Chill out! I can hear you from here! Yes these are dead rats. So? Didn't you fall for Ratatouille? I did. That is precisely why I had the idea of going to Julien Aurouze's shop by Les Halles, which used to be a heaven for rats in the old times. Aurouze is undoubtedly the most famous pest control and rat catching expert in the neighborhood and would certainly win the "best stuffed corpses of rodents arrangement shop window" contest if there was one. If you care for more photos, visit the making of... Doesn't PDP always give you the best shops-to-visit ideas while in Paris?
Ouch, with my lack of grace I'd likely get my foot stuck in one of those. I will say that this photo did trap my attention and the reality advertising does state and promote the obvious. Amazing what one will see in Paris!
ReplyDeleteEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwww!!!! Never mind the horse meat, now THAT is REALLY disgusting!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember that shop near Les Halles. Great post! :-)
My God this is truly macabre! Dear Eric, what are you doing to me? I had the biggest fright...especially as right now there are reports of rats after the floods and i have seen two myself! Ugh. These are simply disgusting, i can make no excuses for my vocabulary. It could be worse but i am holding myself back lol.
ReplyDeleteListen; rats are revolting, catching them must be dire, but HANGING THEM IN A WINDOW? Well that's more than weird. What's the purpose dear Eric, to alarm passers-by, do tell? .... swoon.......
I quite surprised myself by going into 'the making of' - albeit the briefest of clicks. Eeeeuuuwwww! Shiver. Shop-to-visit? I think not, dear Eric. Shop-to-close-down i think. Brr. I need a lie down.........
ReplyDeleteWell, when I first seen this photo on the portal, I thought, What the heck? I don't like rats but yet can't help feeling sorry for them.
ReplyDeleteWhy do i keep coming back? Morbid fascination; must be. Why did you bring me here, dear Eric? Take me home now please...........?
ReplyDeleteMy kind of post. Can't wait to visit this shop and see the display close up!
ReplyDeleteEric, it's about 6:45pm my time, and I just finished at the Gym. Decided to drop in and see if you'd posted a new photo, instead of waiting until tomorrow during my coffee break. MON DIEU, ERIC!!!!! Didn't I just say the other day what a lovely place this was for me to come visit and have my Java break. I'll have to warn my lady friends to protect their sense and sensibilities. My guy friends, on the other hand, will trip over each other to get to this post. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Lynn, Dear, having survived hurricanes here in Florida, I can tell you that yes, OH YES, storms and floods disrupt the rat's natural habitat, and they are out there trying to claim new real estate. Cheers Luv. :)
Loraine
OMG - that is so weird that you would post this photo!!! I just took my little 5 year-old neice to see Ratatouille last weekend. During this very same scene in the movie she asked me, "What are those rats doing? Are they dead!!???" Poor little thing; I told her that they were just playing on the monkey bars doing a show - I think she bought it.
ReplyDeleteEric, I had no idea that this was a real place! I was blaming Disney for always having cartoons with a "death" theme (Bambi, etc.)
BTW, I despite these dead rats, I did love the movie. The outdoor scenes of Paris were done exceptionally well and made me long to return to my favorite city!
Totally rat-arsed
ReplyDelete(for some reason that is English slang for being drunk. Don't ask me why, I don't know)
I once stayed at the hotel Residence des Halles just one or two doors down from this shop. It was an interesting sight to behold every morning!
ReplyDeleteLuggi, you absolutely can't miss it. As you walk away from the Forum des Halles and towards Chatelet (I think ?) you'll see it right there at an angle, big green shop, you absolutely can't miss it, trust me.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this is gonna work, but here is a google map of the area if you care to cut and paste that url below:
http://tinyurl.com/2vm438
Oooh Loraine, how awful! Now i'm REALLY scared. I don't leave my patio doors open at the moment... i have fields behind the fence which were sooooo flooded. This real estate is UNavailable.
