Another trip to Paris means another delicious falafel lunch. I’m nothing if not predictable. As I always do, I headed for l’as du Fallafel and waited patiently in line for my order.
My intention was to walk over to Place des Vosges and eat my lunch while people watching in the popular square. It was a good plan in theory, but looking down at my falafel while walking was torture so I opted to stop somewhere closer; Jardin des Rosiers – Joseph-Migneret
If you don’t know to look for the park, you’ll almost certainly miss it. To enter, you pass through a tiny covered walkway before heading through a gate.
What you find on the other side of the gate is a peaceful and quiet garden oasis.
The garden is named after Joseph Migneret, a non-Jewish teacher then director at Hospitalières-Saint-Gervais – a public school in the predominantly Jewish neighbourhood of le Marais.
During the Occupation, Monsieur Migneret actively participated in the rescue of several Jewish children at his school. He is was posthumously recognised as Righteous Among The Nations.
The day after my visit to the park, I took part in a very interesting walking tour (PARIS WWII TOUR – OCCUPATION, RESISTANCE & LIBERATION put on by Localers – I highly recommend it, and I’m not being paid to say that!). We returned to Jardin des Rosiers – Joseph-Migneret and I learned that this plaque near the entrance lists all of the pre-school aged children removed from their homes by the Nazis. They range in age from 27 days and 7 years old.
School aged children who faced the same terrifying fate are recognised on black plaques located at their school, and those plaques are found throughout the city.
To read more about Joseph Migneret’s story, click here.
Le sigh.
Marla
That restaurant is a little goldmine! I too have visited that garden though I was unaware of its significance.
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I’ve never been to this garden, even though I lived on Rue des Rosiers on two different occasions in the 1960s. (I suspect the garden wasn’t even open to the public back then.)
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Interesting. It may not have been.
And lucky you – great street to live on!
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At that time Rue des Rosiers was so cheap that even I could afford to live there. Now it’s the 95th most expensive street in Paris (based on real estate prices).
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Yikes!!
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The first part of the park opened in 2007. To read more about its history, click the park link I included in my post. It’s pretty interesting!
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Hello Marla,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience on your WWII tour in Paris, we hope to see you again soon!
Best, The Localers!
http://www.localers.com
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