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Paris through the Ages-The Grand Century of Ile Saint Louis, anecdotes and events rarely mentioned-Part 1 (all credit to Arthur Gillette)

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Usually, this isle is called “centuries younger” than the Ile de la Cité. “Centuries younger?” in the heart of Paris? You may well wonder but the answer is simple: once a single land mass, the two islands created in the 14th century (Cow Islet and Notre Dame Island) were rejoined in the 17th century to form today's Ile Saint Louis, were much lower and thus much more vulnerable to the Seine’s moods than Notre Dame’s isle de la Cité. They were, for example, totally flooded no less than seven times between 1206 and 1497.
But I will skip a long but damn interesting historical introduction about the Ile Saint Louis, clearly explained in the stroll no.7 folder (in English), to start with a few very important and vital viewpoints on the Ile Saint-Louis. Each house, portal and street has its anecdotes and Arthur Gillette is a master in digging them up. I’m just borrowing with his written permission.

"Prow" of Ile St. Louis

Start now at 45, quai de Bourbon. This privileged spot offers an exceptional view ofcentral Paris and has been called the “prow of Ile St.Louis”. Here you are on the bridge of the good ship Saint-Louis and take a moment (or more!) to scan the horizon and enjoy your watch as captain.
Then, turn back to no.45, known as the Centaur’s house, because of two medallions that the mythological single combat of Hercules with Nessus, the half-man half-horse who finally did Hercules in. The house itself has become something of a legend because of its literary links. Writers like the pro-Vichy and anti-Semite Drieu de la Rochelle, who killed himself when the fascists lost WWII lived here, as well as the Romanian author, Princess Marthe Bibesco. Before WWI it was a very well frequented literary salon with authors like Guillaume Apollinaire, Jean Giraudoux, Max Jacob and Pablo Picasso. The French novelist Aragon described the view from the house’s western windows in a 1944 novel, as did American author James Jones in a work inspired by the 1968 students uprising.
On now to the end of the Pont Saint Louis (Bridge). If weather permits, here is a constant gathering of mimes, musicians and magicians (some are excellent). To the left is the “Ile’s Brasserie”, or beer hall, known for the garcon’s bittersweet repartee and called “The Big O” by members of the Anglo-Saxon community who favour this place. Try to get in when an English speaking team won a game of the six nations tournament of European rugby! What an excitement and explosion of enthusiasm. Not long ago (according to Arthur), on a rare occasion when Scotland vanquished France, two kilted clients left the Brasserie…on all fours, crawling up the rue Saint-Louis en l’Ile and causing a monster traffic jam.
Walk along the quay d’Orleans, noting at no.1, rue Boutarel, a house where a stray bullet amputated a finger, during the fights of Paris liberation, of the wife of a French illustrator André Dignimont. The Boutarel of this street, opened in 1846, was an ambitious National Guard colonel, whose main claim to fame seems to have been the invention of the …knapsack!
Order Arthur's walking map by mailing to Armedv@aol.com evocating my name : Jack.

Bibliography

The Grand Century of Ile Saint-Louis, stroll no.7 in the series "Paris
through the Ages", by Arthur Gillette (ed. Media-Cartes)