ReplyDeleteHam yes why IS that? Rat-arsed.. no idea at all. In fact, why did i come back agAIN? lol
After 15 years in Spain, four "hunting cats" and dog with a nose for dead things, nothing shocks! Besides, after the horse butcher, I just assumed this was the rat butcher. :)
ReplyDeleteYup, it's now on my Paris to do list . I'm like Lynn, for all my yucks I am facinated and keep looking at it.
ReplyDeleteI have seen plenty of rats and mice in the subway( underground )tracks in NYC and London, but never Paris for some reason.
What's the name of the famous stuffed animal shop in Paris? Do they carry rats or just peacocks and other more "acceptable" animals?
Kill 'em all! Being from Alabama, field mice are a pain to put up with, especially when they invade your pasta (and in one case, my shoes). I long to go to Paris, and this will definitely be on my "see" list.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo with powerful impact.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would prefer them in their present condition rather than nibbling down my too-long toenails while getting the third-degree at 2 rue Bois Le Vent.
Walking past the shop I'm sure I averted my eyes and kept walking without a further glance for fear that it was some kind of specialty restaurant:
"Not much meat on their teeny little fingers but their upper arms and elbows are to die for."
Could you use your spoon and pop out a couple of little black eyes? They look a little like Cajun-style peas, don't they?"
"Oh, no. My shoelace broke. Ah, I'll just replace it with a length of this guy's entrails."
I agree with Anonyme 5:44. Rats are not held in high esteem where I live. They are rather plagueish! Glad to see that someone somewhere is getting rid of them.
ReplyDeleteI confirm there ARE rats in the subway in Paris (and in San Francisco, for that matter!).
ReplyDeleteWonderfuly clever post Eric. You never cease to amaze me. Now I wonder if this shop is on that $175 walking tour of that guy. I imagine not!
ReplyDeleteBTW, they grow dem big here in Texas too.
Ham and Lynn - in the US we use the expression "I don't give a rat's ass" to mean "I don't care". Do you think if we put the two together it would mean, "I don't care, I'm getting drunk!"?
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with Marie - after toilets, dog crap, and a variety of other shocking posts, you always come up with something interesting here Eric.
I'm sure these rats all lived a long and happy life until reaching this dramatic ending. Let's not think of them as being dead, but as simply rat-ired! [groan]
ReplyDeleteC'est rat-é ;)
ReplyDeleteNver seen a window like this one.
ReplyDeleteEric, this is a truly shocking photograph and consequently the impact is breathtaking. I'm almost in tears for those poor little things. They are sweet little things and while I appreciate the need for pest control, advertising one's expertise like this is truly macabre. I'm with Lynn on that one. But, Lynn dear, you have nothing to fear. You can just scoop them up by their tail and throw them back outside. Some eagle or hawk or fox will enjoy them for dinner and that way they become part of nature's food chain.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, very thought provoking Eric - as usual. Well done - I think?
Oh! Michael! Rat-tired....that is to the limit. I remember seeing that shop and rushing by it. Barf! I hate rats....dead or alive or human. I don't give a rat's ass about rats. LOL What next, Eric?
ReplyDeleteLOL some of these comments i can hardly read - ugh!
ReplyDeleteYes Michael we'll put those two phrases together. lol
Mme; 'But, Lynn dear, you have nothing to fear. You can just scoop them up by their tail and throw them back outside.' - eeeeuuuwww! I couldn't dare. Wouldn't they just whip right round on themselves and bite you? Ugh and they say they don't let go until their teeth meet oh my God i'm frightening mySELF !!
There really is no escape from such things; my 16 year old son Charlie just walked in (it's his birthday today) and said "Hey, Mum, i'd like to get a snake for a pet!"
........God help me.........
LOOOOOOOOL. I was sure this photo would not remain unnoticed by you!!
ReplyDeleteLynn: "Hey, Mum, i'd like to get a snake for a pet!" C'mon, it's his birthday right...
