In the summer of 1465, a veritable revolution illuminated the lives of Parisians. On July 4 of that year, an ordinance was issued requiring the installation of lanterns in the streets of Paris. Simple candles, placed in modest lanterns, began to illuminate the dark and dangerous streets of the French capital.
It's interesting to realize just how much this measure, though rudimentary by today's standards, changed the lives of Parisians. Previously, nightfall made the city silent, even dangerous, with the streets infested with thieves. Boileau 's words in his sixth satire perfectly illustrate the situation at the time:
"The most disastrous and least frequented wood Is, at the price of Paris, a place of safety. Woe therefore to him whom an unforeseen affair Engages a little too late at the bend of a street."
The advent of lanterns thus changed the game, transforming the Parisian night into a safer, less terrifying experience. It was a period of significant evolution for the city, despite the resistance and difficulties encountered in applying the new regulations.
The Chronicle of Louis XI mentions: " On Wednesday, July 4, was published, and made known by the crossroads of Paris, that in each hotel of icelle city, there was on the window a lantern and a burning candle during the night; that each household which had dog locked it in its house, and this on penalty of the hart. " However, despite its importance, this ordinance was not fully respected.
Nevertheless, this first step inpublic lighting marked the beginning of a series of measures aimed at improving the safety of city dwellers. Subsequent initiatives in 1524 and 1526 attempted to introduce even stricter rules for street illumination, in response to disturbances caused by gangs of thieves, known as "bad boys", who preyed on passers-by and took advantage of the cover of darkness to commit their misdeeds.
The most significant change probably came in 1558, when the Chamber of Council imposed the installation of a lighted falot on every street corner, from 10pm to 4am. This was a major step forward in the development of public lighting in Paris.
However, it wasn't until the 18th century that Parisians saw any real improvement. In 1744, the reverberant lantern (oil lamp and silver reflector) was invented, but it wasn't until 1766 that Monsieur Bourgeois de Chateaublanc's lantern was chosen to equip the streets of Paris. At the time, in the absence of sidewalks, lanterns were suspended over the streets or hung from gallows every 50 meters.
In 1881, Paris also hosted the first International Electrical Exhibition. This event, supported by engineers and financiers, was to be a huge success.
In 1900, at the Exposition Universelle, Paris became the "City of Light". It was a marketing strategy, a means of promoting and distinguishing itself. By this time, Paris had caught up with other cities in terms of lighting, such as New York, which already had electric lighting. As a result, the city sparkled with a thousand lights, a reminder that it was in Paris that the first attempts at modern electric lighting were made.
Today, it's easy to dismiss this turning point as a minor technological advance. At the time, however, it was a revolution that not only brightened the lives of Parisians, but also increased their safety and ability to go about their daily business even after nightfall.
The story of the Paris lanterns is more than anecdotal; it's a testimony to the gradual evolution of society towards a safer, more organized nightlife. This initiative transformed the lives of Parisians, shaping them in ways we recognize today as typically urban and modern.
This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.
