Sous les pavés, la plage [under the cobblestones, the beach] was the motto of the student movement of 1968 in France (and just as for World War I, I'm still trying to figure out if it really needed to happen or was just about posturing. I tend to side with posturing).
It implies that freedom is available if you'll just get rid of the cobblestones-- in riots of the 1800s, Parisians were famous for tearing them up to build barricades and throw them at les forces de l'ordre.
Nowadays they get rid of the cobblestones in a different way, by paving them over. You can still see them at some heavily used intersections. I know they exist in other countries, too-- even in the U.S.: I once lived on Beacon Hill in Boston.
I love to catch a glimpse of them. They remind me how old Paris is, and that there have been cobblestones here since at least Roman times.
People used to put so much time and effort into making things beautiful. Can you imagine how much work that street was, especially with that pattern. I wonder why beauty and details don't seem to matter much anymore.
Posted by: Jessica | 05 June 2006 at 13:19
I have a very similar photo of Acorn Street in Boston! And another place you will see cobblestones in the U.S. are parts of lower Manhattan south of 14th, believe it or not.
Posted by: The Bold Soul | 05 June 2006 at 16:59