“A street named after bankers?” you might ask, eyebrows raised. Yes, right here in Paris, we have Avenue Lombart in Fontenay-aux-Roses. It’s a tribute, not to French financiers, but to medieval Italian merchants who travelled far, their legacy etched in stone and history. These weren’t just any merchants. The Lombards, hailing from Italian cities like Genoa and Lucca, stepped in after King Edward I expelled all Jews from England in the 13th century. They became England’s bankers, their influence so profound that their hub, Lombard Street in London, still stands today. Our Avenue Lombart might not be filled with bustling banks, but it whispers a tale of those who crossed borders and shaped economies, a silent testament to the ripple effects of history. Their story reminds us that even seemingly ordinary places like this avenue hold extraordinary echoes of the past.
Église Notre-Dame de l’Air
Beneath what appears to be a simple stone and wood structure lies a history interwoven with faith aviation and community.