Posted in crime and justice , health , lodgings , Paris history , prostitution , tagged 19th century Paris on May 1, 1 Comment Β». Paris, with its grand boulevards, iconic landmarks, and rich cultural heritage, captures visitors and residents alike. The wide boulevards that run in circles were once moats and defensive ditches surrounding the walls. Names such as Porte de Clichy or Porte Saint-Denis, now mere metro stations, recall the former gates to the French capital.
Permanent construction was prohibited within metres 55 yards of the fortifications. Over time, this area became known as the Zone. This was a place where the destitute and outcasts found shelter amidst poverty and squalor. Rag pickers, beggars, and other marginalized groups eked out a living in makeshift dwellings constructed from scavenged materials.
These offered little protection from the elements. Urban amenities such as street lighting or running water were missing.
The Zone was a fertile ground for crime and violence, as gangs and thugs roamed the streets with impunity. It was a lawless wasteland, with little hope for a brighter future. The Zone housed the cheapest eating places, the roughest bars, and was the working domain of prostitution dregs. See the post The Fortification Whore below. Crime was not the only danger emerging from the Zone. The activity of rag pickers worried the authorities as they carried and spread various diseases. Rag pickers relied on scavenging for their livelihood, combing through the streets, alleys, and garbage dumps of Paris.
They searched for discarded items that could be salvaged, repaired, or sold. They collected everything from rags and bones to metal scraps and discarded furniture, transforming what others saw as waste into commodities.
