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rom Victor Hugo to Henry Miller, famous artistsand writers have used Paris as their backdrop toset the stage for passion. Below are four leg-endary love stories that unfolded in the city.Surprise your Valentine by visiting the locations

where these romances took place.

by Alice Verberne

The Cathedral of Notre Dame (Our Lady) is the setting for the famous novel by Victor Hugo that is setin the middle ages. In the book, the young bohemian Esméralda becomes three men’s victim of desire.

Kiss your sweetheart under the most well known monument in Europe, the Eiffel Tower. It displays its glittering lights, sparkling each hour on the hour for ten minutes, from dusk until 1 a.m. (2 a.m. in summer).

The word Gargoyle comes from a Latin word, meaning gulletor drain.They are grotesque statutes of fantastic beasts thatusually act as water spouts.The gurgling sound of the waterpouring out of these imaginative sculptures led to the name.

F

Why do artists and writers court herwith their poetry, painting and plays?Could it be that she embraces our

imagination with her charms? Do hermajestic buildings give us a sense of aweas she bedazzles us with her sparkling

evening robe of twinkling lights?

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Unrequited loveEsmarelda and Quasimodo from Victor Hugo’s book Notre-Dame de Paris

You would never imagine, as you browse throughthe bird and flower market held on Sundays on theisle of the city, that this tranquil area was not farfrom the macabre scene in which Victor Hugo sethis tragic work of romantic fiction, Notre-Dame deParis. Note:This is the original book, not the Disneycartoon version. It is also not the Academy Award®-win-ning film starring Anthony Quinn and Gina Lollobrigida.

The love storyThe fable is about a church deacon who lusts after

a gypsy he sees dancing in front of Notre Dame. Heconvinces Quasimodo (the hunchbacked church bellringer) to kidnap her. Esmerelda is rescued by theCaptain of the Royal Archers and falls in love withhis bravery (although he is something of a rogue).She conspires to see him again. But when the deaconlearns of the rendezvous, he stalks Esmerelda to themeeting point and stabs her new boyfriend.

Esmerelda is wrongfully convicted of murder andsentenced to public hanging. While in prison, thedeacon offers her a chance to escape, but she refus-es his advances.Although she tries to escape throughother means, she is executed. From one of the towers ofNotre-Dame, Quasimodo sees Esmerelda's body swing-ing from the gallows. He discovers the deacon gloat-ing over the same scene. Enraged, Quasimodo push-es the deacon from the tower to his death.Esmerelda's body is interred in a mass grave forcriminals. Quasimodo can’t be found. Later in his-tory the crypt is searched and the skeleton of ahunchback is found intertwined with that of ayoung woman (leaving the reader to assumeQuasimodo could only find consolation from hisgrief by holding the body of Esmerelda in his armsuntil he died).

The place where it happenedThe enormous popularity of the novel in Francespurred historical preservation movement of Notre

Dame Cathedral, where much of the story is based.The cathedral is located at 6 place du Paris

Notre Dame, Ile de la Cité. Métro: Cité or St-Michell. Open daily 7:45 a.m.-6:45 p.m. (closed Sat.

12:30-2 p.m.) Admission to the sanctuary is free, butyou will have to pay to enter the upper levels to

regard the city from the balcony. Holy Mass is celebratedon Sunday (six services) there are four on weekdays and one on

Saturday. Morning prayer is held on Sundays at 9:30a.m. For more info go towww.cathedraledeparis.com

Try to visit the church on Sunday so that you canattend Mass.Afterward pay to climb the 380 steps ofNotre Dame’s south staircase.At the end you willfind a bell tower.This is the place where Quasimodohid Esmerelda.After you have enjoyed the magnifi-cent view, exit the church and walk to the gardenlocated in the rear of the church. It is quite secludedconsidering how many visitors (and pick pockets)crowd the church façade.

Before noon, visit the bird and flower market.Toget there, take the metro to the Cité station and

walk through the square toward the Right Bank of theSeine.The market closes at noon so you will want to visit

before lunch. For a lunch of French regional cuisine, tryQuasimodo’s (4 rue de la Colombe, phone 01 46 34 67

67, 4th Arrondissement). Buy a bottle of Nuit St.Georges at the excellent wine shop in the restaurantbefore taking a romantic stroll along the river Seine.

A kiss is not just a kissAuguste Rodin and Camille Claudel

Sparks of imagination influenced the 43 year-oldRodin when he made the acquaintance of the talent-

ed 19-year-old Camille in 1883.After relentlessly pur-suing her, she agreed to study under him and eventual-

ly, the two became a prominent couple in the art world.

The love storyTheir intense romantic bond was mutually influen-

tial.According to experts on the subject, Camilleseems to have helped Rodin solidify his process ofdesign and advised him on his projects. He alsoused her as the subject of his sculptural themes(including the famous “Kiss”).Their romance coin-cides with the rise of Camille's artistic career.According to art historians, their collaborativework was pure and elegantly romantic.

