“Did she really represent the Republic?” someone whispered, gazing at the Cérès fountain. Intriguing, isn’t it? To think that this fountain, adorned with the Roman goddess of agriculture, was once a symbol of France herself. Right here, in the heart of Paris, stands the Cérès fountain. Completed between 1672 and 1675, it boasts a history as captivating as its design. Can you imagine that the very first stamps issued by France, back in 1849, bore Cérès’s image? The French Republic, symbolized by a Roman deity? It might seem like a paradox, but the image of Cérès, laden with grains and fruits, embodied the spirit of a nation reborn, promising prosperity and abundance. This symbolism, however, was short-lived. In the whirlwind of political change, the image on the Franc eventually shifted, but Cérès, in all her allegorical glory, continued to grace this Parisian fountain.
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.