The Bits Of The Bastille You Can Still See

The destruction of the Bastille prison is an iconic moment of the French Revolution, but did you know there are little pieces of it hidden all around Paris? Here are 7 places where you can see the last bits of La Bastille. p.s. Feel free to comment with any I missed!
Walking route on Google Maps: goo.gl/maps/pwWZXVHhfSJHfp1a9
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IMAGE CREDITS
Bastille model photos by Pierre-Yves Beaudouin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

[@illyasvielemiya9059]

I am curious since I am not European. but....how important is La Bastille and why is France Government preserved it? if it is a prison, I imagine many didn't want to remember that. On other hand, there is Prison in Britain that also preserved, but that one also used as a castle and jailing royalty so I can understand why Britain Government want to preserve that. meanwhile over US, Alcatraz Island really famous because it is supossedly haunted, but I doubt a bit of piece of foundation are haunted enough to make Government preserve them. all I said is just conjecture however so Please educate me.

[@TheTimTraveller]

A French person would be able to explain better than me but the destruction of the Bastille is seen as one of the most important events not just of La Révolution but the whole of modern French history; it's the iconic moment that represents the pivot from Monarchy to Republic, from the rule of aristocracy to the rule of the people. So, much as they hated the prison, they wanted to keep bits of it, because in a way the destroyed stones are almost like a victory trophy. I'm massively simplifying things obv but that's the general idea :)

[@100dampf]

The storm of the Bastille was the started the French revolution, a small event about which so many people lost there mind , that they made the storming of the bastille the national holiday

[@Bbonno]

The short answer is that this particular prison played a central role in the French Revolution. You may have heard that it wasn't the most peaceful event ever, and as such many key figures found themselves in various prisons, but most notably this one in central Paris. As a result the place was stormed (broken into from the outside) to free a bunch of people. If memory serves a whole lot of killing also took place there in the name of the first revolution.

[@louisgray3479]

The Bastille wasn't just any prison. It was a state prison for upper-class members of French society (a bit like the London Tower). But the most important is it's destruction on the 14th July 1789 which marked the begin of the French revolution. This resulted in the execution of the French royal family and the establishment of the first French Republic. The French Revolution is seen as a turning point in the history of Europe, from which on the powers of the old monarchies and the European aristocracy faded, while Democracy spread. The ideals of the Revolution are a fundamental part of modern western society. The Bastille is the main symbol for that development. The 14th July is still the French National holyday which is celebrated each year (with probably the exception of 2020) with a military parade in Paris.

[@illyasvielemiya9059]

Thank you all, I am happy to learn all of that. I also got many keyword to do further reading. So I am a happy man

[@BoG_City]

I love how a version of Bastille's song Pompei is playing in the background, great easter egg!

[@m8rshall]

That - and at the end the EastEnders theme tune :D

[@ryshow9118]

I was trying to place the tune. TY

[@HeliNomadic]

I started picking it out about halfway through the video and came to the comments section to see if I could find if someone else had noticed it too.

[@SCRedstone]

Tim plays all the background music on piano himself. He has another channel for his piano arrangements

[@DrUseful]

I came here to comment exactly this, but you said it first. 😎

[@GeographyWorld]

The markers on the ground are like those for the Berlin Wall at Potsdamer Platz. Also reminds me how you can find parts of Cork's medieval wall hidden around the city centre.

[@JasperJanssen]

There’s lots of street markings around these days. Here in Utrecht for example there are steel plates marking the limit of the Roman castellum walls (right around the Dom cathedral area), as well as basalt stones marking the foundations of the 8th century church that stood there *and* where most of the Dom stood before it collapsed in a big storm in the 1660s. Oh, and various other parts of churches, the old medieval city wall and gates, and random other bits and pieces are marked. It’s downright a trend - pretty darn cheap to implement, makes your city look historic, and the tourists actually find them useful. And attracting tourists is good for the local economy.

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

My second thought about those studs were "I wonder if they're slippy when wet when you ride a bike over them?"

[@JasperJanssen]

Vanderlynden Jengold I can actually answer that. Yes they fucking are. I swear because that’s what you do once you try steering where those things are. As a cyclist, you hope there’s not too many of them.

[@GeographyWorld]

@@JasperJanssen They're not in Cork anyway!

[@JISJ1964]

@@JasperJanssen In your "neighbourhood" I get to think about the bordermarkings in Baarle.

