Why is this metro station called Glacière? We are standing at Glacière station. It might seem like an odd name for a metro station. Let’s delve into its past. The station takes its name from the former village it served, also called “La Glacière.” This village, now absorbed into the 13th arrondissement, earned its chilly name from the Bièvre River. The Bièvre, once a meandering waterway, flowed through this area before its path was buried beneath the city. Imagine the scene: every winter, the shallow river would freeze over. Thick sheets of ice covered the Bièvre for miles. Locals would harvest these ice blocks and store them in deep pits. These weren’t just any pits. They were carefully constructed ice houses lining the riverbanks, some plunging 2 to 5 meters deep and insulated with straw. This ingenious technique, predating refrigeration, allowed Parisians to preserve food through the summer heat. The ice from the Bièvre even chilled drinks and helped create the famed Parisian sorbets! So Glacière station stands as a cool reminder of the city’s pre-refrigeration era. It’s a testament to Parisian ingenuity and their resourcefulness in harnessing the power of nature.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to