Times change, and with them, some professions disappear while others emerge. In Paris, several trades from the past tell the story of a bygone era and the daily life of its residents.
1. The Bread Carrier
Early in the morning, she would walk the streets delivering fresh baguettes to homes. In 1908, it was common to see these hardworking women faithfully visiting every Parisian household.
2. The Shoe Shiners
Often young children, they roamed the streets of 19th-century Paris, polishing shoes for passersby. With no sidewalks and streets filled with trash and horse droppings, their work was far from easy.
3. The Knife Sharpener, or “Rémouleur”
With his mobile grindstone, he sharpened knives, daggers, and even swords. A truly itinerant profession, it is said that one still exists in Paris today, keeping this ancestral craft alive.
4. The Newspaper Seller
Starting as young as six, he would shout the headlines in the streets to attract readers. A lost art? Not entirely: there is said to still be one such seller near Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
5. The Window Tapper
Before alarm clocks, he would knock on windows until the sleeper appeared. Common in England and Ireland, this job was rarer in Paris but shows the inventive ways Parisians woke the city at dawn.
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