The relationship lasted for over ten years, but in1898 they separated due to the increasing pres-sures of Rodin's fame, womanizing, and refusal toleave his live-in girlfriend/mother of his children.These difficulties, combined with Camille’s increasingdoubts about the value of her work, drove her intoemotional tumult.Cheated of recognition,and dismissed as just themistress of a famousartist, she became angryand deeply depressed. In1906 her madnessbecame more pro-nounced and destruc-tive.

When she was 45,Camille’s mother com-mitted her to the Ville-Evrard asylum. Camille’sfriend, Jessie Lipscomb,was convinced thatCamille was not insaneand felt Camille’s familybetrayed her. Despiteher remarks, Camilleremained there until herdeath 30 years later.Camille's mother nevercame to visit.

It is said that one day,in the last year of hislife, Rodin paused meditatively before aterra cotta bust of Camille in the MuseéRodin.“She's shut up at Ville-Evrard,” a visi-tor said. Rodin reacted as though he hadbeen stung.

The place where it happenedMusée Rodin, 77 Rue de Varenne, MetroVarenne, Invalides or Saint-François-XavierOpen daily except Mondays.

As you view the sculptures that decoratethe peaceful gardens surrounding the housewhere Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudellived you can see their artwork and imaginethe amount of creativity, love and tragedythat befell this couple.Although Camille suf-fered for 30 years in a mental institute, shehad over 10 years in her early adulthoodwhen she created and contributed to someof the most famous sculptures of that time. Rodin also creat-ed many famous works using Camille’s face and figure. Manyof which are on display in the house where they lived and

worked.The 18th century Rocaille style mansionis now a museum and is its founders are cele-brating its 75th anniversary. Ponder the cou-ple’s lives over a quiet lunch in the excep-tional three-hectare garden that is highlyappreciated by film and documentary mak-ers as an authentic and well-preservedsanctuary.

Writers and ex-patriotsAnaïs Nin and Henry Miller

Why did the ex-patriot writers from theUnited States choose Paris as their alluring

backdrop? Could it be the kindness ofstrangers?

The love storyFamous ex-patri-ot writer HenryMiller was pen-niless when hemoved to Paris.He wrote abouthis situation: "Ihave no money,no resources, nohopes. I am thehappiest man

alive." He shouldhave been.Whathe didn’t say wasthat a Frenchbuddy of his waspicking up his bartab and paying hisrent. His girl-friend, writerAnaïs Nin, alsosupported him.What else couldhe possibly need

… to be in love? Of course!Henry met Anaïs in 1930.This odd

couple became fast friends, despitethe fact that Anaïs was a femaleCasanova and Henry was a 40-some-thing, balding vagrant. Sources saythat Anaïs was a liberated womanorchestrating her world into some-thing exquisite.Anaïs became afamous writer and kept diaries fromwhich she extracted characters, situa-tions and events for her passionatelove stories. In 1934 she financiallybacked Henry’s first work,“Tropic ofCancer,” that tells of their bohemianlifestyle.

They parted ways as war cloudsgathered in Europe, forced by cir-cumstance to leave each other andtheir beloved Paris.Anaïs went to

New York and Henry to Los Angeles, but Henry continuedto write her letters.Their courtship formed the basis for thefilm Henry and June, released in1990.

Theyparted

ways as warclouds gath-

ered in Europe,forced by

circumstance toleave the

relationshipand theirbelovedParis.

…youcan see

their artworkand imagine the

amount of creativity, love

and tragedy thatbefell this

couple.

Take a romantic stroll along the Seine.

Henry Miller

Anïs Nin

Waltz by Camille Claudel

Self portrait byCamille Claudel

Portrait of AugusteRodin by Camille

Claudel

Quasimodopushes the dea-

con from thetower to his

death.

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Don’t have time to go to Paris right nowbut want to get in the mood for love?Check with your local library to see if theyhave the following books and videos avail-able (see phone numbers for libraries onpage 66).

Romantic ParisBy Thirza Vallois (Arris Books Ltd)Author of “Around and About Paris” haswritten a guide in celebration of the capitalof romance. Having lived in Paris for over40 years, she offers us a genuine insiderslook at the city’s treasured spots andsecret corners.

Nearer the Moon by Anaïs Nin (PeterOwen, London)This is the fourth installment of a newlypublished set of Nin’s celebrated diarieswhen she was in her mid-30s and in love.

Notre Dame De ParisBy Victor HugoOxford World ClassicWritten in 1802

AmelieStarring:Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz,Rufus, Lorella Cravotta, Claire Maurier Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Release date: 2001

Henry and JuneStarring Maria de Medeiros Starring: Fred Ward, Uma ThurmanDirector: Philip KaufmanRelease date: 1990

Camille ClaudelStarring: Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu,See moreDirector: Bruno NuyttenRelease date: 1989

Literature and film

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The love story This movie is the epitome of nostalgic France.The heroine is awaitress who whiles away her life daydreaming as she works atthe Deux Moulins café.When not working, she tries her handat matchmaking and prank pulling.Through her adventures, shediscovers a mysterious person whose hobby is collectingdiscarded ID photos near coin-operated photo booths.Amelie falls in love. Romance blossoms as Amélie plays agame of cat-and-mouse with the object of her desire,an intriguing young man named Nino.As she plays agame of catch-me-if-you-can, her hide-and-seekadventures take the viewer through many familiarsites in Paris. She lets Nino chase her until she“catches” him.

