Collete

          Bonjour, readers!  Bienvenu to the "Dog Blog", officially known as It's Raining Les Chien.  My name is Collete and I am a cat.  You might be asking, "Why is a cat a part of the 'Dog Blog'?"  Well, I'm a cat and I can do what I want!  Also, I was asked by my canine friends to introduce you to the blog and explain what you should expect.   Well, it's relatively simple, especially because it was designed by a bunch of dogs.  In the following posts, you will meet one or two dogs and learn about the area of Paris they spend time in or live.  I decided to give my support to the blog because I though it was a simple and entertaining way to get to know the city of Paris a bit better.  Not to mention, if cats made a blog about Paris, the positive response would be so overwhelming, it might overshadow the city.  A difficult feat, but cats can do anything.

          Anyway, moving on.  I figured considering this is the first entry, why not start on a good note with the input of an awesome cat?  So, here is my attempt to show you how great a city Paris is by explaining a little bit about my neighborhood.  Enjoy!

          I live in the 6th arrondissement of Paris near the famed Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe.  The Odéon theater is really cool and really old.  It was built in the late 1770's and was meant for the Comédie Française, but they decided to stay in their original location.  One interesting thing about the opening of the theater is it was inaugurated by the Marie Antoinette in 1782!   Then, in 1808 the theater went under reconstruction.  The new architect was the same guy who designed the Arc de Triomphe, Jean Chalgrin.  The theater was then officially named Théâtre de l'Impératrice, but everyone still called it simply the Odéon. However, in 1818 the theater burned down.  Luckily in 1819, the theater was rebuilt to its current design by Pierre Thomas Baraguay.

          The theater is a central part of the neighborhood.  I think it is one of prettiest buildings in Paris.  Sometimes I get to sneak in during a rehearsal or even a show.  I love watching the performances.  Its almost like being transported back in time, even if it is a more modern act.  There is a special feeling you get while watching a live performance in such an old and important building.  I think this is also true about Paris.  Walking the streets of a city that's history goes back multiple millennium, where ever you go something important happened there.  I realize that I live in one of, if not the best city in the world.  I am one lucky cat.

Me, taking a cat nap in a restaurant near the theater

The Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe

Marie Thérèse and Louis Joseph

          Bonjour, my subjects!  My name is Marie Thérèse (I'm the one in the fabulous black and white coat) and my brother's name is Louis (in boring tan).  We love to play in a small square called Place Dauphine in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.  I have always been the queen of my castle, yet my name sake was only queen for 20 minutes.  Marie Thérèse of France was the daughter and first born of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and was the sister of Louis Joseph (who I'm sure was just as annoying as my brother).  The reason she was only queen for 20 minutes was because that was the amount of time it took for her husband to turn over the crown to Charles X, who later became king.

          However, Place Dauphine was built for another dauphin, one that was around centuries before my name sake's brother.  The square was built in 1607 under the orders of Henry IV for his son, the future Louis XIII.  Henry IV had began projects to create public squares in Paris.  His first was the Palace Royal and his second was Place Dauphine.  The funny thing about the square is that it is actually a triangle!  I always thought that was weird...

          I'm not much for running, but I love coming to Place Dauphine to play with the other dogs that hang out here.  My brother can be a bit annoying at times, but he can be fun too.  The cool thing about Paris is that there are small squares all over and this means I can play all over the city with a bunch of different types of dogs.  I might be a queen, but I'm still a dog at heart.  I don't know of any other city that would meet my standards like Paris does.  It's perfect for me.

Me, looking amazing, and my brother

Ernest

         Salut!  My name is Ernest.  I was named after the famous American writer, Ernest Hemingway and I happen to live in the same neighborhood Ernest lived in Paris during the 20's, Saint-Germain-des-Prés.  The area of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is part of the 6th arrondissement of Paris and was the center of many artistic and intellectual movements.  Additionally, it is home to many landmarks, such as Les Deux Margots, Café de Flore, and the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés which was built in the 6th century!  Speaking of the abby, its history has lent itself to the history of the entire area.  In the 11th century, it was the home to an important writing center and therefore turned the area into a center of intellectual life for Paris.  This theme continued into the 19th and 20th century helping the neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés to become the home of existentialism and artists and writers such as Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, and Juan Gris.

          Saint-Germain-des-Prés was documented in Hemingway's memoir A Movable Feast.  In his memoir, Hemingway writes about his everyday life while living in Paris during the 1920's.  This seemed like a fun time to live, for a human at least.  I would have liked to hear the music and get a doggy bag from the famous restaurants and cafes that were in the area.  Some of these eateries are still around, such a Les Deux Margots, Café de Flore, and Lipp's.  I haven't read many of the books and poetry that came out of that time, but my people do and they read it to me sometimes.  That even seems weird to me, but I can't complain.  I like hearing about my neighborhood and the people who lived in it years ago.  Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a fun place to be a dog!

Talking a walk around the town

Sylvia

          Bonsoir, my friends!  My name is Sylvia and I live in the 5th arrondissement of Paris.   While I'm not allowed inside, my owners like to walk me around the famous bookstore, Shakespeare and Co.  I hear them talk about the shop all the time.  They talk about its extensive history and the well-known authors and artists that have spent time there over the years.  Shakespeare and Co was a place for these artists and writers to explore other genres and forms of writing and art in a safe and inspiring place.  One cool thing about the bookstore when it first opened was that it was not just a bookstore, but also allowed for books to be checked out like a library.  It was a place for everyone, even those who couldn't afford to buy the books.

          The history of Shakespeare and Co is just as interesting as the people and books that inhabited its walls.  The current location of the store was not the original building.  Sylvia Beach opened the original Shakespeare and Co in 1919 on rue de l'Odéon.  The area was known for little bookshops that famous writers of the time, such as James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway, hung out in.  A few decades later during the German occupation of WW 2, Sylvia had to close its doors and unfortunately they never opened again.  Then in 1951, George Whitman opened up another bookstore in the current location, but later renamed it to Shakespeare and Co in 1961 to honor Sylvia.  The current Shakespeare and Co ran for 50 years under Whitman's management until his death in 2011.  Now, it is run by Whitman's daughter, aptly named Sylvia Beach Whitman.

          Shakespeare and Co represents one of the best parts of Paris.  The bookstore was and still is used as a safe place for freedom of expression and education.  Even in times of restriction, the bookstore was there for famous and not so famous artists and writers to enjoy and be themselves.  I fully believe Paris is the place for artists and writers and Shakespeare and Co should be the first place a newcomer in Paris should visit.

Me in an awkward situation...

The outside of the store.  The only part I get to see.