Eric, my God! Don't get behind him, please... ! I haven't answered him yet. I merely squealed and put my head in my hands. He laughed, of course. I am, officially, a figure of fun lol. Perhaps it was a prank to ask, i'm not sure. There is hope. The other day he asked me to get something from a large cupboard. As i walked in, he shut me in, in the darkness. I should never have shown my weaknesses...
ReplyDeleteespecially for Lynn, this comptine (chidren song) :
ReplyDeleteUne souris verte
Qui courait dans l'herbe
Je l'attrape par la queue,
Je la montre à ces messieurs
Ces messieurs me disent :
Trempez-la dans l'huile,
Trempez-la dans l'eau,
Ça fera un escargot
Tout chaud.
Je la mets dans un tiroir,
Ell' me dit :"Il fait trop noir"
Je la mets dans mon chapeau,
Ell' me dit :" Il fait trop chaud"
Je la mets dans ma culotte,
Elle me fait trois petites crottes.
Je la mets là dans ma main,
Ell' me dit qu'elle est très bien.
Je la mets dans ma cuisine,
Ell' me mange tout' la farine.
Oh ! La coquine !
Bravo Eric. I love this shop and I love this post. Ça c'est Paris !
ReplyDeleteI recently viewed the movie Ratatouille, and I did not know this shop was for real. Interesting and intriguing; I am looking forward to a trip to your city next year.
ReplyDeleteOh gg... I've gone green myself....lol thanks a bunch.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gg (not in the mood for being nasty today ? ;-))))) for the text of "Une souris verte", I didn't remember the second part !
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, I think we all (the french) sang this "comptine", didn't we ?
Excellent GG. Actually, I never really understood this "comptine" buut, yes, I did sing it when I was, say... 7 (that was yesterday!).
ReplyDeleteLynn : "I've gone green myself" LOL.
Funny how several of you noticed that the shop in Ratatouille doeas exist. In fact, from what I read, the guy who made the film (forgot his name) spent a lot of time in Paris.
And I can tell you that it shows throughout the film - small details (license plates, cobblestones, monuments...) show that he did spend time in Paris.
Yikes. I loathe vermin. Exterminate them all. Of course, snakes eat 'em up (Lynn, bear that in mind), and other predators rely on them for sustenance. This all does remind me to get out and see the movie.
ReplyDelete"You've seen it on PDP, now see the movie..."
Clearly, the movie is not for mousy people. Watch out for bad pavement: road dents will make your car go rat tat (whee)!
ReplyDeleteIf you click here, you can see the actual storefront, address, phone number, and yes Lynn, "services".
ReplyDeleteRecently a woman went to a thrift store in San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteWhile there she came across a bronze rat that seemed attractive and unique.
"How much do you want for the rat?", she asked.
"$3 for the rat and $1000 for the story that goes with it", said the shopkeeper.
"Just give me the rat", the woman said, and then she left with it.
As she walked down the street she noticed a couple of rats following her. As she walked further, more and more rats started chasing her. By the time she got to San Francisco Bay, there were thousands of rats chasing her. So she quickly climbed up a pole and threw the bronze rat into the water. To her amazement, all the rats jumped into the water.
The woman then rushed back to the thrift store.
"Ahh", the shopkeeper said. "Now you would like to hear the story?"
"No" said the woman", I just came back to see if you had any bronze straight men!"
Talk about timing. I opened my email at work this morning and saw one from our department adminstrator stating that our building has a rat infestation. Yikes! Then I opened up ParisDailyPhoto to take my mind off of the rats scurrying above my head in the ceiling, only to see the little creatures hanging by their necks.
ReplyDeleteEric, your picture is truly macabre, but curiously intruiguing. Yes, I too will join with the others and put this shop on my list of sites when I visit Paris in April next year.
Absolutely am addicted to your photo blog.
