Courtyard Week 2: 15 rue du Cherche Midi

Due to the overwhelming accolades from Courtyard Week 1 last August, I am happy to bring you you Courtyard Week 2. Since last August I have tirelessly trolled the Paris streets ducking, sneaking, and fast talking my way into various courtyards.

After leaving Poilane boulangerie last month for my interview with Parisian of the Month Apollonia Poilane, I crossed the street and noticed the door ajar at 15 rue du Cherche Midi. Inside was one of the most elegant and gorgeous courtyards I have seen so far.  I couldn't believe how lush the foliage was considering it was December and a very cold one at that. I love the centerpiece of the garden,a moss covered sphinx/gargoyle-like statue. Does anybody know what kind of statue that is or what it is called?

15 rue du Cherche Midi, 6th arr.

Metro: Sevres-Babylone or Saint Sulpice

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte’s professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 3 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Comments

[Evelyn]

Amazing what lies behind those beautiful blue doors, huh? The courtyard must make its own little micro-climate to keep things this green and lush into Dec. My guess is that statue is a sphinx.

[linda]

Walk out of hotel lutecia make a left onto rue de cherche midi and on the left side of the street a couple of stores in you wIll find the BEST handmade chocolates shop in all of Paris.

[Diogenes]

Richard,

Dumb question: Are all those doors normally closed? So if you see a courtyard or get in it's because someone has left the door ajar?

Are they private spaces for one person, or common areas for apartments?

[Richard]

yes, most of these doors are normally closed and yes, i go in if a door is ajar or there is workman going in. sometimes they have businesses in them in the courtyards, like ateliers, so then they are open or you can buzz yourself in without a code during the day. I have sometimes used un-orthodox ways of getting in them, but that's the fun part. they are usually common spaces for apt. buildings.

[Mary Duncan]

15 rue du Cherche Midi is discussed in my book, Henry Miller is Under My Bed:
People and Places on the Way to Paris (Starhaven 2008). My late friend Dan Dixon owned the RdC, the two blue doors in photo #4.
Andy Warhol owned the apartment upstairs, the owner of Club Med owned the penthouse and a countess owned the apt on the right as you enter the gates. I had use of the large studio for several years. The courtyard has really been improved. I'm told that originally it was built in 1680? or so. The ground floor apts were for the horses