[@iosephinaausten9191]

Eastenders theme when looking at Paris feels wrong but I love it

[@ShaneRounce]

I was gonna say 😂

[@malahammer]

East Paris maybe :)

[@stewdobbs]

where as Pompeii by Bastille fit nicely for the rest!

[@JasperJanssen]

*was* that what it was? I didn’t hear any Doof doof doof doof, so I thought my mind was just playing tricks on me.

[@andybiotic]

Just need a revolving aerial photo of the eastern side of Paris...

[@tomatosoup44]

But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

[@alexamerri2]

Honestly, I felt a small emptiness, perhaps coming from my heart when I did not see (nor hear) your introductory title clip.

[@user-fp6dt1os1l]

Nice choice of background music lol

[@CharloDube]

As far as I am concerned my friend, Paris has enough history to shoot a whole season’s worth of material! Thank you for doing these videos despite all that’s going on. It brings me joy to see someone enjoying the discoveries of travelling!

[@mdaffasuryanindra2016]

I love how you connect the previous video into this one, and from this one into the next video (hopefully), nice job!

[@russvhill2]

A pleasure to watch as always Tim, and worth watching at least once again to pick up the clever bits you sneak in to keep us wanting more.

[@zacharyyarost5804]

I love your content so much xD I don’t really care what you’re doing in the video; your style as a presenter is just so good.

[@100dampf]

So what could the video of saumur be, hmm It has one of the biggest tank museums of the world, some old buildings, churches and a town wall. But I'm sure you weren't there to see any of that, right? Maybe the real life hobbit holes would fit, but I'm not sure as I found that way to easily Well I'm looking forward to it

[@haraldgrundetjern2184]

Also the Battle of Saumur did happednd their in 1940 what is considerd as the event is often considered one of the first acts of the French Resistance, where many cadets from the localy military acedemy did fight

[@timeflysintheshop]

You did not mention a train. Is there a train there? Oh i hope he's going to see a train! 😀

[@freewal]

There is also the famous Cadre Noir de Saumur, the National School for Horse riding. The best riders of Europe are there.

[@ageoflove1980]

Perhaps they have a terrible football club?

[@robertwilloughby8050]

There is (as I have mentioned above) the most famous french sparkling wine that isn't champagne. (Sorry, Blanquette de Limoux fans, you know I'm right, right?)

[@david5uper529]

Great to see you out and about making videos again.

[@garthl2954]

Quirky, spot on and a surprise in every clip, Tim!! THANK YOU!!

[@katepaterson4052]

Missed your opening titles... top vid as always Tim!

[@jw9939]

I love all these hidden details. great vid!

[@bawdydog176]

Always a treat. Thank you Tim!

[@chocjamie]

Another super interesting Tim video! Greetings from Brisbane Australia.

[@RobertKildoo]

I Adore Tim's video's so much!!

[@rowanmorgan457]

Fabulous as always thank you Tim!

[@jonas6799]

The wall marks on this street remind me of the ones in Berlin

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

I don't personally need it, but I really like how you always include accessibility advice on your route suggestions. That's a very cool detail, so full points for that!

[@tinrobot4479]

Thanks Tim as always.

[@LucilleHe]

awesome! I've lived in paris for ages but I always end up learning new things from your parisian videos so.. I'm kinda "glad" you're stuck in paris for a while

[@derauditor5748]

AAAAH! CLIFF HANGER!!!! Merde! Now i have to start researching Saumur, just to find out what Tim is up to. Yo Tim! Stay save!

[@underwaterlaser1687]

Check out his IG 😉

[@dosvidanyagaming4123]

Tanks. Lots of tanks

[@sirBrouwer]

@@dosvidanyagaming4123 but it's Tim we are talking about. Not Lloyd ( Lindybeige ). Tim would find something that has little to do with tanks.

[@iatsd]

@@sirBrouwer Ah, but it's Tim, so if it's tanks then the commentary will be accurate, unlike Lindy where it will be 90% bollocks and 10% idiot nationalist fanboi.

[@sirBrouwer]

@@iatsd i have nerver seen Lloyd claiming false information. Rather the opposite. He goes out of his way to go deep in on the topic on hand. Half of his side tracking is to give extra back information about a part of the main topic. It's more a overkill on information than anything

[@Cincy32]

You have the most underrated channel I know of; thank you for the content and stay safe!

[@DaveTexas]

Thank you for this! We asked, you delivered. You’re a good man!