LOL Michael! Excellent...
ReplyDeleteEek Jeff i'm still not convinced.
ReplyDeleteEric, i've still not answered the snake dilemma and my son's quite pre-occupied at the moment - pop over to Cheltenham to see why lol - so maybe it's gone out of his head. Here's hoping.
I have to share this one with all of my fellow workaholics!
ReplyDelete"The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat." - Lily Tomlin
It says Nous sommes �galement professionnels dans la prestation de service sur le terrain (m�tiers de bouche, administrations, mairies, syndics d'immeubles...).
ReplyDeleteI'm curious, what is a "m�tier de bouche?" in this context?
And they say they've been around for 100 years. I wonder how old these rats are and if they change rats every so often so the windows still looks ..ahem.. good. Ugh!
Tomate said, "I wonder how old these rats are and if they change rats every so often...
ReplyDeleteA very good question. I kind of hope not as that would mean that there are plenty of ones out there that they haven't caught yet!
eeeuuwww. No, Michael, i reFUSE point blank, to click. No. lol.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time
ReplyDeleteThere was a little rat;
He had a cozy nest,
In Paris, a nice flat.
Life was such a pleasure,
Jacques even wore a hat;
A lovely black beret;
Atop his head it sat.
Then one day while out searching
Around the green poubelle;
Jacques heard a scary noise,
One he knew too well.
He scurried past the garbage
And sought a place to hide;
Jacques crawled down to the sewer,
With darkness deep inside.
Jacques waited for some time to pass
But hungry was this rat;
The thoughts of cheese and baguette crumbs,
He'd even risk combat.
So slowly Jacques emerged again
And reached the Paris street;
No time to waste, no food to leave,
This rat was meant to eat!.
Sadly now, this story ends
Of Jacques the Paris rat;
For who was thinking the same thing?
But Max the alley cat!
I have not stopped giggling since viewing the first photo and those at "the making of" as well!
ReplyDeleteStrange, since this is Paris, and the angle of this photo, but I have visions of history --- ah yes, the Guillotine, which if I recall is a few blocks west of the shop. Eerieeeeee!
An aside; I must admit I have an macabre interest in deceased vermin since I have an on going photo series of them going back over five years snapped as I trek and bike about Chicago.
Oh yes, if you visit the web site for Aurouze Julien you will discover that he also offers a service called Dé-pigeonnisation [what a great term!] I should import him to Chicago, where we have such a huge population of these things we refer to them as flying rats.
Have a great day!
Steve
What an awesome post! I simply love all the displays. Come on guys, rats aren't that bad! Every creature has a purpose. Besides, if you get past the possible disease infected, sewer inhabiting bit they're actually quite cute. Like rabbits only without the long ears and flooffy tail.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the snake, Lynn, get your son one, but make a compromise. Tell him he can have one as long as he doesn't want one of the huge poisonous varities. A snake can be a very cool pet. Even my mother let my little brother have one and she HATES snakes and refused to ever touch it or be anywhere near it.
I knew this would trigger quite few reactions but 50+ I did not think so LOL.
ReplyDeleteHere is a couple of answers to your questions:
Lynn. "What's the purpose dear Eric, to alarm passers-by, do tell?" Yes, it's marketing. Even pest control shops can do with good marketing ;)
Ham. "Totally rat-arsed". In British English isn't every word slang for being drunk?!
Pam. "after the horse butcher, I just assumed this was the rat butcher. :)" Excellent LOL
PHX. "What's the name of the famous stuffed animal shop in Paris? Do they carry rats or just peacocks and other more "acceptable" animals?" I forgot, but I'm pretty sure I see the one you're thinking of. I should take a pic one day.
They "carry" all sorts of rodents, mostly the ones that people want to exterminate...
Anonymous. "I confirm there ARE rats in the subway in Paris ". Sure, I've seen some several times.
