A walker's guide to Paris, taking us through its past, present and
possible futures
Eric Hazan, author of the acclaimed Invention of Paris, takes the reader
on a walk from Ivry to Saint-Denis, roughly following the meridian that
divides Paris into east and west, and passing such familiar landmarks as
the Luxembourg Gardens, the Pompidou Centre, the Gare du Nord and
Montmartre, as well as forgotten alleyways and arcades. Weaving
historical anecdotes, geographical observations, and literary
references, Hazan's walk guides us through an unknown Paris. With the
aid of maps, he delineates the most fascinating and forgotten parts of
the city's past and present.
Planning and modernization have accelerated the erasure of its
revolutionary history, yet through walking and observation, Hazan shows
how we can regain our knowledge of the city of Robespierre, the Commune,
Sartre, and the May '68 uprising.
Drawing on his own life story, as surgeon, publisher and social critic,
Hazan vividly illustrates the interplay and concord between a city and
the personality it forms.