[@unlapras9365]

I'm from Paris and I love the videos you make about its secrets (especially when you talk about railways :P) A cool topic for another video would be Paris's metro ghost stations ! There's a lot to say.

[@utetopia1620]

Still one of my favourite channels!!

[@EricvandenBurg]

I love the Paris videos! It Brings me back to the time I lived there :-)

[@ryandavis7593]

Great video. I survived Corona 19 earlier this year. Though it was a close call. Been there and done that and have the trophy antibodies. Greetings from the high plains of Texas.

[@christophernoble6810]

Interesting video Tim, as always. Stay safe. 😉

[@Selphie]

Stay safe Tim, and I'm looking forward to your next video! 👍

[@tbj1972]

Love you videos!

[@MrDarrylMan]

Loving the videos 😊😊😊. Love France (but never been there).

[@martinneumann7783]

Wunderbar! Vielen Dank, Tim...

[@jamieknight326]

The Eastenders theme tune at the end surprised me! Nice video :)

[@rosiefay7283]

Thanks for the video. Looking forward to seeing some more of Saumur.

[@zachegan1950]

so interesting! I live not too far from Bastille and have never noticed these so I'll have to check these out as I walk around

[@andershansson2245]

Hello! New subscriber here, although I've been immensely enjoying the occasional peek on your channel before, and as I've been deeply enamoured with Paris ever since arriving on the Nord-express from Copenhagen with my parents in 1971, now was certainly time to hop onboard. And even if I'm also nostalgic for the foggy nights of northern Italy, like the the one you had in San Marino, I my book, you just can't post too many Paris videos, they're great! And if you'd care to do something on the old Paris wall(s), it'll tie in nicely with your previous motifs of Parisian train lines and Metro, wineyards, windmills and generally loafing about town... Thanks for reading, and I will see you soon! ;-)

[@ldkreationz03]

Love your videos! Hello from California😊

[@TheTimTraveller]

Helloooooooo

[@Gassenhauer]

I love it how you make the best out of the current situation, especially as a travel blog u have a real hard time now

[@tomjoad1363]

Travel within france is permitted. He could go across all the country !

[@Gassenhauer]

@@tomjoad1363 yes France but mostly that's it.

[@Ash007YT]

Always a good day when Tim shows us around.

[@MichaelTavares]

Thank you for always considering accessibility when making suggestions, or planning expeditions.

[@Darwinek]

What will Tim see in Saumur? 1) Museum of tanks 2) Unused railway track 3) Unique sewage system 4) Some empty buildings 5) Surprise. Something no one expects.

[@Ron-rs2zl]

Greetings Tim Traveler great show

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Pretty cool he made mini Bastilles out of Bastille stones, didn’t know about that

[@djhakase]

There are marks on the ground throughout my hometown that also mark a time of great struggle and sacrifice, of the few striving against all odds to create a better world for the many: the blue marathon race line of the Sydney Olympic Games 2000

[@DavidMeggers]

Paris videos sound good to me...oh, of course other places in France, or the wider world are always...erm...yes.

[@WeyounSix]

I don't mind your little paris videos, we have to work with what we can get in the pandemic and these retain all of your charm!

[@sydnorth5868]

Tim, if all you can do is keep showing us interesting things about Paris, then please carry on doing so!

[@lotharerkens8154]

Tim, you must have tons of footage from trips last years which didn't make the cut. If you can't travel so much this year, could you upload "encore" presentations with some of the unshared footage?

[@delurkor]

Back in the late '50s I remember riding thru Place Bastille, and there was a full outline in the roadway.

[@TheTimTraveller]

Yes, before the recent resurfacing, the whole place used to be cobblestones and the fortress was outlined with red bricks - I'm guessing that's what you saw

[@bennyfactor]

Nice music choice, as always.

[@CesarIsaacPerez]

I love Paris! So I don't mind videos about Paris. Went there once, when I was 23, Loved it. Can't wait to to back, planning on it when I turn 43.

[@oceanheartz717]

its not quite the same without the intro :'(

[@BilisNegra]

Bonus video...

[@kugul1683]

I have to say, that the intro was getting a bit outdated tho (especially at the levels of professionality which I’m geussing Tim is aiming for

[@markrimag]

@@kugul1683 I love his intro. It's a modern classic.

[@TheDuke4100]

@@kugul1683 Not at all. Lov the intro

[@Transit_Biker]

Fascinating! Stay safe!

