Into a Paris Quartier: Reine Margot's Chapel and Other Haunts of St. Germain

by Diane Johnson

As a child, Diane Johnson was entranced by The Three Musketeers, dashing 17th-century residents of the famous romantic quartier called St.-Germain-des-Pr�s. Now, the paperback edition of her delightful book will take even more Americans to the richly historic part of the city that has always attracted us, from Ben Franklin in the 18th-century to raffish novelist Henry Miller in the 20th.

Modern St.-Germain is lively and prosperous, and fifty years ago its heady mix of jazz and existentialism defined urbane cool, but Johnson takes a longer view. "Beside the shades of Jean-Paul Sartre and Edith Piaf," she writes, "there is another crowd of resident ghosts... misty figures in plumed hats whose fortunes and passions were enacted among these beautiful, imposing buildings." From her kitchen window, she looks out on a chapel begun by Reine Margot, wife of Henri IV; nearby streets are haunted by the shades of two sinister cardinals, Mazarin and Richelieu, as well as four famed queens and at least five kings. Delacroix, Corot, Ingres, David, and Manet all lived in St.-Germain; Oscar Wilde died there; and everybody who was anybody visited sooner or later.

With her delicious imagination and wry, opinionated voice, Diane Johnson makes a companionable and fascinating guide to a classic neighborhood as cosmopolitan as it is quintessentially French.

Genres: France, Travel, Nonfiction, History, Historical, Memoir, Essays

204 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

Diane Johnson is an American novelist and essayist whose satirical novels often feature American heroines living in contemporary France. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Persian Nights in 1988.
In addition to her literary works, she is also known for writing the screenplay of the 1980 film The Shining together with its director and producer Stanley Kubrick.

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know what to make of this book. The author herself calls it an "essay," but if it is, what is the thesis? These are just a collection of random, haphazard vignettes based on her experience living in the St-Germain-de-Pres quarter (6th arrondissement) in Paris. I found the book disjointed, largely frivolous, and horrendously self-serving. I lost count of the number of times she referred to her specific address on Rue Bonaparte (who cares!) and that she can see a chapel built by Queen Marguerite de Valois in 1608 outside her kitchen window.

The book meanders around, and apparently any Parisian history before the 15-1600's isn't really worth delving into. She mentions the strong quartet of French queens, and the historical d'Artagnan, but this isn't a book about the strong women who shaped the quarter or the real-life Dumas character. It's just "color" for some architectural musing, most of which lead nowhere, like the connecting wall between her kitchen and that cursed chapel.

Nor is this a "guidebook to literary Paris" in any sense of the word "guide." The book jumps back and forth in time and place constantly, with little in the way of segue. She does a LOT of name-dropping: I knew so-and-so painter, I saw such-and-such actress buying groceries. Wow! What does having dinner with a member of the Academy Francais have to do with the quarter? About as much as the list of famous names on pages 168 and 169. I quote:

"[Natalie Clifford] Barney was beautiful and rich, and gathered around her a powerful, arty circle, people like Joyce, Flanner, of course, and Colette, and longtime friend the painter Romaine Books. The following list from a website devoted to her, of people who ate the cucumber (some say chicken) sandwiches and drank the champagne at her Friday salons, is worth quoting for its informative roster of Parisian figures: ... "

She then literally just lists 47 prominent writers and artists, all of whom quite famously spent significant time in Paris. Which begs the question: so what? You could just as easily make a list of the famous people who visited the Eiffel Tower, or walked in the Louvre. She then digresses into why Hemingway was absent, a question she doesn't answer, before going into descriptions about famous English-language bookstores in the area (because Hemingway was friends with the founder of Shakespeare & Company). Again, it's all just superficial observation - there is but the faintest threads of trying to tie anything together into something more meaningful.

Honestly, if you enjoy disjointed, pointless prose, you'll like this book. I hope her novels don't read like this, but I feel like her editors just gave her a pass because she's relatively famous. A shame.

[Lydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meandering stuff^%$#%, regarding St-Germaine,Paris. I feel more comfortable with Rue Bonaparte now, and very glad to learn about the first public library in France created 1648, Bibliotheque Mazarine. Facing the Seine, close to D'Orsay--must get there. But otherwise, how did this book get past an editor?

[Amy Welborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this little book. It takes a very small slice of Paris - the St. Germain-des-Pres neighborhood - and digs deeply into it, exploring architecture, history, heritage, scandal and environment, with touches of her daily life there scattered about. Lovely.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have a copy of this book in my hands the next time I am in Paris! The history behind the architecture and the whole Saint-Germain-des-Prés area is as well crafted as the the buildings there and as well decorated as the façades if these buildings, too. Tho there is a lot of Diane Johnson in it, all of the little stories just show off the quartier as if one wandered it with an old friend--and I, who have written a literary walk of the area, learned enormous amounts about it all. But this is not dry history--it is funny and anecdotal and accurate and splashed about with all that we see there today--could not put this down once I started! Still dipping into it here and there......

