3.6.09

More from Montmartre...


I continue exploring some more hidden corners of Montmartre. (If you are interested, I have made a number of Montmartre posts on this blog as well as on my old one.)

Very close to the “Moulin Rouge” (see previous posts), we already visited “Cité Véron” (see previous posts) and a few steps further there is a very discrete gate (104, boulevard Montmartre) which leads to a number of inner court yards, obviously not yet transformed into more fashionable living and working space. I learnt that a then famous painter, Fernand Cormon, although more traditional in his art, had an art school here in the 1880’s and had students like Toulouse-Lautrec and Vincent van Gogh - simultaneously. Toulouse-Lautrec of course spent most of his days in the immediate surroundings, working and living just round the corner, whereas Vincent spent a short period 1886-88 in Paris, sharing the flat of his brother Theo who lived close to here, just before he moved to Arles (see previous posts). On the photo from the studio, I can spot Toulouse-Lautrec on the front left, but cannot recognise van Gogh.

I tried to ask around, but didn’t get any answer about where exactly the “Atelier Carmon” was situated.

I found however the stage door to the immediate neighbour chansonnier cabaret “Les Deux Anes”.















A fellow blogger (Paris-bise-art) gave me the idea to have a glass of brouilly at the “Lux Bar”, very close – 12 rue Lépic. This bar is situated just in front of the today more famous “Café des Deux Moulins”, the one where Amélie Poulain worked. The “Lux Bar” has kept most of its original decoration from 1910 (see also top picture). There were no tourists at the bar, the atmosphere was very friendly and the glass of brouilly was excellent and the price very reasonable. On the beautiful ceramic wall you could read the price of the coffee – 0,10 francs. I forgot to ask what today’s price is.

50 comments:

EMNM said...

Nice old tiles!
0,10 francs one coffe? today 2 € sure! hehe

As always great post Peter

Cezar and Léia said...

Dear Peter,
Once again we're treated to an amazing post of "subtle Paris". The collection of your posts would make for a wonderful Paris tourist guide (including off the beaten track).
God bless you!
Cezar and Léia

Sixpence and A Blue Moon said...

Peter, what a grand tour - While looking at the pics, it brings back the smells, the taste of lattes and croissants, the feel of those who were there before. Paris is a wonderful place - a bit of heaven on earth.

krystyna said...

Peter, thanks so much!
This is really good to come here.

Shionge said...

Peter, you would never believe me but three times to Paris and not once to Moulin Rouge ;(

Last night I watched the French Tennis Open on TV and saw Effiel Tower, told Hubby me wanna go again ;)

Let's enjoy a cuppa together someday Peter and the treat is on me ok?

When are you coming to visit me here in Singapore :D

James said...

Excellent post.

Vamsee Modugula said...

Great post. It is nice to discover real Paris through your posts. I will use this information when I am in Paris for vacation next month!

Bergson said...

J'adore ce lux bar

Rakesh Vanamali said...

The first picture is superb! The place looks so inviting!

Bettina said...

I just love strolling around Montmartre, avoiding Place du Tertre though.

The Lux Bar looks great and much more authentic than The2Moulins which is totally ruined after the new owner took over some years ago, and very expensive too.
I'll definitely go to the Lux Bar next time I'm in Paris. And thinking I must have passed like a hundred times and never went in.
Thank you for sharing this Peter !

claude said...

Cela me donne envie de chanter "La complainte de la Butte".
J'admire toujours ton travail et suis enchantée que tu fasses découvrir Paris à tant d'étrangers.

Cergie said...

Tu ne connais sans doute pas la chanson :
"Un vieux cheval poussif montait la rue Lepic
Rue Lepic..."
Je ne l'ai pas d'ailleurs retouvée sur le net.
[Au fait, Etienne m'a dit lundi qu'Appolinaire a habité l'appart au dessus de l'ancien sien 9 rue Henner.]

Nathalie said...

J'ai adoré ton post sur la visite de Grez. J'ai une passion pour Carl Larsson, ses dessins sont extraordinaires. J'ai lu un livre sur sa vie avec plein de photos de sa maison et de sa famille. Passionnant !

Nathalie again said...

Merci pour ton commentaire de ce matin à Avignon (anglophobe ?)
Tu m'as fait rire !

Nathalie encore said...

Excellent, ce billet sur Montmartre, un quartier où j'adore me promener ; il y a tant de choses différentes qui y cohabitent !

april said...

That's what I like most, the hidden corners, the secret places of a town. (You know, I'm not lost, I've just closed one of my two blogs, URL see above)

Mo said...

There are so many wonderful little corners like these in Paris. Have you discovered a modern artist - Jean-Michel Chesné and his La grotte-chapelle. A bit tricky to find but the address is 27 rue Avaulée 92240 Malakoff. (metro Etienne-Dolet). He loves to talk about his work.

crocrodyl said...

Your shots are excellent! I like the most these colourful tiles which make great images on walls:)

Unknown said...

I really like the 1st composition!

Jilly said...

Love this bar. It's sings of Paris and of good things French and why love it so. A fabulous posting, Peter.

lyliane six said...

Quand j'ai pris mon petit hôtel en haut de la rue Lepic il y a quelques années, je n'ai hélas pas fréquenté ce beau café, on ne peux pas tout voir en une semaine dans ce quartier.

Blind Fly Theater said...

Montmartre, YES, Montmartre!!
Hello Peter, this is a wonderful lesson... I've never thought before of who the teacher(s) of Toulouse-Lautrec and van Gogh were... the teachers never get credit for whom they helped to develop. I will remember Fernand Cormon, and this photo where T-L is so obvious.
I absolutely love the way you capture the essence of your surroundings, and not just shots of the obvious. These are the types of things I love to experience and make me feel like I'm actually walking the streets of Paris, specifically here my favorite Montmartre.
I really don't know how you do it, Peter... traveling and getting so many great shots, hosting other bloggers, telling stories, getting to know the histories of your visits, gathering photos into collages, responding to so many comments, posting on so many other blogs, etc., etc., etc....
However it is done, I am grateful!

