Discovering Paris

Today, while wandering through side streets in the Marais section of Paris, we made a discovery.  

We discovered the oldest house in Paris on the Rue de Montmorency, the Maison de Nicolas Flamel.  

 (pictured below). 

As we passed by, the house caught our attention because its facade looks very, very old, in contrast to the other buildings on the street.    

The house was built in 1407 and its facade was restored in 1900 to its original appearance.  It still appears today as it did 600 years ago.  

On the facade are various emblems carved in stone, along with a carved inscription in old French: 

Nous homes et femes laboureurs demourans ou porche de ceste maison 

qui fut faite en l'an de grâce mil quatre cens et sept 

somes tenus chascun en droit soy dire tous les jours une paternostre et un ave maria 

en priant Dieu que sa grâce face pardon aus povres pescheurs trespasses Amen

Roughly translated, the inscription reads:  

We, men and women, workers living in the porches of this house 

that was made in the year of grace one thousand four hundred and seven 

are, each of us, required by law to say every day one Our Father and one Hail Mary 

while praying to God that his grace brings forgiveness to the poor deceased sinners Amen

Nicolas Flamel was a wealthy merchant and built the house to honor his deceased wife Pernelle.  The ground floor housed a tavern and shops, while the upper floors housed the poor, who could stay there if they recited the prayers mentioned in the inscription.  (Flamel lived in another house that no longer exists.)  

Discovering the Maison de Nicolas Flamel and its interesting history was a happy accident.