2nd photo you get a great glimpse of the materials used inside the construction of the wall in the top of the photo. It was built of large blocks on either side and filled in the center with rubble.

3) Histoire de Paris telling how Philippe Auguste demanded contributions for the wall.
Histoire de Paris (rough translation):
In 1190, before his departure for the third crusade, Philippe Auguste (1165-1223) required the inhabitants to contribute to the safety of the city by the construction of a wall of approximately 5km, completed about 1210. This wall, ten meters high and crowned with crenellation, was provided with entrances of ten doors. Limited to the west by the fortress of the Louvre, built to protect it in the first years from the 13th century, in the east by the place de Grève, in north by les Halles marketplace, and the south by the Sainte-Geneviève borough, it defined a capital of 250 hectares [about 600 acres]; from now on, the palace, the treasure and the archives are fixed at residence there, even if the king does not always reside there. It acts as the tentative first of union of the three Parisian districts: the "City", religious heart, administrative and judicious, the "City", economic pole located around the ports of Right Bank, and "the incipient University", on the Left Bank.

4) Also, in the 4th photo, you get a much better look at the materials used.

5) See how the building just to the left of the wall used it as a border in its construction?

Photos: February 2006

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Website: http://www.philippe-auguste.com/uk/mur/plan_photos/plan_actuel_rive_gauche.html
Other Contact: Address: 7, rue Clovis 75005 Par

This is our last stop on the Left Bank portion of the Philippe-Auguste wall walk. Our next stop will be in the Marais in the 4th arrondissement.

Photos:
1) Rue Jacques Henri Lartigue - This is on a small side street off of rue du Cardinal Lemoine located just behind the Ministère de l'Education Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie.

2) Porte St-Victor - portion of the wall inside the post office - 2, rue des Ecoles
Plaque above states:
Enclosure of Philippe Auguste - the erection of Porte Saint Victor built at the beginning of the 13th century, rebuilt in 1568 and cut down in 1684.

3) Part of wall inside Paradis Latin - see angle of building in the upper portion? - 28, rue du Cardinal Lemoine

4) Paradis Latin - 28, rue du Cardinal Lemoine

5) This thin building shows where wall once was - 7 bis, boulevard St-Germain

Photos: February 2006

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Website: http://www.philippe-auguste.com/uk/mur/plan_photos/plan_actuel_rive_gauche.html