Lost in Paris

The day before I left on a six-week solo trip through Western Europe, the Travel section published a picture page depicting Paris window shutters that had been painted in the style of famous artists or art schools (“Closing Scenes,” Sept. 3, 1995). The text by Scott Kraft said the shutters were located on the 100-yard-long Rue Cavallotti, “steps from the Sacre Coeur Basilica.” I took the article with me.

On the day of a nationwide public sector strike in France in October, I chose to explore Paris, beginning with an early morning hike to the Basilica to view the shutters before the businesses on Rue Cavallotti opened for the day.

After trekking across the city, I arrived at the foot of the hill on which the Basilica is perched. Because of the strike, the funicular rail that transports pedestrians up the steep hill was not operating. When Rue Cavallotti was not at the base of the hill, I assumed it must be at the top and I hiked up. My map did not identify Rue Cavallotti, and it was not at the top. I went back down the hill and questioned more shop owners, including an art school/gallery. The person there said that it must be at the top and that the tourist information office at the top would help.

With the help of two people at the tourist information office, the telephone book and another map, I located Rue Cavallotti, about 1 1/2 miles from the base of the hill. I finally found it and photographed several shutters. Obviously, Rue Cavallotti and the shutters are not steps from the Basilica.

DIANA TERAN BLAISURE

Costa Mesa

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Scott Kraft replies: I’m sorry the reader had difficulty locating Rue Cavallotti. It is, in fact, just a 10-minute walk from the Basilica, located, as the article mentioned, in a working-class neighborhood. I made the walk myself the other day. But it is easy to get lost among the dozens of tiny streets near the Basilica, and one should never count on Parisians knowing the way to such a short, obscure street. That’s why a good map is de rigueur for the Paris explorer. Small, inexpensive map books, which include every Paris street, are available at kiosks throughout the city (and outside the Basilica as well).