Exploring the Neighborhood of “Emily in Paris”

As you probably already know, the Netflix series Emily in Paris was derided by the French as being way too glossy, superficial, and unrealistic.  In brief, way too Hollywoodian.

I have never seen the programs, but from what I know about this popular television series, I would say yes, but so what?  Hollywood has never been real but neither has the French view of American life.

I love the neighborhood around the Pantheon and have walked the narrow streets many times since the 5th arrondissement was my first home after arriving.

Maybe I was looking for a good excuse to write about the area, now probably better known because of “Emily”?

Yesterday was one of those sunny days that made you want to get out, and I looked forward to walking around the Pantheon area where the series’s maladroit heroine “lives”.

Bus 38 dropped me off at Luxembourg and Blvd Saint Michel, just across the gardens. I preferred going up the slight incline of Rue Royer Collard heading East towards Rue Saint Jacques.

The Pantheon sits atop a hill, once home of the powerful Abbaye Sainte Geneviève, where vineyards grew offering at that time a sweeping view of the Seine and Ile de La Cité below.

Rue Saint Jacques was the major Roman north-south thoroughfare of Lutece that passed in front of the Roman forum where the Pantheon now stands.

Seeing the very old cabaret/restaurant, Au Port Salut on the corner of Saint Jacques and Rue des Fosse Saint Jacques, which has been there for ages is comforting to know it still survives!  I had eaten there only twice many years ago, more for the atmosphere than the cuisine.

Continuing east on Rue Fosse Saint Jacques, I was always perplexed by the book store La Libre Pensee, which has been there as long as I can remember.

They specialize in books promoting the concept of Laïcité or secularization, an important concept of the French government. Separation of church and state is well voiced here in France.   Basically, books offered are anti-Catholic, anti-religious, and anti-clerical.

Emily’s 5th-floor apartment,  described as a typical student flat / chambre de bonne is probably the most outlandish! First of all, maids’ rooms were located on the last floor under the roof in Haussmannian buildings.

Servant quarters were only about 9 square meters and quite bare and austere, usually with just a cold water sink!!

Given her work title,  Emily wouldn’t have the salary either to be able to afford such fancy digs as portrayed in the series.

The apartment overlooks the rather peaceful looking tiny triangle of greenery, complete with a fountain that one often finds throughout Paris.  This one however was once a place of horrors.

I have never wanted to linger there long, due to the horrible history of Place de L’Estrapade.  For many years till outlawed by King Louis XIII, stood a tall contraption of gruesome torture, the estrapade, that I feel too uncomfortable even writing about.

The charming etched glass panels of Boulangerie Moderne, now classified as a historical monument used to adorn most bakeries here years ago.

The Italian restaurant La Terra Nera was given a frenchified name in the series, called “Les Deux Compères” where Emily’s boyfriend Gabriel is a chef.

Right next door to the restaurant is the Association Philotechnique de Paris where I took some history courses for a small fee.

The street behind Emily’s “building” offers a striking side view of the Pantheon.

Close by is the Institute Curie, part hospital and center of research.

Further east on Rue L’Estrapade is a lovely old building that used to house a coffee roasting business, Saint James Brulerie, whose initials are still seen prominantly on the gates. The flowered courtyard has a cute defunct well.

 

Continuing on to Rue Mouffetard, I pass by another minuscule square with a Wallace drinking fountain in front of the public pool Jean Taris.

Just before reaching Place de la Contrescarpe, on Rue Blainville is the excellent and very picturesque restaurant La Truffiere, where I chose to celebrate a birthday a few years ago.

Place de la Contrscarpe looked like a shadow of itself,  now only sparsely filled with a few people eating and drinking takeouts inside the circle, rather than of the now-closed terraces of cafes that are ordinarily full.

Rue Clovis is where you can still see some remnants of the Phillippe Auguste wall that once surrounded the nascent city of Paris. 

 

At that point you are on the northern edge of la Montagne Sainte Geneviève which then takes a steep descent towards the Seine.

On the corner of Rue Clovis and Rue Clotilde is the prestigious high school of Henri IV.

Within the school can be seen the few remnants of the Abbaye Sainte Geneviève.  The tower and facing the back of the Pantheon,  some stained glass windows of the Chapelle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Etienne du Mont church, where the relics of Sainte Geneviève, the Patron saint of Paris is kept is a jewel having one of the remaining beautiful rood screens to be found in Paris.

I stop in front of her reliquary to say some prayers of gratitude to this beloved saint for all her help here. I was surprised by a crouching man trying to photograph the interior of one of the reliquaries, who if caught would have been asked to leave.

A few meters down from the church is the L’Ecurie and Pippos wine bars, both very popular hangouts, especially rowdy and fun on Fête de Beaujolais night!

I was glad to see a flock of students sunning themselves alongside the Pantheon across from the very old Sainte Geneviève library, worthy of a visit to see the interior.

Returning down Rue Soufflot, the top of the Eiffel Tower can be seen off in the distance.

 

Reaching the gates of Luxembourg gardens, the sun was slowly descending as I reboarded bus 38 to carry me home.

I wondered on the way how the film crew of Emily would be able to film again this spring with the curfew now moved an hour to 7 pm.

With restaurants, bars, cinemas, and museums all closed, the big question is where will Emily go?  Will she be masked and keep her social distance?

I hope the scriptwriters are as talented and adventurous enough to conjure up some zippy and entertaining scenarios inside her apartment, or maybe some daring romantic dalliances in parks and along the quais, which are often evacuated these days by police due to non respect of distancing.

Well, Emily, you are in for a shock if you think you can frolic for fun like we all use to do in Paris!  Your film crew might be better off filming around make-believe sets in the states!

P.S.  I have written entire posts on Rue Mouffetard and the Pantheon in the past for those interested.