La Bastille
Now that you’re familiar with l'intérieur de notre bel appartement parisien, I thought I would introduce you to our surrounding arrondissement, called the 11th or onzième, nicknamed La Bastille.
What's in a name?
The neighborhood known as La Bastille , pronounced (lah bas-tee), is named after a former prison, which held mostly intellectuals, anti-royal pamphleteers, activists, such as Voltaire, the Marquis de Sade, and oddly enough The Man in the Iron Mask, (who really wore a mask made of black velvet: less dramatic yes, but also less chaffing).
This prison was in use until the start of la révolution française.
The storming of the Bastille in 1789 is seen as the symbolic start of the French Revolution. The peasants decided that they had had enough of the feudal system and thus stormed the Bastille to free their imprisoned intellectuals and to collect the nice caché of weapons and ammunition also found within its walls. The Parisian mob tore it down brick by brick.
Today, a statue stands in the middle of the intersection in commemoration of the prison which once stood in its place and more importantly as a reminder of why it is no longer there.
Fast forward to 2012
The 11th arrondissement of Paris is an edgy, ethnically diverse area. It's a huge draw for students and fans of nightlife, offering a disproportionate number of the city's hippest bars and clubs.
Other significant sights to see around the Bastille:
Oberkampf neighborhood (vibrant nightlife scene)
Maison des Métallos (former metalworkers' house; currentlyan arts and culture center)
Here's where you'll find us:
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| Nous nous parlerons en boivant une tasse de cafe noir. |
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| Nous danserons en boivant un verre de vin (ou cinq). |
Alors, venez nous voir!
(In 34 days!)
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