I went for a stroll around Paris on Monday the 14th. This stroll included going around to all of the places which were mentioned in the Phantom novel which are accessible to me, and then some. I have the list of places under the itinerary/phantom walking tour. I will have to get to putting the photos and details when I get the chance... probably not until after I get back home. But it was really neat to walk in the "footsteps" of these characters because it seemed Leroux did a wonderful job at placing where these individuals would have lived.
I started at the Gare Montparnasse, which is where Raoul caught the train to go to Perros and meet with Christine. It is an older train station out of several in the area, but has been modernized and transformed to be up-to-date and comfortable for commuters. It was very easy to get to the tracks and see the trains themselves, as well as where they were going. Part of me wanted to take the next one en route toward Bretagne, but alas, I had class the next day and it was already 1:30 in the afternoon. Instead, I made my way down to Rue Faubourg de Saint-Honore. This was the street where Carlotta was living. It was a good distance from the Opera and it also was nice and fashionable. The street had many older apartments, but all of them offering a nice view below with lovely little window space with balcony space. I took a few pictures of apartments to give the general idea of the area.
Next was the Madeliene church, where Erik had intended to marry Christine. It is just down the street from the Garnier, which is probably the main reason he chose it. Funny thing was that I'd passed by it before, so when I went to walk to it, I walked up and inside of the wrong church. My first thought was that it was so quaint and great for Christine, but it didn't seem regal enough for what I would imagine Erik's tastes to be like. After finding my error and getting back on track to the REAL Madeliene, I was much more content with the choice.
I then went to the Palais Garnier. I was going to by-pass it so I would have enough time to get to the rest of my tour, but once I crossed the street at Auber, I couldn't stop myself from going inside on the Rue Scribe side (I've always wanted to say that!). I paid to get in and then found myself emerging up underneath the base of the grand staircase. I diverted my attention to the front doors and walked up from there, giving the full experience of walking into the Opera like a regular ticket holder. I wandered around for a while, going up and down the stairs both on the grand staircase and the sides by the elevators. I tried to find areas accidentally left open, but to no avail... until a group of Asian tourists walked past me. I sat across from Box 5, taking in the fact that I was actually inside of the Garnier. They pulled open the door of the box beside 5 and walked in. I was about the spring up and join them, but there was a worker sitting near me who caught on just as quickly. Pity!
I left Garnier before it got any darker, knowing I would be coming back regardless and went down toward the Rue de Peletier. This was the former location of the proceeding Peletier Opera which burned down in a fire before Garnier was complete with construction. It was believed to be somewhere on the corner of Peletier and Rue de Rossini, which strangely enough, there is a more modern-looking building now standing on this corner.
My favorite part (other than Garnier itself) was walking down the Rue Notre-Dame des Victoires, where Leroux placed Christine's apartment with Madame Valerius. It was truly medieval in appearance, making it much more quiet than the Rue Haussmann just down the street from it. Haussmann was named after the man who helped in expanding the boulevards and modernizing Paris. Ironic how this street was so close to Notre-Dame des Victoires with it's quaint and quiet personality. There was nobody on this street and every apartment was old fashioned, with the faces of the buildings bowing inward to make room for the pavements which came later in the street's history. An old church was set at the end of the street, facing a small square. Because I'm in a writing class for this study abroad course, I decided to write a paper on Place about this street because even with its connection to my love and obsession, it was just interesting in general.
I lost my lighting and direction at this point in the journey and called it quits for the night. I also had to leave for a dinner I was scheduled to attend.
This is now Thursday. Tomorrow, I plan to seek out the home where Garnier's life ended as well as the area which Raoul was believed to live in. I will also visit the school where Garnier studied, as well as the Rue de Rivoli where the Persian's apartment was located.
Again, I will post photos with more details on my walk, the history of these places, and comments when I return home.
I started at the Gare Montparnasse, which is where Raoul caught the train to go to Perros and meet with Christine. It is an older train station out of several in the area, but has been modernized and transformed to be up-to-date and comfortable for commuters. It was very easy to get to the tracks and see the trains themselves, as well as where they were going. Part of me wanted to take the next one en route toward Bretagne, but alas, I had class the next day and it was already 1:30 in the afternoon. Instead, I made my way down to Rue Faubourg de Saint-Honore. This was the street where Carlotta was living. It was a good distance from the Opera and it also was nice and fashionable. The street had many older apartments, but all of them offering a nice view below with lovely little window space with balcony space. I took a few pictures of apartments to give the general idea of the area.
Next was the Madeliene church, where Erik had intended to marry Christine. It is just down the street from the Garnier, which is probably the main reason he chose it. Funny thing was that I'd passed by it before, so when I went to walk to it, I walked up and inside of the wrong church. My first thought was that it was so quaint and great for Christine, but it didn't seem regal enough for what I would imagine Erik's tastes to be like. After finding my error and getting back on track to the REAL Madeliene, I was much more content with the choice.
I then went to the Palais Garnier. I was going to by-pass it so I would have enough time to get to the rest of my tour, but once I crossed the street at Auber, I couldn't stop myself from going inside on the Rue Scribe side (I've always wanted to say that!). I paid to get in and then found myself emerging up underneath the base of the grand staircase. I diverted my attention to the front doors and walked up from there, giving the full experience of walking into the Opera like a regular ticket holder. I wandered around for a while, going up and down the stairs both on the grand staircase and the sides by the elevators. I tried to find areas accidentally left open, but to no avail... until a group of Asian tourists walked past me. I sat across from Box 5, taking in the fact that I was actually inside of the Garnier. They pulled open the door of the box beside 5 and walked in. I was about the spring up and join them, but there was a worker sitting near me who caught on just as quickly. Pity!
I left Garnier before it got any darker, knowing I would be coming back regardless and went down toward the Rue de Peletier. This was the former location of the proceeding Peletier Opera which burned down in a fire before Garnier was complete with construction. It was believed to be somewhere on the corner of Peletier and Rue de Rossini, which strangely enough, there is a more modern-looking building now standing on this corner.
My favorite part (other than Garnier itself) was walking down the Rue Notre-Dame des Victoires, where Leroux placed Christine's apartment with Madame Valerius. It was truly medieval in appearance, making it much more quiet than the Rue Haussmann just down the street from it. Haussmann was named after the man who helped in expanding the boulevards and modernizing Paris. Ironic how this street was so close to Notre-Dame des Victoires with it's quaint and quiet personality. There was nobody on this street and every apartment was old fashioned, with the faces of the buildings bowing inward to make room for the pavements which came later in the street's history. An old church was set at the end of the street, facing a small square. Because I'm in a writing class for this study abroad course, I decided to write a paper on Place about this street because even with its connection to my love and obsession, it was just interesting in general.
I lost my lighting and direction at this point in the journey and called it quits for the night. I also had to leave for a dinner I was scheduled to attend.
This is now Thursday. Tomorrow, I plan to seek out the home where Garnier's life ended as well as the area which Raoul was believed to live in. I will also visit the school where Garnier studied, as well as the Rue de Rivoli where the Persian's apartment was located.
Again, I will post photos with more details on my walk, the history of these places, and comments when I return home.