Street Food and Street Fairs in France, a description in pictures and words by Francesca Sautman PH.D

1. This is the first among a series of digital exhibits prepared in conjunction with the
Henri Peyre French Institute’s
Three-Year Seminar
Food, Power, Exchange and Identity: Food and Foodstuffs
in the French and Francophone Worlds
exhibit prepared by Francesca Canadé Sautman
Please comment on this exhibit by joining our online Forum of September 30, 1 to 7
PM, on the Henri Peyre French Institute Website
FRENCH STREET FAIRS
AND STREET FOODS
FROM THE 1800S
TO THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY

2. HENRI PEYRE FRENCH INSTITUTE
• Three-Year Seminar
• Food and Foodstuffs: Food, Power, Exchange and Identity in the
French and Francophone Worlds

3. FOOD, POWER, EXCHANGE AND IDENTITY IN THE FRENCH AND
FRANCOPHONE WORLDS
• The Henri Peyre French Institute “Food and Power” seminar builds upon the wide
expertise of departments, disciplines, and scholars from CUNY and other institutions
and also invites active participation from the public. It seeks to become a space of
sharing and dissemination, a crossroads and home for advanced research as well as
for ongoing explorations and discussion of the many dimensions of this field.
• The seminar focuses on the relation between food as cultural process and on particular
foodstuffs with a rich and complex history in the arts and in society. Seminar activities
each semester center on specific foods and forms of processing in the French and
Francophone worlds: Salt, Sugar, Coffee, Fruit (indigenous and imported), Wine and
Transformation Processes that preserve foods. Events include discussions of taste,
discourses on physiology, cultural difference, and structures of exchange.
• The transfer of such foodstuffs from their natural habitat to markets, kitchens and
tables is inseparable from long term impacts on the communities that produce them,
and also changes the economic and cultural makeup of their point of arrival. Networks
of exchange and production operate through plantation systems of exploitation,
colonialism and migration, as well as industrialized agriculture and trade, local and
global. Migrating, cultivating, gathering, processing and preserving generate rich forms
of local and popular cultures. The online exhibits explore specific themes within these
questions.

4. French street carnivals and
fairgrounds….

5. Late 19th-century
street fairs and
carnivals were
preceded by
trade fairs that
took place
beginning in the
Middle Ages ,
and continued
throughout the
19th century.
Olivier Perrin
(1761-,1832)
“le Champ de
Foire de
Quimper,” 1821.
Musée des
Beaux Arts de
Quimper.
{{PD-Exp}}
Wikimedia
Commons

6. THE FÊTE FORAINE OF JULY 14, 1880 IN PARIS
• The street fair with carnival attractions, or fête foraine in French, was
sufficiently known by 1880 to be central to the July 14, 1880, celebration all
over Paris. A journalist for the Figaro described an otherwise drab fifth
arrondissement, where the rue Mouffetard, the "old rag pickers' center," was
decorated by with flags and banners, but he also complained about the
atmosphere and the "warm, sour," smell due to the odor "of old rags
transformed into flags, the scent of open air cooking, but most of all the
various emanations coming from the crowd."
• At the Gobelins the fête foraine took over the place d'Italie, but the main
attraction was the mat de Cocagne, rue Berthollet, surrounded by a compact
crowd. In Menilmontant’s rues de Menilmontant and Oberkampf, there were
booths of strong men (“hercules”) whose barrel organs were continuously
grinding out the Marseillaise (Figaro July 15 1880)

7. Eating outdoors.
Georges Montorgueil, Paris au
Hasard, 1895. Ills. Auguste
Lepère. Fête foraine à Paris,
and detail, next slide.
Cote : 8 ° Li3 882/Microfilm R 122021
{{PD-GallicaScan-BNF}}

9. Merry-go-round, Musée des Arts Forains, Bercy-Paris.
Image dinkum. {{PD}} CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0)
http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en

10. Food stand selling a Lyons confectionary of drawn sugar known as “chique”.
Baraque Foraine, Foire St-André d’Avignon, early 20th century.

