Fabric of Paris It’s been a while since I’ve written any new material for Fabric of Paris. That’s largely because I’ve been working on something else. Something I’m very excited to announce here: Fabric of Paris walking tours.
The idea of operating walking tours came to me about a year ago. I love telling others about Paris (some would say I love the sound of my own voice) so tours seemed a natural extension of this blog. But it’s taken time to get from that germ of an idea to something more concrete.
While the Fabric of Paris tours might be unlikely fodder for a first visit to Paris, I’m confident anyone who follows this blog will find them fascinating. In one, we trace the architectural history of this beautiful city with a walk along a single street. In the other, we wander the 13th arrondissement, tracing its industrial past – and its evolving present.
This is where you, loyal reader, come in. Before I can make this a regular thing, I need volunteers to help me stress-test the tours. In exchange for an engaging, thoroughly-researched tour, I ask only for two things: your patience in areas which lack polish; and your honest feedback afterwards to help me perfect it. If that sounds like a good deal, and if you have a spare weekend morning or afternoon at some point in the next few months, please get in touch and let’s work something out!
Below is a quick presentation of each tour. Note that although I’m using the term “walking tour”, both tours should also be accessible on a wheelchair.
Réaumur: a history of Paris in one street
- Start: Square du Temple
- End: Place de l’Opéra
- Approximate duration: 1h30
- Pitch: The rue Réaumur, running through the 2nd and 3rd arrondissements, features a remarkable cross-section of the architectural styles which have shaped Paris. Stretching a half-hour walk into a tour lasting around an hour and a half, we learn about the people and events that made the street, and indeed the city, what it is today. We start in the Square du Temple – an Haussmannian park on the site of a medieval priory – and finish in front of the archetypal example of Napoleon III architecture: the Opéra Garnier.
Postindustrial Paris: the legacy of industry in the 12th and 13th arrondissements
- Start: Bercy Village
- End: Maison Blanche
- Approximate duration: 3h30 (including a snack/toilet break)
- Pitch: Either side of the Seine, the neighbourhoods of Bercy and the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand have undergone a huge transformation in the last few decades. The area offers some wonderful examples of adaptive reuse, repurposing the mills and warehouses of yesteryear to new roles. But even where the buildings are brand new, the area’s industrial history is easy to see. Wear sensible shoes: we won’t be going anywhere unpaved, but we’ll on our feet for a long time.
Drop me a line if you’re interested!