[@ndv135]

As pretty as Paris is, as a big Medieval history nerd it makes me so sad all of the grand medieval buildings that are lost, the medieval Louvre, the Bastille, the Palais de la Cité, and obviously all of the medieval buildings that were torn down under Napoleon III. Oh, well, at least the Sainte-Chapelle and is still around and Notre-Dame once they finish restoring it. The Louvre and the Bastille would have been such awesome castles though. Makes me glad that no one ever got around to messing with, or just tearing down the Tower of London.

[@elbona279]

Love that Pompeii piano cover in the background 😝

[@thoperSought]

that was excellent!

[@andiolaim]

I was thinking and thinking and getting pieces of lyrics clear... and then I realised that you used a piano version of Pompeii... by Bastille ;) Great choice!

[@jonabub]

Thank you, for letting me start almost every day now with an insightful and easygoing view of some trainstations or historic monuments. I love what you are doing, i love that you wear a mask without making too much fuzz about it and i love that you keep up the spirit all the time. As this is your work now, i think you'd be able to get an exception for travelling still, but i understand if you'd want to stick to the common rules. I hope we all get the numbers to drop in a collective effort so we could all go back to travel again, be it with our newly acquired habits. Until then i'll just stick to learning more about all these beautiful places so i would be insightful once i get there :D. "Where did you learn all this?" they ask. "Oh, i have this friend, Tim, he is really knowledgeble and told me all of that." "Really?" "Yes, really."

[@mary-janejenkins9560]

Keep safe and healthy can’t wait to see the final instalment 🥰

[@HenrysAdventures]

Fascinating! Love the section of wall in the Metro station!

[@MrGreatplum]

Ah, Paris - went there once with my girlfriend (now wife) from 9 - 13 Sept 2001 which made life interesting. As a geeky 20 year old, I do remember trying to retrace the bastille ‘studs’. Also, great bit of piano in the background, can’t think what the name of the band is 😆😜

[@holymags2495]

Hope you are doing well too, thanks for the video.

[@Michiel1973]

I remember travelling the Canal Saint-Martin that actually passes UNDER the place de la Bastille, tourguide playing the flute! Magic trip!

[@ZGryphon]

I can think of one other piece of the Bastille that still exists, though it's not to be found in Paris: the key, which is at Mount Vernon, George Washington's mansion in Virginia. The Marquis de La Fayette sent it to Washington in 1790, as a gesture of friendship and respect from one revolutionary to another.

[@ryancz9997]

And of course, the music matches perfectly!

[@Rackergen]

I totally miss your iconic background music towards the end. But this one is nice, too.

[@rae-el-gee]

Already looking forward to the Saumur video, my husband's family live about 5 minutes up the road 😊

[@staceycoates1418]

As an American who is unlikely to leave North America (I have been to Canada a few times though it has been over twenty years) I love your videos. I love learning about the history of France, Germany, England and well Europe. Afterall, history classes over here tend to take a very American-centric view of the world, but I am not blind to that delusion. So I love all the videos I have seen you put out. Any videos you put out I will enjoy. (Though as a genealogist if you ever get to do videos in the Alsace-Lorraine, Prussia or Switzerland I will keep my eye out on those and I have traced a few of my lines back that far. Heck, a history of the lands, like Saar, that went back and forth from France and German (if not Germany) would be interesting. I have one family that had to come from one of those pockets lands but my knowledge of the history is sketchy enough that I am not certain where to even look. Thank you for all that you share. No matter the topic I check the video out.

[@SaturnCanuck]

That was great. The piece in the Metro station was amazing.

[@rfmilie]

So funny how you teach me some things I don't know even though I'm French ! ^^

[@colinfischer3628]

oooohhh.....story arcs and cliffhangers!

[@corbinlegrand]

Clever music choice ;)

[@maclafm1252]

Pompeii from Bastille playing in the background...nice

[@hhgttg69]

excellent!

[@ak5659]

Yes, I was one of those people who was in Paris in August 1989 and it never occured to me that there might not be anything going at the Bastille for its 'bicentennial'. I was successful in finding a small plaque commemorating something I've since forgotten and there is/was a shopping mall occupying part of the site. What was funny was running into a half dozen other people who were there at the same time I was looking for the same thing for the same reasons. And they were equally puzzled. And yes.... we were all Americans....sigh.

[@Sheharyarjavaid]

Never have been to Paris, Neither will be in near future. But this channel and Mans voice gives me peace and calm. Thank you Kind Sir.

