Paris is known as the city with the Eiffel Tower from 1889, Napoleon's triumphal arch, which was inaugurated in 1836, more than ten years after the emperor's death in 1821, and the modern triumphal arch, La Grande Arche de la Défense, designed by Danish architect Johann Otto von Spreckelsen (1929-1987).
Paris may not be known as an ancient city, but it does date back to antiquity. The Romans called it Lutetia, but the French have a problem pronouncing this word. In French it becomes Lutèce. This form is used in several place names. A street on the tiny island in the river Seine - Île de la Cité – is called Rue de Lutèce, and the Roman amphitheatre, which is partially preserved, is known as Les Arènes de Lutèce.
There are plenty of guidebooks about Paris, but as far as I know, there is only one about Lutetia. It is written by the French archaeologist Didier Busson, who is an expert on Paris, and it is #
The French version
was published in 2001. An English version (translated by Alexandra Keens) appeared in 2003. The title is: Paris, a Roman City.
The publications in this series are written by professional archaeologists, and the quality is high. Unfortunately, the first books in this series have a rather old-fashioned layout. Fortunately, the more recent books – e.g. this book – have a more modern and user-friendly layout. The text is divided into many sections with clear headings, so it is easy to find what you are looking for. Furthermore, there are many instructive illustrations, and many of them are in color.
The book is divided into three sections:
The first section presents the history of the ancient city (pages 19-61).
The second section presents the ancient monuments: A forum, a theatre, an amphitheatre (Les Arènes de Lutèce) and three baths (Thermes du forum, Thermes du College de France, and Thermes de Cluny) (pages 63-135).
The third section presents two local museums that have a Gallo-Roman collection. The first is Musée National du Moyen Age, also known as Thermes de Cluny. The second is Musée Carnavalet, which is the city museum of Paris. This section also presents the archaeological crypt under the square in front of Notre-Dame (La crypte archéologique du parvis Notre-Dame), where you can see some of the oldest walls of the city (pages 137-153).
The book concludes with a chronology, a glossary, a bibliography and a page with some practical information about the museums.
There is no index. But there is a proposed itinerary for a walk through ancient Paris. The route has 17 points, plus the city museum, located north of the Seine. There is a short text for each of the 17 points, plus a map of the city where the route is marked. The map of the city is printed on the inside of the back cover. When you fold it out, you have the text of the 17 points and map of the city side by side.
A guidebook is not only meant to be read, it is also meant to be used. What about this one? Is it any good? The answer is: yes! I had it with me on a trip to Paris, during which I had the opportunity to check its information down to the smallest detail.
The publications in this series are written by professional archaeologists, and the quality is high. Unfortunately, the first books in this series have a rather old-fashioned layout. Fortunately, the more recent books – e.g. this book – have a more modern and user-friendly layout. The text is divided into many sections with clear headings, so it is easy to find what you are looking for. Furthermore, there are many instructive illustrations, and many of them are in color.
The book is divided into three sections:
The first section presents the history of the ancient city (pages 19-61).
The second section presents the ancient monuments: A forum, a theatre, an amphitheatre (Les Arènes de Lutèce) and three baths (Thermes du forum, Thermes du College de France, and Thermes de Cluny) (pages 63-135).
The third section presents two local museums that have a Gallo-Roman collection. The first is Musée National du Moyen Age, also known as Thermes de Cluny. The second is Musée Carnavalet, which is the city museum of Paris. This section also presents the archaeological crypt under the square in front of Notre-Dame (La crypte archéologique du parvis Notre-Dame), where you can see some of the oldest walls of the city (pages 137-153).
The book concludes with a chronology, a glossary, a bibliography and a page with some practical information about the museums.
There is no index. But there is a proposed itinerary for a walk through ancient Paris. The route has 17 points, plus the city museum, located north of the Seine. There is a short text for each of the 17 points, plus a map of the city where the route is marked. The map of the city is printed on the inside of the back cover. When you fold it out, you have the text of the 17 points and map of the city side by side.
A guidebook is not only meant to be read, it is also meant to be used. What about this one? Is it any good? The answer is: yes! I had it with me on a trip to Paris, during which I had the opportunity to check its information down to the smallest detail.
The walk worked well. But the time frame given – “a little more than one
hour” - is not realistic. I recommend that you set aside an entire day for the walk.
I also recommend that you set aside half a day to visit the Gallo-Roman
collection in the city museum in Rue de Sévigné, near the beautiful Place des
Vosges.
Some of the 17 points on the route are more interesting than others. In some cases there is little or nothing to see, for instance # 2 (Rue Toullier) about the forum. Unfortunately, there is nothing to see here.
This also applies to # 6 (Rue des Écoles), about Thermes du College de France and the theatre. There is nothing to see here, either. In these cases, you must give yourself the following message:
Some of the 17 points on the route are more interesting than others. In some cases there is little or nothing to see, for instance # 2 (Rue Toullier) about the forum. Unfortunately, there is nothing to see here.
This also applies to # 6 (Rue des Écoles), about Thermes du College de France and the theatre. There is nothing to see here, either. In these cases, you must give yourself the following message:
“It is sad that there is no longer any visible trace of these monuments,
but do not blame the author for this. He has taken you to the place where they
once were, and he has told you what is known about them. He has done what he
can.”
The text of # 1 (Rue Saint-Jacques) mentions a “Metro Luxembourg.” This is a mistake. Luxembourg is not a metro station, it is an RER station, and it is located on Boulevard Saint-Michel. The two networks do not meet very often. There are only a few stations where you can change from one network to the other. The metro covers almost all major sites in Paris, but this area (around Panthéon), has no subway station. In other words, you cannot use the metro when you want to begin the archaeological walk. You must find another way to get there.
This guidebook about Lutetia is recommended for two reasons:
(1) It gives detailed and reliable background information, which you can study before you visit Paris. Not only about the monuments and the museums, which you can see, but also about buildings that are no longer visible, because they are hidden under modern constructions.
(2) It tells you where to go when you are in Paris, and it enables you to understand what you see, even when there is little or nothing to see. In short: it does exactly what a guidebook is supposed to do, and it does it well!
The text of # 1 (Rue Saint-Jacques) mentions a “Metro Luxembourg.” This is a mistake. Luxembourg is not a metro station, it is an RER station, and it is located on Boulevard Saint-Michel. The two networks do not meet very often. There are only a few stations where you can change from one network to the other. The metro covers almost all major sites in Paris, but this area (around Panthéon), has no subway station. In other words, you cannot use the metro when you want to begin the archaeological walk. You must find another way to get there.
This guidebook about Lutetia is recommended for two reasons:
(1) It gives detailed and reliable background information, which you can study before you visit Paris. Not only about the monuments and the museums, which you can see, but also about buildings that are no longer visible, because they are hidden under modern constructions.
(2) It tells you where to go when you are in Paris, and it enables you to understand what you see, even when there is little or nothing to see. In short: it does exactly what a guidebook is supposed to do, and it does it well!
* * *
The French version:
Didier Busson,
Paris ville antique,
Éditions du Patrimoine, 2001, 160 pages
* * *
The English version (translated by Alexandra Keens):
Didier Busson,
Paris, a Roman City,
Éditions du Patrimoine, 2003, 160 pages
* * *
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