11. Early 20th-century amusement parks reproduced the street fair in a contained environment: for instance
in the famous Magic City in Paris. Paris 1913’
Agence Rol Bibliothèque Nationale de France CC-PD-Mark 1.0 Wikimedia Commons

12. The “queens” of nougat, the famous confectionary from Montélimar, 1924. Postcard by Joguet.
Domaine Public. {{PD-1996}} Wikimedia Commons

13. WHAT’S TO EAT AT THE FAIR? FRIES AND
CANDY…
• Sale items featured in ads appearing in the 1925 Guide Rose de L’Intermédiaire Forain
for fairground entrepreneurs:
• Roasted peanuts, minimum ten-kilo bag
• Newest postcards, including for Saint Catherine and other feast days
• Supreme of Nougat from Montélimar
• Satiny confetti guaranteed dust-free from a factory in Correze
• More nougat: nougats du Canard Sauvage from Montélimar: specializing in blocs, all
flavors, soft nougat, nougat with fruit, cubes, novelty boxes, bars all sizes, deluxe
assortments, nougat “de la Vieille France”
• All sorts of articles decorated with seashells
• Scented products: perfume, powder, cream, scented tablets
• Wax toys and good-luck charms…

14. Opening of the Foire du Trône, one of the most famous Parisian fairs, 1932.
Document Gallica-BNF {{PD}}

15. The spiced cake
known as “pain
d’épices’” is originally
from the East of
France and made into
decorated shapes,
particularly animals
such as pigs. It
became the basis of
well-known and very
popular fairs. The
poster for, this one, the
Foire au Pain d’épices
, Paris, Place de La
Nation, 1933, clearly
shows the carnival
rides in the
background.
G. Preux (18??-19??).
Velox Publicité
Document BNF {{PD-
Exp}} {{PD-1996}}
Wikimedia Commons

16. The popularity of the
“pain d’épices ” led to its
use in caricatures.
« À la foire aux pains
d'épices. Un amateur
distingué ». The Minister
Jules Ferry bites into a
priest made of pain
d'épice.
Petite Lune #42, 1878-
1879
By famous caricaturist
André Gill (1840-1885)
BNF {{PD-Exp}}
Wikimedia Commons

17. Fair (Fête foraine) of Roubaix,
North, 1938, near the Rue des
Longues Haies
Fairground food sellers posing in
from of their stand of Berlingots,
a traditional pyramid-shaped
candy.
Document Gallica
Mediathèque CP_A07_L3_S2_012
Domaine public

18. STREET FOOD IS ALSO AVAILABLE EVERY DAY
• The Food criers of Paris:
• the tradition before 1800

19. Reverse copy of Au Vinaigre
(Vinegar), from Les Cris de Paris
(The Cries of Paris), plate 6
Simon Francis Ravenet, the elder
(French, 1706 or 1721–1774)
Artist: After François Boucher
(French, Paris 1703–1770 Paris)
Etching and engraving. Dimensions:
Sheet: 10 13/16 x 7 3/8 in. (27.4 x
18.8 cm) trimmed
The Metropolitan Museum of
Art
The Elisha Whittelsey
Collection, The Elisha
Whittelsey Fund, 1966
Accession Number:
66.617.2(5)

20. “Coffee.” From Les Cris de Paris (The
Cries of Paris).
Artist: Etienne Fessard (French, Paris
1714–1777 Paris)
After Edme Bouchardon (French,
Chaumont 1698–1762 Paris)
Date: 1746. Etching with some engraving
Dimensions: image: 9 x 7 1/8 in. (22.8 x
18.1 cm) sheet: 9 7/16 x 7 3/16 in. (24 x
18.2 cm)
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953
Accession Number:
53.600.588(49)

21. Board game with Paris food criers, early 19th century.
Library of Congress, pga.03870

22. Cris de Paris, late 18th century and detail, next slide.
Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Gallica
{{PD-Gallica-BNF}}

24. SELLING, BUYING, EATING ON THE
STREETS…LOCAL FAIRS AND MARKET
STALLS, STREET VENDORS OF PREPARED
FOODS…

25. View of Toulouse by the great photographer Eugene Trutat
Eugene Trutat (1840-1910). Pont Neuf sur la Garonne. 25 juin 1899.
View of two workmen cleaning the streetcar rails. In front of the frame, the two men at work; behind them, on the sidewalk,
displays with forains, parasols, crates; background, fronts of buildings on the left bank of the Garonne and Church of La
Daurade. Toulouse, Archives Municipales. Fonds Trutat. 51Fi59 {{PD}}