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A breezy book about St. Germain. Johnson writes as if she is talking while roaming the quartier. Musing on buildings, history, and inhabitants as the mood strikes her. The chapters seemed short and choppy to me, but the various tidbits of information were absorbing.

[Tuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

part of the national geographic traveler series that also has dunlop's spain National Geographic Traveler: Spain and roff smith's oz National Geographic Traveler: Australia. diane johnson is a noted and popular novelist from "Le divorce" and "lulu in marrakech" Lulu in Marrakech (she of two pulitzers, 3 national book award noms) johnson lives in st germaine de pres (sp and diacritics? uff) and takes the reader all aournd poking noses in old churches, haute shops, and literary cafes like flores and deux magots. is you like your history with some sugar, this is a very nice read with lots a juice on queen margot and her family of fuck ups. you'd think the guillotine (HE lived in the neighborhood too) would of done the trick. 3.5 star

[Patricia Herlevi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative and fun read about Paris.

[Dagný · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't leave home without it (if you can spend time on the Left Bank)! The author writes about St.-Germain-des-Prés, pointing out historical and fictional settings and where famous authors or artists lived etc. It is well told and sometimes personal account. Last time I was in Paris I stayed in this lovely neighborhood and walked around thoroughly enjoying using this book as a guide.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heading to Paris soon, so this book was a perfect read to whet my appetite for the city. Interesting and enjoyable trip through the history and buildings of St Germaine.

[Jeanette Michalets · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and found Diane Johnson to be a good writer. I love learning about Paris, so this book satisfied that desire. The book was informative, but a couple minor things bothered me: one, I felt that the author spent too much time talking about the Huguenots' role in Paris life, and two, small sections of the book were repetitious.

I, too, am interested in the Huguenots, but I think because they appear to be of special interest to the author, she spent too much time on them.

As for the repetition, I've noticed the same thing in other similar books and memoirs. It appears to me that some chapters of this book were essays that the author had published elsewhere; hence the repetition of certain facts and also the fact that she refers to her husband as "J" in some of the chapters and as "John" in others, indicated to me that the chapters were written at different times. I'm always amazed that editors don't catch these inconsistencies.

Overall, the book was an enjoyable read and reinforced for me some of the facts I have read elsewhere about Paris, especially concerning the quartier of St. Germain de Pres.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed other books by Diane Johnson more than this, but it provides an interesting exploration of the arrondissement (St.-Germain) in which she lives in Paris ... with a primary focus on the history of the 17th century. The 20th and 21st centuries receive a rather cursory treatment, but then, that wasn't her plan. Her basic goal seems to have been to learn as much as possible about the apartment she lives in and the street she lives on ... who else lived near and about at various times in history ... how has the quarter changed over time? There is a great deal of information about the religious wars.

I've read books about other quarters of Paris ... the Marais, for example. There seems to be a desire among expat Americans to dig into the history of their Paris home. This isn't the best. But I can understand the impulse. When I first moved into my 1916 bungalow in Calumet City, I hit the historical society and local library trying to learn more about my new old house and this community, which hasn't nearly the history of Johnson's fabulous St.-Germain-des-Prés. And the book is definitely well researched.

[reveurdart · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's personal journey through St-Germain-des-Prés, in a deliciously readable prose. Her main focus of interest is Queen Margot and the 1600s. I think this book is best read if you've already visited Saint-Germain-des-Prés and have some basic knowledge about Parisian history. Otherwise, a great page-turner.

"And since there are as many Parises as there are people who live or visit, so there are as many beginnings, each personal and cherished, by which each visitor comes to feel a sort of connection here."

Indeed.

[Anjana Prabhu-Paseband · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started off nicely but was very hazy to comprehend all the information and directions given Paris streets are not exactly the same as modern planned roads. Some information could be traced back to the place even today when I visited Rue Bonaparte to identify the places mentioned. A bit of history and a lot of easy reading. This was welcome after reading a heavy book but otherwise I would skip.

[Brennaj212 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of the author since Le Divorce and enjoyed this one as well. However, seeing some of the negative comments, I would mainly recommend it to hardcore Francophiles (or Paris-ophiles, more specifically). It's not a guide book, but a well-written exploration of one area of Paris, so probably only once you've exhausted all of the other Paris books and want to get a more in-depth view.

[Carleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very specifically about the St. Germain area in Paris. There is a lot of history, which I personally don’t care about because it has a lot to do with times of Queens and princesses, kings, matters of court, that I really don’t find interesting. I do like to read about the writers and artists, Expats, etc, That said, there are some wonderful jewels in this book which I will take with me next time I go to Paris. I have some new places to go and new insights into a world I love.

