Paris main page

Paris through the Ages contents

Architecture with a smile-Parisian Art Nouveau-Hotel Mercedes, avenue Victor Hugo, many Art nouveau buildings (courtesy Arthur Gillette)

Paris main page

Paris dining world!!!!

Book a Paris hotel on line

Start at metro Etoile. This part of the arrondissement is closer to central Paris and more built up than the other part we will visit later, but it has certainly noteworthy bit more widespread and less wild, real gems in route.
Before entering the Avenue Victor Hugo, let(s have a look at the Hotel MERCEDES in the rue de Presbourg, a street that circles around the Etoile. Created in 1902, it was a traveller's hotel. The novelty was that the travellers didn't come by horse, or coach or even train, but by automobile, to which homage is paid in several bas medallions. -You could call it the first French capital's "motel". . 
But let's now return and start the avenue Victor Hugo. At 39, is a fairly sedate apartment house, its main Art Nouveau features being eyelid cowlings hooding upper storey windows and bizarre motifs adorning balconies? 

50 av.Hugo

The same architect, Plumet, had more fun by designing no.50 over whose street door recline two nude ladies sporting Gibson girl hairdos-a real shock compared with this building stodgy neighbours on either side. In the courtyard of that house, a museum is located showing you stained glass and an off-centred secondary building with e decidedly rustic air. The two houses are built by Charles Plumet, a bit ambiguous about Art Nouveau and produced never anything really wild. 
Continue south on the avenue Victor Hugo and witness the freer at least some architects seem to have felt as Art Nouveau became trendy. At 111 avenue Victor Hugo, a 1904 "vulgarity" of brick by Henri Sauvage, curly steel in a delightfully, airy and unpompous fashion.
At place Jean Monet we make a right into rue des Belles Feuilles where you can guess if no.28 is a block of flats or a….sculpture? 

11, rue des Sablons

At place de Mexico, make a left to 11, rue des Sablons, a more rectilinear, anathema for many Art Nouveau protagonists, but shows visible steel and dissonant ceramic work.
Right turn into rue Saint-Didier and a typical Art Nouveau façade at no.29. The rue Raymond Poincaré is a few steps away. Make a left and stop at no.59. The architect Charles Letrosne, went on a pinecone binge in steel, and stone, topped by late medieval turrets, to create what has been called a 16th century manor house, startlingly distinct from its neighbour house at no.61.
Charles Plumet's hesitation about adopting Art Nouveau is again at display at no. 67, with a curious mosaic above the door. Notice, passing no.28, a gentle demonstration that will wet your appetite for the next houses.

If you'd like a complete text and map in a nice, folded brochure, mail to  Armedv@aol.com . You can order each one or all of his 9 strolls. 


Bibliography (Architecture with a smile, Parisian Art Nouveau, stroll no. 9, by Arthur Gillette, publ. Media-Cartes)