Let's set off together to discover the Irish heritage and places to be seen in the streets of Paris. Fleeing economic and religious persecution in their homeland, many Irish arrived in the capital in the mid-16th century.
From the former Collège des Irlandais, now the Centre culturel irlandais, to this charming Gothic chapel, to this well-stocked store where you can find traditional Irish kilts, discover the Irish addresses in Paris!
Located just a stone's throw from the Panthéon, the Centre culturel irlandais is the hub of Irish cultural life in Paris, housed in the historic Collège des Irlandais. Opened in Paris in 1578, the Collège soon became home to Irish priests and students who fled their country after the Anglican Schism, a period of reform during which the Church of England broke with the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. This political and religious upheaval led to the dissolution of abbeys, convents and other monasteries in Ireland, and forced Catholic priests and students to seek a new education in neighboring countries, many of them at theUniversity of Paris.
In 1578, Father John Lee established Paris's first community of Irish students in the Collège de Montaigu, and almost a century later, in 1677, Louis XIV granted the Irish diaspora permanent residence in the Collège des Lombards - a building of which all that remains visible today is the chapel where some notorious Irishmen are buried - and allowed the community to receive donations. A further leap forward in time brings us to 1769, the year in which Laurence Kelly, then Prefect of the Collège, acquired, thanks to these donations, a mansion on rue du Cheval-Vert - which was renamed rue des Irlandais in 1807 by Napoleonic decree - and invited the students to live there from the time of the establishment's inauguration in 1776.
Returned to the collegiate community in 1805 after having been transformed into a school for boys during the French Revolution, the Collège des Irlandais became, in turn, a hospital during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, a place of welcome for refugees from the East during the First World War, then an American army shelter during the Second World War ; before becoming, until 1997, a Polish seminary for churchmen, some of whom survived the deportation. One of the seminarians was none other than the future Pope John Paul II.
Since 1997, when it was bought by the Irish government, the former Collège des Irlandais has become the Centre culturel irlandais . With its U-shaped architecture designed byarchitect François Bélanger, its large courtyard shaded by chestnut trees and its bell tower, the cultural center today promotes Irish culture in all its forms, through a program of cinema, visual arts, theater, dance and music. Its facilities include a media library, a heritage library, a chapel, two exhibition galleries and some forty rooms that still accommodate visiting artists, artists-in-residence and Irish students.
Dedicated to St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick's Chapel was built within the Collège des Irlandais, now the Centre culturel irlandais. Gothic in style, the chapel features a Virgin and Child, numerous ornamental details, an original 17th-century staircase and a painting of Patrick of Ireland fighting the snakes. But its real architectural distinction lies in the arrangement of its pews, which face each other instead of facing the altar as usual. Sunday mass is held in English, and pop and folk concerts are held in fine weather.
Overlooking the chapel, the heritage library 's wooden shelving houses 8,000 English, French, Latin and Irish books on philosophy, theology, history, geography and music, dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries. A collection of Flemish psalms on vellum skin, produced in Bruges around 1500, is also on display in a showcase. Reserved for researchers, the library is open to the general public once a month.
Irish writer Oscar Wilde spent the last three years of his life in Paris. In Père Lachaise, the tomb of the artist who died in 1900 has become a place of pilgrimage for many tourists . With its imposing sculpture of a winged sphinx, within which are the ashes of her lover, Robert Ross, the tomb has been covered over the years by hundreds of lipstick kisses left by curious onlookers and lovers of theRomantic writer.
If you'd like to learn more about Oscar Wilde's close ties with Paris, follow in his footsteps!
To familiarize yourself with Anglo-Saxon literature, head for the Smith & Son bookshop on Rue de Rivoli. With over 70,000 English-language references, this bookshop is the meeting point for lovers of literature from across the Channel, with English, Scottish and Irish authors on the shelves, as well as a wide range of magazines, games, DVDs and audio books for all audiences. James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and William Butler Yeats will hold no secrets for you.
In the Motte-Picquet Grenelle district, the Sequana gallery is like no other. Step inside this apartment-boutique to discover the interior of an authentic Irish house, where the owner, Irish decorator Mary Shaw, speaks passionately about typical Irish objects, furniture, tweed, tartans and mugs, which you can... buy on the spot!
Chances are, if you're asked to name three words that come to mind when you think of Ireland, the word 'kilt' will spring to mind. And you'd be right, because the kilt comes as much from Scotland as it does from Ireland! Today, the kilt is still worn by the Irish, especially at traditional festivals. This long, woollen fabric with its tartan pattern, wrapped around the wearer's waist, has its own dedicated store in Paris. At La Maison du Kilt, in the 14th arrondissement, the curious and enthusiasts can find numerous Scottish and Irish kilts, as well as Breton tartans and accessories, such as ties, belts and buckles, swords, sporrans - the little bags worn around the waist - and even... bagpipes!
THE Irish boutique in Paris is Le Comptoir Irlandais, located in the 11th and 13th arrondissements. Inside both addresses, you'll find a multitude of clothing and objects made in Ireland: 100% pure wool sweaters, scarves, plaids, hats, household linen; as well as products to eat - marmalades, sauces - and drink - whiskies, beers, ciders, teas. Rugby fans will find jerseys, polo shirts and oval balls.
Speaking of Irish drinks, it's impossible not to mention whisky! At La Maison du Whisky, on rue Tiquetonne and rue d'Anjou, you'll find over 2,000 references of the famous beverage, including a wide selection of whiskies from Ireland, generally less peaty than their Scottish counterparts. Lovers beware.
But Ireland is also about beer! At Bières Cultes, located in Châtelet, the Latin Quarter and Batignolles, we've been sipping beers from around the world since 2007, on the good advice of the owners. And, of course, there's a fine selection of beers from Ireland. Cheers!
Finally, if you want to discover Irish culture even more intensely, why not perfect your Irish dance or music skills? TheAssociation irlandaise de Paris offers year-round classes in Irish set dancing, the most popular Irish dance performed by groups of four couples, to traditional Irish music. The association also offers introductory courses in Celtic music, where flute, bodhran, mandolin and bagpipes are the kings of the party.
To help you find your way around even more easily, we've prepared a map:
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Drink in moderation.
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