Doors of the Month: Place Des Vosges

I recently realized that I have never featured a door from the Place des Vosges, so today I am presenting a variety of doors from the historic square. 

A few facts about the Place des Vosges

1. It was the first public square of Paris, constructed from 1605 to 1612. It was commissioned by King Henri IV, who also commissioned the construction of the Ile Saint Louis. 

2. Victor Hugo lived on the south east corner of the square and partly wrote Les Miserables living there. Today it’s a museum with free admission. 

3. It was originally named Place Royal, but the reason why it’s called Place des Vosges, is because in 1699 the city was running out of money and they sent an incentive out to the 95 departments of France, and which ever department paid its taxes first, would have a square named after it. The Vosges region in eastern France, near the German border, paid its taxes first, so that’s why it’s called Place des Vosges. 

4. The park in the middle is named after King Louis 13^th, who married princess Anne of Austria, in 1613, just after the square was inaugurated. 

5. Other notable people that lived on the square include Madame Sevigne, Jack Lang, the former minister of culture in France, and Cardinal Richelieu. The most notorious former resident was Dominique Strauss Kahn. Kahn was groomed to be the president in the 2011 French election, until he was detained in New York City for allegedly raping a chambermaid at the hotel he was staying in. He was later exonerated but faced more sexual abuse charges when he returned to France from former victims who spoke out. Kahn was later brought up on charges of running a prostitution ring in Lille but was again exonerated on the charges. Harvey Weinstein hired Kahn’s lawyer when he was brought on sexual abuse and rape charges, but eventually fired him. 

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, where I make and bake a Dark, Chocolate, Chestnut Cake.

Click here to watch the video.

Comments

[Cheryl]

Hi Richard!
I'm so happy I found you all those years ago! It must have been pretty early on. And huge congratulations on the work you've done and on the community you've established! I've met some really amazing people here, including you and Vincent. And I'm honored to call you my friend!