Greening Paris on Dead Trees (Paper)

Many of the records of the massive renovation of Paris (1853-1870) were lost in the 1871 fire  that destroyed l'Hotel de Ville. Fortunately, Georges-Eugene Haussmann and several other key people on his renovation team left behind their memoirs. Here is a brief sampler. 

This podcast was created by Roger Mummert for www.theparisproject.net.

Transcript

The Greening of Paris on Dead Trees 

(Or, if you like, paper)

It is fortunate, for the sake of history, that Georges-Eugène Haussmann, who oversaw the great 19th century renovation of Paris, left us a remarkably detailed memoir of the city’s transformation. It is fortunate, as well, that several key members of his staff, wrote their accounts, too.

The following are brief descriptions of their memoirs. The books are in French, and they contain a wealth of illustrations, engravings, maps and photographs. I viewed them at the New York Public Library, where you can see them on request. Some of the books are enormous, 2x3 feet, quite heavy and bound in multiple volumes. They filled up a whole library cart. For anyone looking to understand the thinking behind the renovation and the mechanics of how it happened, these books are the real deal: Explore them and enjoy.  

Mémoires du Baron Haussmann
By Georges-Eugène Haussmann (1890-1893)

Here is the place to start. Haussmann (1809-1891) wrote a three-volume memoir totaling 1,717 pages—and his ego shines through on pretty much every one of them. He regards the “transformation of Paris” into a magnificent city as “a complete success.” Haussmann settles scores with legislators and functionaries he treated with disdain and often kept in the dark. One section is titled “critiques, oppositions, resistances,” and according to Haussmann he pretty much vanquished them all. His work is remarkably detailed, with budgets and expenditures exact down to the last centime. And this is fortuitous, as the city’s records of the renovation were lost in 1871 when the Communards burned l’Hotel de Ville. On occasion, Haussmann pauses his self-praise to spread a few breadcrumbs of appreciation for his staff.

Les Promenades de Paris (1867-1873)
By Adolph Alphand

Adolph Alphand (1817-1891) was an engineer who headed the Corps of Bridges and Roads. He was named director of the newly created Service des Promenades et Plantations. As such, he oversaw the creation of new parks, notable the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes at the western and eastern edges of the city. His contribution to a greener Paris was profound. Les Promenade de Paris comprises five oversized volumes richly illustrated with maps, engravings, designs, and lovely color plates of plants and trees. 

Les Parcs et Jardins Au Commencement du XXe Siècle (1908)
Ecole Francais (Barillet-Deschamps)
By Jules Vacherot 

This book presents the principles of garden design espoused by Jean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps (1824-1873) a horticulturist and landscape architect who served as Chief Gardiner of Paris under the renovation. The book is written by Jules Vacherot, who himself served as Chief Gardiner in subsequent decades. Barillet-Deschamps designed and planted the greenery of the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes, among other new parks. He also redesigned the Jardins de Luxembourg and oversaw the planting of trees along new boulevards. Barillet-Deschamps introduced English style gardens to Paris, along with formal French gardens. His gardens and promenades influenced urban parks around the world. The book is filled with photographs and drawings. A great document. 

Le Bois de Boulogne Architectural (1860)
Des Embellishments Executé dans son Enceinte et ses Arbres

Sous le directions de MM

Gabrielle Davioud, architecte

Adolphe Alphand, chief engineer

Dessins par Theodore Vacquer  (1824-xxx), architecte

Jean-Antoine-Gabrielle Davioud (1824-1881) was an architect who designed structures in the parks: benches, pavilions, bandstands, fountains, lampposts, signposts, fences, balustrades, jetties. Many of the designs we think of as French came from his drawing board. Davioud was influenced by Moorish motifs in vogue at the time, but we now identify his work with Belle Époque Paris. This account, in five oversized volumes, is wonderfully illustrated.

Les Travaux Souterraines de Paris (1873-1887)
Five books, two atlases  
By Eugène Belgrand

Eugène Belgrade (1810-1878) played an essential role in transforming Paris, though most of his work remains out of sight, in underground water pipes and sewer systems. He created a comprehensive sewer system so cutting edge that boat tours of les egouts de Paris were all the rage during the city’s exhibitions in the latter 19th century. Belgrand was a lifelong water-wonk, and his memoir is hardly fun reading. Its multiple volumes exceed 2,000 pages, many of them filled with rainfall charts and tedious measurements. Of greater interest are illustrations of sewer tunnels, pipes, pumps, dredges, wagons and boats: the guts of the system. 

In addition to sewers, Belgrand developed a system to bring pure spring water to Paris for both drinking and for watering the city’s new greenery. The book depicts  and illustrates water sources and delivery systems back to Roman aqueducts. 

Also included, as a kind of bonus, are reproductions of royal decrees (Francois I, Catherine de Medici, Henri IV) for commissions to provide Paris with water and fountains. Belgrand’s memoir cements his place in history as seminal and (ironically) a bit dry: The titles of his volumes: “La Seine,” “Les Eaux,” (the waters) “Les Anciennes Eaux,” “Les Eaux Nouvelles,”  “Les Egouts, Les Vidanges” (sewers and drainage pipes), and “Memoire l’Assainissement de Paris,) or “Memoir of the Sanitation of Paris.”

I don’t know that I shall ever again spend an afternoon reading five huge tomes about water and sewers, but I am glad I did. It was almost as much fun and my visit to Musée des Égouts de Paris, the sewer museum, that truly takes you down into the bowels of the city. There are illustrated exhibits, drawings and photos, you walk the tunnels and see (and smell) the flowing effluence. There also is a nice bust of Belgrand, the great engineer gazing upon his grand creation. But those lovely boat rides: unfortunately, a thing of the past.