Jeff. "Clearly, the movie is not for mousy people. Watch out for bad pavement: road dents will make your car go rat tat (whee)!" That is unfair competition to Michael LOL.
Elisabeth "Absolutely am addicted to your photo blog." ;)
Michael. "The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat." Excellent.
Tomate. "wonder how old these rats are and if they change rats every so often so the windows still looks ..ahem.. good. Ugh!". No idea.. And I did not dare asking actually, the lady in the shop was kind enough to let me take a photo.
Micheal. Did you write this yourself?
Steverino. True the Guillotine (well what's left of it) is not far from this place...
Soosha "Every creature has a purpose". So true. And this proves how unfair we are. A guinea pig or rabbit or even a little mouse is "cute" but a rat deserves to die... Why?
BTW, talking about animals, have you seen this?
OMG huge poisonous varieties? Oh this just gets worse.
ReplyDeleteMichael your verse is just brilliant!
I can't match such a verse
Mine will surely be much worse
Of Jacques i want to write
Although he's such a sight!
He's ugly, smelly, vile
Scuttling all the while
He carries all the germs
And probably eats worms
He's big and fat and scary
Which makes me so, so wary
In short i'll never like him
I'll never touch his skin
But Michael made me feel
That, now he's named, he's real.
ooh dear you've provided a link without explaining what it is. I'm nervous, Eric. I shall not look until some brave soul has gone before me. Please advise, brave soul, i await your fate.
ReplyDeleteGood answer to Ham by the way, Eric!
Eric you said, 'A guinea pig or rabbit or even a little mouse is "cute" but a rat deserves to die... Why?'
Okay, Eric, it's because it's revolting, quite yukky and disease-carrying. Brr. Reason enough? Yes says Lynn for one. lol.
OK, Eric, I'll admit, the end of that video is surprising! Good team work! :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I just saw Ratatouille. Exactly what the doctor ordered after a long day at work. Definitely a cute, funny, entertaining movie, even some great "shots" of Paris!
That's funny, I didn't notice any tomate farcie in the movie! It was cute, non? Much cuter than the rats here.
ReplyDeleteOh my! Uh, great post, Eric. So many tangential thoughts come up with this image. I have a lot of Pixie friends who worked on that film, and I have yet to see it. My daughter did and said it was great. She also has had pet rats among her menagerie over the years. These in your photo conjure up images for me of cooked ducks in Chinatown shop windows and how grossed out she would get when she'd see all those ducks hung by the neck when I'd take her to "China" (well, SHE thought it was China, but it was really just some side street between Stockton and Grant in SF, and the train ride into the city just made it SEEM like it was all the way to China). Thanks for the memories. . .I think ;^)
ReplyDelete-Kim
Nice post. I think these are cousins to my tree rats -- squirrels.
ReplyDeleteThough it is dead rats, I feel very bad for those rats for hanging like that. Here again your photography are conveyed the feelings...
ReplyDeleteEuropean Roadside Assistance Belgium
Michael> you're right, I didn't either. But they have rat..atouille! Seriously, the food animation really kicks ...ss!! I was quite impressed with that! And it *was* cute. Sometimes you need movies to be just like that, cute, funny, unpretentious, and ... entertaining! Yeah.
ReplyDeleteKim: I'm sorry to say but the poor ducks are still in the windows "in China" (I'm pretty sure they're different ducks, though, poor things) but yeah, they're still there!
These are my favorites too Eric! Great photos.
ReplyDeleteHere's my contribution to the eeew factor!
http://pollyvousfrancais.blogspot.com/2007/07/errata.html
It´s a very cool picture.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that.
Cool! Excellent and veeeery artistic. Saatchi or Tate Modern should consider contacting the designer.
ReplyDeleteMy son will love this picture!
ReplyDelete(no in fact, I don't think so...).
Great shoot.
Ahh, I used to walk by that store all the time when I lived in Paris. Very gross but very memorable.
ReplyDelete