Cafe Les Deux Magots - Paris Photos and Info - John Brody Photography

Cafe Les Deux Magots - A Brief History

This is a famous café on the Left Bank of the Seine called Les Deux Magots. It’s popular with both tourists and Parisians, and has a long and colorful history as a meeting place for famous writers and philosophers. Deux Magots (as it is known to Parisians) was once a favorite spot for existentialist writers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Bouvoir, and a favorite of Hemmingway and Picasso's (who is said to have created Cubism here - why they say that I have no clue, but I've seen the comment in several writings). It's now a favorite for anyone who can afford the price tag - you're paying for the vibrant location and history. The hot debate over the name of the cafe rages on a hundred years later. The literal translation of the name into English of 'two nest eggs' and the sound of the name has many arguing that it's an age old sly joke in naming a restaurant 'The Two Maggots'. However, the majority opinion is that Deux Magots is named after two wooden statues of Chinese mandarins which still dominate the room (one of the definitions of “magots” in French is “chunky Eastern figurine, made from stone, jade, or porcelain”). Only the original owner will ever know for sure.

The picture above was taken from the northeast corner of the Place du Québec, which is at the intersection of the boulevard Saint-Germain and the rue de Rennes. The boulevard Saint-Germain continues into the heart of the Latin Quarter behind the camera. To the right, and also off-camera, is the rue Bonaparte, which leads a short distance north to the left (southern) bank of the Seine river (that’s where the Left Bank gets its name—the southern bank of the river is on the left in the direction of the river’s flow, which is westward). To the left, and off-camera, the intersection leads into the rue de Rennes, which continues south into the Montparnasse area. All of this is in the sixth district of Paris, best known as the home of the Latin Quarter, the students’ district. This part of Paris, like many others, is filled with people from morning until very late at night.


- John Brody Photography

Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris Photos and Info - John Brody Photography

Notre Dame Cathedral at Dusk - JohnBrody.com / John Brody Photography


Notre Dame Cathedral - Proceeded by a Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter, a Christian basilica, and a Romanesque church, construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone. The idea to replace the Romanesque church occupying the site - the Cathedral of St. Etienne (founded by Childebert in 528) - was that of Bishop Maurice de Sully (who died in 1196). (Some accounts claim that there were two churches existing on the site, one to the Virgin Mary, the other to St. Stephen.) Construction was completed roughly 200 years later in about 1345.

The choir was completed in 1182; the nave in 1208, and the west front and towers circa 1225-1250. A series of chapels were added to the nave during the period 1235-50, and during 1296-1330 to the apse (Pierre de Chelles and Jean Ravy). The transept crossings were build in 1250-67 by Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil (also the architect of the Sainte-Chapelle). It was essentially completed according to the original plans. The reigns of Louis XIV (end of the 17th century) and Louis XV saw significant alterations including the destruction of tombs, and stained glass. At the end of the 18th century, during the Revolution, many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. Only the great bells avoided being melted down. The church interior was used as a warehouse for the storage of forage and food.

After falling into disrepair, a restoration program overseen by Lassus (died 1857) and Viollet-le-Duc, was carried out in 1845. This program lasted 23 years, and included the construction of the spire and the sacristy.

During the Commune of 1871, the Cathedral was nearly burned by the Communards - and some accounts suggest that indeed a huge mound of chairs was set on fire in its interior. Whatever happened, the Notre Dame survived the Commune essentially unscathed."



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