The place where it happenedAlthough the film is fiction many of the places

are real. In fiction Amélie works in the hip partof Montmartre that is perfect for the youngcrowd. In reality, you can visit her workplace,“The Deux Moulins Café” (actu-ally called Tabac des deux Moulins,

located in the 18th Arrondissement of Paris, at15 rue Lepic,Metro: Blanche or Pigalle). Go towww.tabacdesdeuxmoulins.ipseo.com for more information.

If you are on the lookout for people who resemble AudreyTautou’s fictional character, go to Oberkampf (MetroParmentier).This is where the funky Parisian crowd currentlyloiters. Mingle in the many bars and cafés.Try Café Charbonlocated on 109 Rue Oberkampf, open Mon-Sat from 9 a.m. to 2a.m.This place is a hotspot according to Paris’ Avant Guide thatsays it “…is on the main drag of cool Parisian nightlife.” But thebest part is the crowd; they are hipsters from around the globe.Need a new romance? This is the place to start looking.Whenyou are ready to bar hop, head over to building 99, to checkout the bohemian crowd at Le Mecano for more Amélie look-alikes.

So, there you have four tales of love featuring Paris as thequintessential place for romance. Some of the lovers men-

tioned did not get to spend their lives together, but theirswas an affair to remember.After all, they'll always have

Paris.And you now have a list of romantic places tovisit in the City of Light this Valentine’s Day.

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The place where it happenedHenry Miller spent much of his time

on park benches. He wrote about loi-tering in the square at St. Sulpice(Metro St-Sulpice or Mabillon).Takea rest under the chestnut trees.Maybe the park bench youselect will be the oneHenry slept on.Admirethe lovely Fontaine desQuatre-Evêques, amonument honoringfour bishops. It is saidthe houses here arethe most expensive inParis, but Henry couldnot afford them. Helived in Montparnasse.The area is now a com-mercial district known main-ly for Europe’s second largesttower (called Montparnasse).Walkor take the metro to GareMontparnasse, (Place R. Dautry, 15thArrondissement) and go to the obser-vation terrace on the 59th floor. Have adrink at the bar and toast to the ex-patriot writers and their lovers as youadmire one of the best views of thecity.

If you are in the mood for a nicewalk there are some other park bench-es worth mentioning. I can’t guranteethat Henry slept on them, but theyinvolve a love story between two other

young vagrants.Walk down BoulevardSt. Michel toward the river you will finda bridge called “Pont Neuf,” where LesAmants du Pont-Neuf (Lovers of the

Bridge) was filmed in 1991. Enjoy itsalcove benches with a wonderful

view of the Louvre and theNotre Dame Cathedral.

When you are finishedgaping at the scenery,head back to the LeftBank to visitShakespeare & Co., aunique bookstore acrossthe river from NotreDame, in the 5tharrondissement (37 rue

de la Bûcherie). Browsethe English language books

for copies of “Delta of Venus”and “Tropic of Cancer” written

by Anaïs and Henry, respectively.

Modern-day romanceAmelie Poulin and Nino Quincampoix(from the 2001 film starring Audrey Tautouand Mathieu Kassovitz),

Ever felt like you've been swept awayto a fascinating place by the magic ofcinema? Then you will want to knowmore about the film “Le fabuleux destind'Amélie Poulin,” simply known as“Amelie” in American video stores.

When we Americans think of aFrench kiss, we do not think of lips,we think — tongue.Au contraire,the French think — cheek.The French use this cheek-brushing kiss as a gener-al greeting, similar to our handshake. Usually it isnot even a kiss, but a touch of one person’s cheekwhile making a little puffing sound. Depending onwhere you come from in France, the cheek brush-ing goes back and forth from two to four times. Ifyou are unsure how many times to kiss, just do likeMiss Manners:Watch the host or hostess and copyhis/her lead.Other pointers• Men usually shake hands (unless they are relatedor very good friends).• Women kiss and are kissed by everybody (but thisis not always done in business settings).• A French kiss between lovers is a completely dif-ferent story, and a juicy one at that.According toan informal questioning of my French associates,this kiss is on the lips is not timid. It still does notalways involve the use of one’s tongue, but is rather“is done as if eating a marvelous ripe peach.”

The French kiss

Herhide-and-

seek adven-tures take theviewer throughmany familiar

sites in Paris let-ting Nino chaseher until “she”

catcheshim.

Above: “Pont Neuf,” where Les Amants du Pont-Neuf (Lovers of the Bridge) was filmed.Below: Robert Doisneau's photograph “Kiss by the Hotel de Ville” embodies the feeling that Paris is, in fact, a city for lovers.

Basilique du Sacré Coeur is one of the backdrops for the film Amélie.The church will have a specialMass February 9,Ash Wednesday. See www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com for more dates and times.28