26. Eugene Trutat (1840-1910). Toulouse. Garlic fair, August 24 1899.
Toulouse, Archives Municipales. Fonds Trutat. 51Fi50 {{PD}}

27. Man selling the herb gentian in Toulouse area. Eugene Trutat. Marchand_de_gentiane.
Toulouse, Archives Municiples_Fonds_Trutat_-_MHNT_PHa_659_A_004. {{PD}}

28. Georges Montorgueil, Paris au
Hasard, 1895 and detail. Ills.
Auguste Lepère. The Soup-
Seller
Cote : 8 ° Li3 882/Microfilm R 122021
{{PD-GallicaScan-BNF}}

29. Hot food street seller, Rheims.
Wikimedia Commons

30. Fishmonger selling bouillabaisse
Old postcard. Anonymous. 1900s
{{PD-exp}}
Wikimedia Commons

31. • Soup was sold by street vendors and also distributed in public places
by pollitical groups. The late 19th century had “Soupes anarchistes”
that followed the “Soupes militaires.” The entertainment entrepreneur
Oller distributed soup at the swimming pool of the rue Rochechouart.
Anarchists collected from the bourgeois to pay for an event titled “ X,
anarchiste, soupe-conference” at the Salle Favié in Belleville, [where]
the poor were served a meager soup and a copy of the anarchist
paper, followed by a conference by the above mentioned speaker.
• (Emile Goudeau. Paris qui consomme. Dessins de Pierre Vidal.
Tableaux de Paris. Paris: Imprimé pour Henri Beraldi, 1893. p. 115)

32. Selling tripe cooked in the “Mode de Caen” recipe, detail of drawing by Paul Leonnec in the Journal
Amusant, 1 April 1893. http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k55199486/f2.image.r.langFR CC-PD-Mark {{PD-
Old}} {{PD-Exp}}

33. Soupe populaire

34. Marche rue
mouffetard,
Paris, en
1896.
Author
unknown.
{{PD-Old}}
{{PD-exp}}
Wikimedia
Commons

35. Food cart at the
famous Rue
Mouffetard market in
Paris.
Eugene Atget. 1910.
BnF. {{PD-Scan}}
Wikimedia Commons

36. Women selling madeleines at the strain Station of Commercy, a town known for their production. Old
postcard pre-1930.
Scanned. Carte postale de Commercy publiee avant 1930. 22 April 2013. Own work: G. Garitan. CC-BY-SA-3.0 (Creative Commons
Attribution-Share Alike 3.0)

37. Scanned old postcard CC-PD-Mark PD-OLD

38. L’Illustration, Candy
Seller in the Street,
selling vanilla-flavored
confectionary.
“Marchand de bonbons
et paves
rafraichisssants a la
vanille, Place Maubert”
Wiki Commons

39. Chestnut seller,
Wiki Commons

40. Chestnut seller, Paris, 1908.
Agence Rol. Bibliothèque
Nationale
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/
btv1b69110095
CC-PD-Mark PD Old
WikimediaCommons

41. Young woman eating chestnuts on the street. Jean Beraud in the Figaro
Illustré, 1892. NYPL Digital Gallery
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?816375

42. A kiosk selling carbonated drinks. Charles Marville Cie. Fonrobert Debit de boisson gazeuses, ca.

43. “Vendeur de coco” Hot chocolate or
tisane (herbal tea)seller.
La Petite Lune 48, 1878-1879.
Drawing by André Gill (1840-1885)
BNF {{PD-Exp}}
Wikimedia Commons

44. Left and Right: Hot chocolate sellers, 1900s, Wiki Commons.

45. The Hot chocolate (“coco”)
seller. Between 1855 and
1857.
Paul Gavarni (1804-1866)
“V’la l’coco” (The Chocolate
Vendor). Walters Art Museum
Walters 371449.jpg released to Public
Domain
{{PD-Old}}
Wikimedia Commons

46. “Caiffa” seller, on the route de Granville (Manche) c. 1905, Wiki Commons.
These colporteurs for the rapidly expanding company “Au Planteur de Caiffa” originally sold coffee, but
later added other types of dry goods, which they offered door to door in their little carts

