Friday, June 08, 2007

Paris street sign


It's been a while since I've shown you a typical Paris street sign. Here is the one of Rue des Dames (this street used to lead to L'Abbaye des Dames - the women Abbey - which was located up in Montmartre not far from where I took this photo). Before 1728 there were no street signs (or very rarely) but it became compulsory for the owners of the first and the last house of each street to engrave its name on the walls. In 1806 Napoleon passed a law demanding the names should no longer be engraved but painted and in 1847 the authorities turned to enamel...

21 comments:

  1. Paris street signs are so beautifully distinctive, and long-wearing. As long-wearing as the souvenir key ring I use every day: Rue St-Dominique! I likr those street sign keyrings even more than Eiffel Tower souvies! [and that's sayign something!] It's all these little things , as much as the big ones, that add up to "Paris" ! (PS I haven't seen your clone swimming much lately-he must be back in Paris taking more photos for us all to enjoy)

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  2. I like these "simple" photographs of the "regular" Paris! Thanks Eric.

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  3. I think that what I need right now is a trip to Paris. Many thanks for your kind words last week.

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  4. Hi Eric, thanks for this photo! 20 years ago, I lived in the rue Biot, a short street which meets rue des Dames close to place Clichy. Looking at this picture feels like coming home!

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  5. The last time I was in Paris, there was a stand near Le Pied du Cochon that was selling re-makes of these signs that you could have personalized to say "Rue de/du/des ______" I was tempted but didn't get one!

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  6. Interesting information as usual! Merci Eric!

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  7. Merci pour les explications Eric ! Et prochaine fois que tu passes dans ma rue, fais-moi signe ;-) Je suis à 100m de l'endroit où tu as pris la photo !
    http://cedricm.blogspot.com/2006/04/dans-la-rue.html

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  8. It may be a simple street sign, but Oh! so elegant.
    Simplicity and elegance in the Parisian sense has a lure all of it's own.

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  9. Very interesting info. See, this kind of post is really fabulous because now whenever we´re walking down a street in Paris and see one of these signs, we´ll know the story behind it!

    Eric, have fun tonight! Wish I was there!!!

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  10. Julia, I used to live not far from there too (rue Caroline) and I do remember the rue Biot, it was famous for drug smuggling!!

    Cedric, LOL. Promis ! Pour ton annive, le jour de la sortie de l''Ipod ?!

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  11. Monica, what's happening tonight?!

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  12. PHX-CDG has told me she and her husband are going to meet you today. Well, I hope you guys will be able to meet soon anyway!

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  13. Whew, it's good Monica reminded you of that dinner appointment! Say, Monica, aren't you going to Paris in July?

    The street signs are great. They've saved me dozens of times, even though I always have my "Streetwise Paris" map in my pocket.

    A friend of mine is opening a new restaurant tomorrow. This should be interesting. If I had a blog, it would make for good photos. Have a great weekend, everyone.

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  14. Yes Jeff I am going to Paris in July. However, I´ll be arriving July 30 only, so it´s almost August!

    Hope it will be warm there. I like the sun!

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  15. Oh yes, of course Monica. At 7 pm (in one hour !!). You said tonight and for me 7 pm is the end of the afternoon!! So I thought you were talking about a party I or something!

    1,5 more month to wait before hitting Paris ; not that long, is it?!

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  16. I forgot that this time in Paris it doesn´t get dark until about 10pm, so 7pm isn´t night yet!

    Not that long indeed before I hit Paris. I kid you not, lately I´ve been falling asleep with my Paris guide on my hands because everyday I stay up late reading it and finding more and more great things to do there! I´m so anxious!

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  17. Firstly, severly jealous of everyone who's going to Paris and meeting Eric this summer. Oh well, at least when I finally do go I can use my awesome new laptop to constantly update what's going on while I'm sitting in some corner cafe!

    Speaking of clones, a few days ago my son and I were at the mall (had to pick up a couple of "Pirates of the Caribbean" throw pillows for my birthday!) and I was stopped by the adorable man who looked a lot like you, Eric, only he was a bit older. He told me he was a hair dresser and just had to let me know how much he loved Owen's hair. That really made my day.

    And, as always, I love the mini history lesson accompanying the nice photo. Pretty soon I'm going to know more about Paris than I do about St. Louis!

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  18. stopped by AN adorable man, not THE adorable man. So sorry!

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  19. Gee how many clones do I have??? First Sally in Australia, then you Soosha in the States! LOL. (And by the way Soosh, I'm a "bit" - let's 153 years - older that on this photo!

    Anyway this clone thing is really funny.

    Monica, I've just seen Lynn and Eric (aka PHX-CDG and her husband) and we really had a nice time together - right by my home in a cafe, outside. We agreed to meet again, when you're in Paris, end of July. How about that?!

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  20. Of course Eric!!!! I'd love to meet you all by the end of July or in August. Whatever is best for you and PHX.
    I'm happy you had a good time, I'm sure I'll hear all about it from her!
    :-)

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  21. I know you're older than on your avatar! But not that much! And this clone of yours I saw was older than you looked in the latest picture we've all seen of you!

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