[Audrey Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love letter to Paris.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great research and many good stories, but if I hadn't lived in Paris for years I can't imagine this book would've made any sense to me.

[Anne Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting little book describing many of the lesser known historical background to Paris's famous quartier Saint-Germain des Pres.

[Kurt Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deep dive into the history, architecture. and moods of one Paris arrondissement, which just happens to be haunted chock-a-block by famous writers, artists, poets, existentialists, and royals.

[Kristine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I anticipated.

[Yana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sympathetic vignettes of quarters, not much else.

[Angele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts are so good! But other parts are boring.
But I finished it and overall enjoyed. Rec if you love this part of Paris, like I do!

[Dianne Oliver · Rating 2 out of 5]

Random romp thru history and locations in France, with strange commentary thrown in. It could have been, but wasn't, captivating.

[Helynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have thoroughly enjoyed Diane Johnson’s novels, Le Divorce, Le Mariage, L’Affaire and Lulu in Marrakech, and even though Into a Paris Quartier is not a novel, but a non-fiction memoire, she does not disappoint. Johnson’s focus is usually on the cultural snafus that involve Americans or Brits in France or Morocco. However, this book is more her musings on her favorite areas of Paris—heavy on the history—mostly around St. Germain des Près area of the Left Bank. She is most fond of recalling the people and events of the 16th and 17th centuries, citing the areas where Marguerite de Navarre, short-term wife of future King Henri IV, liked to frequent. (The subtitle to the book is “Reine Margot’s Chapel and Other Haunts of St.-Germain). She also provides some interesting tidbits about the three Musketeers, D’Artagnon, and Louis XIII, although she does share some memories of more recent history as well. She laments some of the heavy “Haussmannization” movement under Napoleon III in the mid-19th century, when the brilliant urban architect modernized and strengthened the city’s infrastructure, but regrettably, had many quaint areas torn down in the process. She also recalls 1942 when swastikas hung from the Pont Neuf while Gen. Charles De Gaulle bolstered his people in a speech recorded from England where he had been forced into exile. This is a very charming read for those of us who like to believe we still have at least one of two trips to Paris left in us, and want to list a few intriguing places we have not yet seen and make few petites promenades along the streets where Racine, Balzac, and George Sand and so many others once hung out.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I remember I liked this one because it offered insight into the history of landmarks of Paris. The kind that was entertaining and simple enough that I could absorb it. I wish I read it before I went to Paris. Reading this book before would give you the list you would want for your own sightseeing. I'm really not your typical tourist who has to see what everyone else sees. I like the off the beaten path sights and the back story to some others. This book is pretty good about giving you those.

QUOTE: Into a Paris Quartier offers delights and surprises, anecdotes and vignettes, and an affectionate, sure sense of place that welcomes us to Diane Johnson's Paris--and invites us to imagine our own.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, this is not a guidebook to the 6th arrondissement, in the way that a Rick Steves or a Fodor book would be, nor was it intended as such. Rather it is a personal exploration of the neighborhood that the author knows well from having lived there. Johnson combines her reminiscences with relevant episodes from the history of this lovely area to weave a narrative that reads like you are walking with no particular purpose through the arrondissement with her at your side. She is an interesting companion, a good storyteller. You could use Johnson's essay as a springboard to a leisurely exploration of the 6th, while making your own memories, but bring along your own map.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is less about the Chapel and St.-Germain as it is one woman's thoughts (and some research) about her 'hood. As I was visiting Paris, I wanted to see what her insights were and possibly trace her footsteps around the quartier but the walking is - as happens when you live someplace - scattered and meandering. That's not to say this isn't interesting, but it's not quite what I wanted and I wonder if it would have been published had the author not already had a following thanks to her novels.

[Shadoshard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like being a casual stroll in the mind of someone who OD'd on their French history as it relates to their own time and personal space. This is not to say it was a bad thing. You get bits and pieces and you can follow what you find here to more bits and pieces that help give the reader a better grasp of the rabbit hole they've fallen into. I can go to Natalie Barney and Sylvia Beach and have my own delightful overdose. And I intend to. I mean, I'm already in the place (mentally) so I might as well get a better lay of the country...

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book. If you've ever spent a decent amount of time in Paris, you should definitely read this. Johnson does a great job of explaining that special feeling of the Latin Quarter. She goes through the history of several different apartments in the area, and does a great job of putting into words why so many people, Americans specifically, fall in love with Paris and never seem fully able to leave it behind.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read if you've been to the St. Germain quartier of Paris - if not you might get lost in the geography.

Still, a very good picture of some buildings in the quartier - mostly not major or public buildings, for the most part simple apartment blocks, a few churches. Not a what-to-see-where travel guide, but a view of historical figures who'd lived in these buildings and what the quartier and Paris was like in their time.

makes me want to go back with a copy of the book in my hand.