Improbable Walks

In this episode, we check out CAMPAGNE-PREMIERE just below boulevard de Montparnasse. The street is barely one block long, but a surprising number artists and writers lived here during the first half of the 20th century, including Man Ray, Lee Miller, Yves Klein, Foujita, Elsa Triolet, and Louis Aragon! If streets are haunted by past creative shades, this is definitely a busy block. For photos, please check out my website. Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, we stroll into a hidden gem behind the well-known streets of Montparnasse: the Villa Seurat. This is a small street described in the famous Diaries of Anais Nin. Villa Seurat also appears in the work of her lover, Henry Miller, although he disguises the identity of the street by calling it “Villa Borghese”. This part of the 14th arrondissement really conjures the neighborhood feel of the 1920s and 30s, when artists and writers from all over the world filled the streets of Montparnasse, dreaming and creating and have emotional epiphanies up and down the block. For photos, please check out my website. Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, we visit a classic Left Bank street, the rue de Verneuil... which has a lively 20th century cultural record: This is where writer James Baldwin first landed in Paris, where singer Juliette Gréco lived, and where songwriter Serge Gainsbourg wrote, loved, smoked, and drank--today, his former home is the location of the Gainsbourg museum. For photos, please check out my website. Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, we visit the "New Athens", a newly-restored neighborhood once inhabited by theatre stars, courtesans, and painters. Find out who Napoleon Bonaparte bought bedroom furniture for, admire some truly lovely 1820s architecture, and admire the decadent visionary artistry of Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau. For photos, please check out my website. Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

We focus on the Passage des Panoramas & the Passage Jouffroy--two of my favourite covered passageways in Paris today. Back in the 1800s, Parisians window-shopped, met for pastry and tea, and browsed music stories to find the latest compositions in these arcades, and really, things haven't all changed that much. This episode includes the story of the Panoramas (virtual reality before that was a thing!) as well as writer & painter Marie Bashkirtseff, and La Montansier, theatre impresario extraordinaire. For photos, check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, we continue our stroll along the Grands Boulevards, exploring some wild stories, literati, and even an assassination attempt that resulted in the brand new Garnier Opera house being built. And I get to chat about some of my favourite Parisians from the past, including General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, the Revolutionary hero & father of writer Alexandre Dumas. For photos, check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, we celebrate the holidays with a stroll past the Opera Garnier. Bright department store windows, glittering performances, and even cinema lights: the Grands Boulevards has it all. This is where the Lumiere Brothers introduced film to Paris audiences, and where Nadar ran his 19th-century photography studio. As always, for more info, links, and photos, check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

Today's podcast visits the French President's palace, L’Élysée. The 365-room mansion has a history that oozes personality: once the home of Madame de Pompadour, Napoleon Bonaparte's sister Caroline also lived here for a few years. Caroline was described as "having the body of Venus and the brain of Machiavelli", which was probably not intended as a compliment, and yet, I'm sort of impressed. Visit my website for some images of the history we discuss. As always, Improbable Walks is grateful to the technical expertise of Bremner Fletcher and to David Symons, the New Orleans accordion player who performs the Improbable Walks theme music. (And yes, for you regular listeners, I have a darn November cold, so I do sound a little congested... sorry!)

Visit the street where New Yorker writer Janet Flanner lived, where the Beaux Arts school still stands, and of course, where de Beauvoir and Sartre once held court... The rue Bonaparte is a Left Bank Saint-Germain classic. For photos, check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

Writer Emile Zola was once so poor, he pawned all his clothes and kept only a single bedsheet to sleep in. But by the time he moved into the quiet rue de Bruxelles below Place de Clichy, he had become a respected member of the middle class, a well-known journalist and a prolific novelist. Paris-born, Zola was a complicated man, and in this podcast, we talk about why he had two apartments simultaneously in this neighborhood, as well as his brave stance for justice. His defense of Captain Dreyfus led to his temporary exile--and possibly to his murder. Visit my website for some images to give you a better feel for the history here. As always, Improbable Walks is grateful to the technical expertise of Bremner Fletcher and to David Symons, the New Orleans accordion player who performs the Improbable Walks theme music.