David

PS -- There is a bar and restaurant on my corner called the "LUX Bar", and now I wonder the name's origin... I'll have to speak with the proprietor.

hpy said...

Il va falloir que je pense au Moulin Rouge pour l'histoire de Phalacrocorax. Cela changerait bien du Lapin Agile, non?
Beau décor dans ce bistrot.

alice said...

Quelle belle trouvaille que ce Lux Bar! Un jour, j'irai le voir en vrai...

margarida said...

Underbara!!!! ;)

Parisbreakfasts said...

Can there really be something we didn't see on our jaunt?
I'm amazed.

Adam said...

Great finds again Peter. The whole area must have been a warren of studios and galleries.

I've sat outside the Lux bar before but never paid any attention to the interior. Do the tiles really date from 1910? They look suspiciously like a pastiche of what may appeal to visitors to Montmartre, and not what the reality was at that time.

Catherine said...

Je me demande toujours comment tu arrives à te faire ouvrir les portes. Elles sont tellement authentiques ces cours. Mais bien souvent, il faut les observer derrière les grilles.

Alice ! On se retrouve tous au Lux Bar, la prochaine fois ?

Ruth said...

Oh dear, I remember rue Lepic from something or other, I had it marked on my map. Maybe there was a shop there somewhere.

I have never drunk a brouilly and I don't even know what it is.

Mona said...

wow! the tiles in the lux bar are unimaginable! Such a lovely interior!

I am glad you enjoyed the brouilly ( whatever that is ) :)

Carole said...

Je peux venir aussi au Lux Bar ?

claude said...

A bientôt, Peter ! Je pars demain.
J'espère aue tu accompagneras Lyliane cet été pour me rendre visite.
je te fais la bise.

Kate said...

Beautiful photos. Paris is amazing!

PeterParis said...

Matritensis:
Fortunately the salaries have increased - somewhat - also! :-)

Cezar & Léia:
Do you know a publisher? :-)

Sixpence...:
Nice to see you here virutally! Been to Paris lately? Next time when? :-)

PeterParis said...

Krystyna:
Always nice to see you here! :-)

Shionge:
I'm sure we will meet, sooner or later, in Paris or in Singapore! :-)

James:
Thanks!! :-)

PeterParis said...

Vamsee:
Please give a sign if you come here! You can contact me on email (in my profile)! :-)

Bergson:
Tu connais? :-)

Rakesh:
Good, so I chose the right photo then! :-)

PeterParis said...

Bettina:
So we will meet at Lux Bar then? :-)

Claude:
.. a moi aussi, ça fait plaisir! :-)

Cergie:
Oui, je sais que Appolinaire habitait là, mais je ne connaissais pas l'ancienne adresse exacte de ton fils! :-)

PeterParis said...

Nathalie:
Toi aussi connaissais CL! Je suis ravie! :-)

Nathalie bis:
:-)

Nathalie ter:
On n'as pas encore fait un tour ensemble à Montmartre! A faire! :-)

PeterParis said...

April:
Good! I will check! :-)

Mo:
No, new to me! Thanks for the tip! :-)

m_m:
Yes, the tiles are really nice! :-)

PeterParis said...

JM:
You SHOULD like tiles, being from Portugal! :-)

Jilly:
Shared feelings then! :-)

Lyliane:
En effet ... mais les bars attirent! :-)

PeterParis said...

SparkleMirror:
Thanks for all these kind words - again! :-) ... and looking forward to the answer from the bar owner! :-)

hpy:
Curieux de savoir comment tu vas faire rentrer Moulin Rouge dans ton histoire! :-)

Alice:
Avec moi, j'espère! :-)

PeterParis said...

Margarida:
In Swedish again! :-) Você é o melhor! :-)

Parisbreakfast:
We made the short tour! :-)

Adam:
According to my info they are really that old! The facade of Moulin Rouge looks to me like it looked then, including the since demolished neighbour building! Perhaps to be rechecked! :-)
It was said to be based on a drawing by a famous artist, but I don't recognise the style, so I don't quote. The tiles come from "Gilardoni fils & cie, 38 rue de Paradis".

PeterParis said...

Catherine:
J'espère tous et toutes... en attendant que toi et moi? :-)

Ruth:
brouilly is a beaujolais wine, normally red and you can drink it a bit fresh, which is nice a hot summer day! See you soon Rue Lepic! :-)

Mona:
About the brouilly, see just above! :-)

PeterParis said...

Carole:
Bien sur! Nous serons nombreux, tant mieux! :-)

Claude:
Bon voyage!! On viendra... il faut seulement trouver la date! :-)

Kate:
You are "another" Kate, but more than welcome here, hopefully soon again! :-)

GMG said...

So, you also found the Lux Bar; there is nothing that I can show you in Paris... ;))

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Once again another brilliant post, oh I love Montmartre too!! I miss Paris, hopefully another trip very soon :-)

Alain said...

Il y a le prix du café, mais pas le tarif du smic de l'époque. Gageons qu'a cette époque les garçons de café ne touchaient que les "pourboires".

Bettina said...

Yes Peter - great idea, lets meet up at Lux Bar. I can't wait !

PeterParis said...

GMG:
I'm sure you have something in reserve! Hope I will get the opportunity to find it in your company one day! :-)

Anne:
I'm sure you will be back soon! :-)

Alain:
Plus que probable! :-)

PeterParis said...

Bettina:
Looking forward to it! :-)