[@sirrliv]

I'm actually alright with Paris videos for awhile, especially with your kinda subseries of Paris' abandoned railways. Makes for an interesting pairing with fellow traveltuber Jago Hazzard's series on oddities of London and Tales from the Tube.

[@chopsfreyer4226]

There was a cool Irish pub off to the left of your opening shot of the center.....woah what a night that was 20 years ago....i apologize for whomever had to clean that subway car when the doors didnt open quick enough the next morning, probably smelled like a distillery for weeks

[@philrabe910]

Grateful for these little moments ordinaire. I only discovered your station last autumn which was fun and frolic-y, now it is more of a lifeline -looking out from the large cage our leadership built for the US.

[@jezzaqc]

Listening to Tim as that voice on the telephone at 3:16 makes me think he would be excellent if he were cast as Brian’s mum in ‘The Life of Brian’ by Monty Python

[@keshavsrinivasan6832]

You made the videooooooo!!!!!!!

[@FrauWNiemand]

This is very interesting. This kind of marking things in the ground when they are not really there anymore is very common in Europe, I guess. There is one in Berlin remarking the wall and one in Leipzig marking the old wall of a castle. Anyway, I really like this bonus-video.

[@FrauWNiemand]

...but I'm really sad that I couldn't translate it this time for the first time since...almost a year. Shame on you YT for taking away my little guilty pleasure from this platform!

[@anjachan]

I love historic places :)

[@bryceh78]

LOL Bastille - Pompeii - piano version playing during a video about the Bastille. No wonder the tune sounded so familiar but without the vocals or drums it figuring it out was harder than expected.

[@2ManyGoats]

I've just today found your channel, and this is the 8th video I've watched... ... And you left it on a cliffhanger? If I wasn't Canadian I'd call you names that would hurt your feelings! Oh, such names I would call you! Instead though, I'll just apologize for almost being mean to you, because you've improved my mood today significantly. If you ever decide you want to visit Canada, I know of several places you'd find interesting. Look up the history of St John's, Newfoundland for example. It's the oldest permanent settlement in Canada, and there's a lot of that history still standing.

[@cr10001]

At 2:02, looking over the Bassin de l'Arsenal, that long low bridge/building on the right is Bastille station on Ligne 1 of the Paris Metro. Strangers who boarded the Metro train deep down beneath the Gare de Lyon, heading for central Paris, may be surprised to find themselves looking through the big windows over the boats anchored in the Bassin.

[@usmub]

I'm not sure I'm glad or disappointed you didn't travel 2 hours just for that stone, as it seems such an appropriate thing for you to do. Either way, more videos are never a bad thing, specially in these times.:)

[@patavinity1262]

Not sure about the one in the park, but the foundations visible on the Line 5 platform at the Bastille metro stop isn't *really* part of the Bastille. As it says on the wall display at the platform, visible at 2:05, it's just a subsidiary bit of fortification which is part of the same complex the Bastille was in.

[@sampointau]

A lot of original stonework was incorporated into the original railway station that was replaced by the Opera, there were plies.of it laying around in 1985.

[@kamalismy]

awesome...

[@robdavies82]

I wished I’d known about these places when I was there in January - although Assassins Creed Unity was helpful for seeing historic Paris recreated accurately. Paris has lots of cool places. The catacombs were my favourite!

[@robertwilloughby8050]

Hello! So, are you doing the Cavalry Riding School in Saumur, or perhaps French Sparkling Wine that isn't champagne, or maybe even both?

[@WeyounSix]

I wish I was in Europe I love your videos

[@photons23]

Waiting for the video on Saumur Rive Gauche x)

[@jantorleifpedersen2495]

Just a tip - You can take a boat tour under the palace de la Bastille on Canal St Martin. Here you can se the actual foundations of the Bastille and parts of the basement.

[@zachegan1950]

also just so you know--the Carnavalet is not closed because of the pandemic. it has been closed for a 4 year full renovation but the opening date was pushed back a few months (to early 2021 instead of fall 2020) because the travaux had to slow down due to social distancing guidelines on site.

[@TheTimTraveller]

Ah thanks for the info Zach! Tbf, if it was originally supposed to re-open in fall 2020, and it hasn't done yet because of social distancing delays... then technically it *is* closed because of the pandemic :P

[@zachegan1950]

@@TheTimTraveller technically yes it is still closed because of the pandemic :P anyway it will be exciting to see it when its done--the pictures of their plans for it look really great!