Jaw-Dropping Parisian Libraries: A Peek Inside
...plus, commemorating the weird history of the French croissant, an Irish radio appearance, and what's on in February
Dear Subscribers,
I spent three years in Paris as a student, including two working on independent research projects— which means libraries were my primary habitat for a time.
This was hardly a grim existence. Many of the libraries where I spent hours poring over obscure (and not-so-obscure) literary tomes for my Masters’ thesis were stunning places. The type that both inspired me to read, think and write, and also offered useful distraction in the form of painstakingly carved paneling, stained glass, or some other fantastic architectural detail.
At the futuristic French National Library (BNF) in south Paris, I especially enjoyed strolling the long, window-lined corridors between the vast reading rooms. They felt a bit like a contemporary cloister, overlooked the library’s interior gardens with its impossibly tall trees, and were perfect for mulling over an idea I hadn’t quite worked out yet. There was something appealingly monastic (but not claustrophobic) about it.
I’m still nostalgic for those library-centric days. So I got a particular kick out of Paris Unlocked Associate Editor Rachel Naismith’s latest piece on some of the city’s most stunning libraries, from 18th-century treasuries to modern intellectual havens.
See our reel below offering a glimpse of the newly renovated “Oval Room” at the BNF’s Richelieu site just outside the Palais Royale.
With its immense glass ceiling letting in generous amounts of light— that in turn highlights the tall wooden shelves and other architectural features— I’ve rarely seen such a gorgeous place to work and dream. You can also just pop in for a visit to this and other Parisian libraries. See more in the full article below.
Turning now to culinary history and the weird origin stories and myths that often crop up around popular foods, yesterday was “International Croissant Day”. Who knows who comes up with these inflated “holidays”— are they sponsored by some flour or butter lobby? I didn’t bother looking it up.
But however skeptical I am of these sorts of manufactured occasions, this one gave me the fun chance to appear live on a popular Irish radio show called Newstalk, chatting with host Sean Moncrieff about the strange history of the French croissant.
In the clip from the show, which you can listen to here, I dig into the probable origins of today’s iconic butter croissant, and discuss a couple of common myths around how it came to be in the first place.
I want to issue a small amendment here, though: in the clip, I mention the addition of “puff pastry” to the croissant recipe as the thing that radically changed the mouthfeel, texture and layered quality of the finished product.
But this isn’t strictly correct. It was the creation of a yeasted, leavened and laminated pâte feuilletée, and not plain old puff pastry, that prompted that almost alchemical change and yielded the butter croissant we know and love today. To the food history purists among you, I say “mea culpa!”
If you’re interested in digging even deeper into this butter-and-yeast laden history, see my full feature on the history of the croissant at Paris Unlocked.
Next up, February in Paris is often maligned as depressing and sleepy, but there’s so much on next month (and every February) to prove that impression wrong.
Check out our fully updated guide to the 2nd month in the French capital for tons of advice on how to make the most of the low ebb— and make sure you find the good stuff. Oh, and the pic above is a bit misleading, admittedly— February snow is pretty rare in Paris.
This week, I decided to drop the paywall on one of the features I’ve had the most fun putting together over the past months: a conversation (in both print and audio form) with Cristen Hemingway Jaynes, author of Hemingway’s Travels.
This was a fascinating chat that offers a few glimpses into Ernest’s Parisian haunts and places that deeply marked both his work and his relationships. Cristen also illuminates her own process for writing the book about her great-grandfather’s embrace of travel and adventure, discussing the delicate balance she had to strike as a biographer who also happens to be related to the famous subject.
Read, listen, and please share with anyone who might be interested!
Onward: I’ve got three recent exclusive posts for paid subscribers this month (and remember, you can take advantage of a 7-day free trial to read these, or any features in our now-ample archive at Substack, that may interest you).
First up, I talk about how Paris is gearing up for this summer’s Olympic games in the capital, offering some of the latest details on where the opening ceremonies will take place and addressing some of the reigning security concerns. Plus, David Bowie gets his own Parisian street, marking the city’s enduring love for him…
Next up, inspired in part by the comic musings of New Yorker-turned-Parisian standup Sebastian Marx, I offer my own shortlist of 5 things about Paris life I’ll probably never get used to, from “resting lawns” that you can never sit on at city parks, to strangers feeling very free with their comments about what (and when) you choose to eat.
So here goes….with the caveat, of course, that these pet peeves are mostly based on my subjective experiences. I’m not claiming there’s any hard data behind any of this, and like anything offered mostly in a spirit of humor, it’s to be taken with a grain of salt.
Last but certainly not least, my third post for paid subscribers this month offers a juicy look at some of the forthcoming shows, exhibits, openings and re-openings I’m excited about in 2024.
I find that if I don’t do a bit of research at the beginning of the year to figure out what’s on in the coming months and what I might want to see, tickets quickly sell out. This is especially true since many museums and other cultural forums have retained the pandemic-era “timed entry” policy, much to the chagrin of those (including me) who like to keep these things a tad spontaneous.
So without further ado, and in the spirit of trying to help those of you with trips planned this year by doing some of the research myself, here are a few exhibits and openings that you might want to keep on your radar. And again, if you’re interested, book a slot for those that require tickets— as soon as you can.
If you're willing and able to, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. This gives you unlimited access to my archive of exclusive articles on the capital and other destinations in France— including in-depth travel itineraries, stories and reviews like the ones above.
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Thank you for your support!
That’s about it for this month’s free issue, les ami/es. I want to reiterate how grateful I am for your continued readership and support. I also encourage you to visit the Paris Unlocked website to dig into our archive of in-depth stories, features and France-related travel tips. Scroll down to see a few I recommend this month.
that's a damn fine photo of montmartre in the snow...<3