47. Caiffa seller, Joigny (Yonne-Burgundy), 1905-1910

48. INSIDE /OUTSIDE SPACES
Eating in and off the Street

49. Georges Montorgueil, Paris au
Hasard, 1895. Ills. Auguste
Lepere. Fig. p.35 : Parisians
Eating at tables set up on the
frozen Seine in Billancourt,
right outside Paris [Cote : 8 °
Li3 882/Microfilm R 122021]

50. Wine Seller.
Marchand de vin
Rue Boyer.
Wiki Commons

51. Wine seller, “street trade.”
Marchand de vin
Métier de la rue.
19th century
Wiki Commons

52. The shop of a
wine seller.
Betourné,
Marchand de vin
a Sarcelles
Wiki Commons

53. Porte de
Menilmontant,
fortifications,
guingette
where indoor
meets outdoor,
the “street”
meets the
garden
Wiki Commons

54. An outdoor eatery near Paris using the famous name.
The “Moulin de la Galette” of Montmagny (S-et-O). Image L. Chardon.
Wiki Commons

55. PARIS BY NIGHT: WHAT’S THERE TO EAT?
Qu’est-ce qu’on mange?

56. Back from the
Ball…
”Paris by night,”
L’illustration,
1852
Wiki Commons

57. • By 1899, two hundred and fifty legally registered dance halls were operating in Paris,
subject to careful rules, such as closing at midnight, and separating the "bal musette,"
where only one instrument was to coax dancers to their feet, from ballrooms with
orchestras. Dance-halls had proliferated during the early nineteenth century, and at the
turn of the century, were already beginning to wane, although they were still numerous
and sufficiently associated with the picturesque and the sordid to warrant bourgeois
interest. The people of Paris, one observer commented, danced at every possible
occasion: "It is understood that everybody dances in Paris, everything is done dancing,
and, while political and other events conclude with songs, it can be stated that dance has
an equal share in concluding even the most serious situations." (Louis Bloch et Sagary,
Paris qui danse. Paris: Librairie Henry du Parc, 1899, pp. 35-40). Dancing was thus not
always confined to halls, and spilled out to the streets on special occasions; a
contemporary historian of dance-halls, Montorgueil, suggested the date of May 1, 1878 for
the first street balls, soon to become a mainstay of July 14 celebrations, as the wounds of
the Franco-Prussian war began to heal (Montorgueil, Paris dansant, p. 66)

59. • A final stop for night owls who do not want to go
home—the Père Rossignol, a closed cabaret in
Montmartre where entry must be secured, frequented
by poets, aspiring actors, thugs (escarpes) or burglars;
another clandestine one is found at the Chateau-d’Eau,
rue de Lancry in a cave, while in the Quartier Latin
there is a final station for tartines and lait, [milk and
buttered bread] the latter sometimes attached to a
bakery. (Goudeau, p. 306)

60. Jules Cheret.
Augusta Segatori’s Famous Au Tambourin
frequented by artists and serving Italian
food
Wiki Commons

61. The famous Café du Rat Mort, frequented by the men of the Boheme who disputed the space with
women seeking women, a source of voyeuristic tourism, but also reputed for its “excellent cooking”…

62. As shown in this menu…
Carte de menu du café
restaurant “Le Rat mort”
1896.
A. Willette . Via Cercle
Coecilia 1998
{{PD-Exp}}

63. “Night Café.” The Rat Mort’s ambience is evoked in the following two paintings by Swedish artist Axel Torneman (1880-1925)
Image Posse Stryngford.
{{PD}} WkC.
Public domain. PD in 1995 in Sweden, URAA ineligible. Photographer released rights. 1990-03-01, Posse Stryngford, Own work / CC-BY-3.0 & GFDL

64. Night Café II, Axel
Torneman
2011-10-28,
{{PD}} WkC. Public
domain. PD in
1995 in Sweden,
URAA ineligible.
Photographer
released rights.
1990-03-01, Posse
Stryngford, Own
work / CC-BY-3.0 &
GFDL

65. THE GRADUATE CENTER
THE HENRI PEYRE FRENCH INSTITUTE
365 FIFTH AVENUE, ROOM 4204
NEW YORK, NY 10016-4309
DIRECTOR:
PROFESSOR FRANCESCA CANADE SAUTMAN
212-817-8365
Please comment on this exhibit by joining our online Forum of September 30, 1 to 7 PM, on
the Henri Peyre French Institute Website