Berlioz in Paris
17 rue de Vintimille
In April 1856 the steep rise in rents forced Berlioz to move from his flat at 19 rue Boursault and seek new accommodation. He first found a flat on the 5th floor of 17 rue de Vintimille, where conditions were cramped, as he mentions in a letter of 1st May to his brother in law Marc Suat and in another of 11 May 1856 to his sister Adèle. The one advantage was that he had a balcony, fresh air, and a superb view over the whole of Paris and Montmartre (both letters are in the selection edited by Hugh Macdonald, nos. 329 and 330). Much of the libretto of Les Troyens was written in this flat. In October of the same year Berlioz finally settled at 4 rue de Calais which meets the rue de Vintimille at an angle.
The photographs reproduced on this page were taken by Michel Austin. © Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin. All rights of reproduction reserved.
The balcony on the 5th floor
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