In this episode, we visit the American Library in Paris, on the easily-overlooked little street of General Camou. This is a very short street, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, and it's worth visiting both for the library, if you're an English-language reader, and for the architecture--both extremes of the 20th century are represented within one block, from Art Nouveau madness to stiff-upper-lip Minimalism. As always, for more info, links, and photos, check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, we start in front of the beautiful Sorbonne and walk down the single block of rue Champollion. Named for the man who first successfully translated Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics, this street includes a movie theatre that's now an historical monument. For film times (!) and extra info about rue Champollion check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, we walk along the medieval rue de l’Ecole de Medecine, the Street of the School of Medicine, on the edge of the Latin Quarter. This street was also the birthplace of the Divine actress Sarah Bernhardt, and extremely important to the Revolutionaries like Marat & Danton. Our inspiration comes from an 1866 photograph taken by fascinating 19th-century photographer Charles Marville --check out my website to see the photo, and other relevant images. As always, heartfelt thanks to my tiny podcast team: Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how, and David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire, who plays my theme music.

In this episode, we focus on architecture & successful new approaches to urban design, from the Haussmann era's Square des Batignolles, up to the brand new street named for cellist Mstislav Rostropovitch. This route includes gorgeous Art Nouveau apartment buildings, the surprisingly lovely, brand-spanking-new, Tour Unic by Yansong Ma, and a secret relic from the Orient Express. For more info & images, check out my website. Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, meet the 18th-century insomniac writer & printer, Restif de la Bretonne. Paris is chilly in January, so it seems appropriate to walk along the rue de la Bûcherie, where logs were once unloaded from boats on the Seine, back in the days when Parisians heated their apartments with wood-burning fires. This is the Left Bank street where 20th century icon Simone de Beauvoir wrote some of her greatest work. Plus, here you can visit the famous bookshop, Shakespeare & Company. For a fantastic image of Restif de la Bretonne, check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

In this episode, I chat with Heather Stimmler about the Quartier de l'Horloge, in the 3rd arrodissement beside the Pompidou Center. We visit restored automaton, admire its music, and discuss whether a breathing dragon would make a reassuring clock... Happy New Year from everyone here at Improbable Walks, and big thanks to Heather! Check out her Secrets of Paris for all sorts of insider news about the City of Light. As always, my website has extra links & images to accompany this podcast. Thanks to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

Today, let's visit a flower market on Ile de la Cité, right in the middle of Paris. Two good reasons to check this area out now: first, the Marché aux fleurs is due to be renovated, and second, back in 2014, the market was named for Queen Elizabeth II--this is highly unusual, in France. We'll talk about why. We'll also discuss Mad King Louis (or, more respectfully, Louis IX) and raise a glass to Inspector Maigret. Visit my website for images. As always, Improbable Walks is grateful to the technical expertise of Bremner Fletcher and to David Symons, the wonderful New Orleans accordion player who performs the Improbable Walks theme music.

This Latin Quarter episode begins at Place Émile Mâle and features the strange story of the disappearing Roman arena. We also talk about the discrete author of The Story of O, and the wonderful botanist, Bernard de Jussieu, who is responsible for my all-time favourite tree. This episode wraps up in the lush Jardin des Plantes, where so many Parisians took refuge in the shade during this past excessively hot summer. Remember to visit my website for extra links & images. As always, thanks to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.

Today, we're walking along a small street near the Louvre that's packed with history. Let's talk about Catherine de Medici's personal astrologer, the 1940s Resistance fighters of Les Halles, and talk about successful vaccines of the 1700s. Visit my website for images. I am using a new microphone for this episode - if you have any thoughts about whether it is better or worse than the old one, let me know! (you can contact me through my website) As always, Improbable Walks is grateful to the technical expertise of Bremner Fletcher and to David Symons, the wonderful New Orleans accordion player who performs the Improbable Walks theme music.

Today, we're walking along LES CHAMPS ELYSEES, the most famous avenue in the world. From an inclusive coffeeshop to the Guerlain perfume legacy... and most particularly, my favourite steampunk historical fact: in the early 1900s, inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont used to park his dirigible (yes, a flying machine) outside his apartment on the Champs. Visit my website for images. As always, Improbable Walks is grateful to the technical expertise of Bremner Fletcher and to David Symons, the wonderful New Orleans accordion player who performs the Improbable Walks theme music.