Armenians of Issy-les-Moulineaux - a suburb of Paris

One of the main reasons I decided to visit Paris on my way to Armenia was to learn and write about the small community of Armenians living in Issy-Les-Moulineaux, a suburb located on the southwest edge of Paris.

My father’s family moved from Tehran to Paris when he was 9 or 10, and they had lived in Issy-les-Moulineaux. So I was on a mission: first, to visit the old neighborhood where my dad grew up; and second, to visit the City Hall to find out about the Armenian community in Issy-les-Moulineaux, which I will call ‘Issy’ for short.

My friend Lala, who lives in Issy, had invited me to spend the night at their home so that I would have a nearby base from which to explore the neighborhood. Lala and her sister live on a street named Yerevan. Rue d’Erevan is a short, narrow, uphill street which ends at the top of a hill, where their apartment complex is located.

They live on the seventh floor and have a commanding view of Paris with the Tour d’Eiffel in the middle. At night, when the tower is illuminated, the view is even more spectacular.

I arrived on Monday evening around 5:30 p.m. at Issy by metro, the last stop of Paris-Metro Line 12. As I stepped off the train I saw a shoe repair shop. The guy inside the shop looked Armenian. My patriotic blood sensed a connection. I gathered my courage, entered the shop and asked him if he was Armenian.

Nicole Essayan (assistant mayor of Issy-les-Moulineaux) with her daughter and son at her son, Azad's flower shop

“Bonjour monsieur. Est ce que vous êtes Armenian?” And indeed he was Armenian. He was a handsome middle-aged man with dark Armenian features. His name was Lionel Sarkissian. His surname was same as my maiden last name.

I had many questions, but he was preoccupied with his work. It was a busy time of the day. While I was there a woman brought in a pair of shoes needing repair and another picked up a pair. I really wanted to ask him if by any chance he was related to a long lost great-great uncle of mine, but I didn’t. All I learned that he was born in France and his parents were too. He spoke Western Armenian. I was happy to observe that as a member of the second or maybe third generation he could still speak Armenian.

The city's Armenian Genocide monument

I had a rendezvous with Lala at 7 p.m. To kill time, I decided to look around for another Armenian shopkeeper. Close to the metro station, there was a small hamburger place. The owner was Indian or Pakistani. I had a hamburger and asked the owner if he knew of any nearby Armenian shopkeepers. He said that there were many Armenians in town, but he didn’t know of any Armenian shopkeepers close by.

Wandering around I noticed that most people, who seemed to be coming from work and heading to their homes had baguettes in their hands. So I joined a queue in front of a bakery to buy a baguette with the hope that I would meet an Armenian in the line.

Lala arrived around 7 p.m. We took a bus to their home. We couldn’t walk because the streets leading up to the apartment complex are quite steep. From inside the bus, Lala pointed out two Armenian churches and a youth club.

Rue D'Armenie

When we got off the bus, we crossed Rue d’Armenie. On the corner was an Armenian grocery store, but since it was Monday the store was closed. I thought I could check it out the following day, but I didn’t get a chance to do that.

There was another Armenian grocery shop called “Markar,” which is my grandson’s name, but I didn’t get to visit that store, either. My slow pace limits me to about a project a day.

Lala took me around and showed me a few monuments in the city that memorialize Armenians’ presence. All were within walking distance from her home. The Genocide monument was directly at the bottom of the hill – literally under their nose.

We took a set of steps down to visit the monument. It was built in 1982. Flanked by a hillside with a terrace-type setting, it was striking and very interesting. I was moved by the Armenian-themed architectural features and the bas-reliefs. The monument was built with pink Toof stone brought from Armenia. I learned that the monument’s construction was funded half by the Armenian community and the other half by the City.

From this Genocide monument, we walked to an abstract bronze statue which had been erected to commemorate the victims of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia. The statue was located at a square called “Etch-miadzin.” I was really impressed with the number of street names and structures dedicated to Armenians.

Rue D'Erevan

The following day I met Nicole Essayan, one of the 18 elected deputies of Issy’s mayor André Santini. Essayan believes that Mr. Santini holds the record of being the longest elected mayor in the modern history of France.
He has been mayor of Issy since 1980!

Essayan has lived in Issy for 60 years. She says the main influx of Armenians began in the 1970s. Of the City’s 63,000 population, about 5,000 are Armenians. The Armenian community has two churches, one Apostolical and one Evangelical and one school.

The “Sourp Tarkmanenchatz” Armenian elementary school (k-6) was founded about 10 years ago. There is also an active Armenian soccer team. In 1975, “ASA Issy” (Association Sportive Ararat Issy) was formed to unify Armenian soccer lovers of Paris and its surroundings. In the beginning, the club was limited to Armenian players, but now it is more open and has become the town’s only major soccer team. Today, it has around 400 members and 30 coaches.

By the time I visited my dad’s neighborhood and walked to his school, “Lycée Michelet,” it was time to head back to Paris. I invited Nicole to visit Glendale. I hope one day I’ll be her guide in Glendale.

Flying Easy-Jet

Flying Easy-Jet – from Paris to Copenhagen 

"Caveat Emptor" (ka-vee-ott emptor): it's a Latin expression for "let the buyer beware." Unfortunately, this buyer, moi, was not aware. I had not read the the Easy-Jet's ticketing disclosures about the number of bags and suitcases customers could bring.  And I had to pay for my negligence.

I had three pieces of luggage – a large suitcase, one carry-on and a handbag.  Flying American Airlines from LAX  (Los Angeles airport) was no problem.  Passengers are allowed to check-in up to 50 lbs. of luggage. My large suitcase weighed closer to 60 lbs. The officer at the counter said, "Ma'am, I can let you go a few pounds over but not 10."  He suggested I transfer a few items to my carry-on bag, and I did. This worked out fine.  

I later realized, after the security check, even at the boarding gate, we could check in another bag. Ah! how spoiled we are as Americans!  After this personalized customer service, I didn't even think to read through the rules Easy-Jet sent me after I bought an online flight ticket from Paris to Copenhagen. I had not realized when flying Easy-Jet I could only check in one piece of luggage up to 20 kilos, plus one carry-on, and THAT WAS IT.

It seems I'm more punctual as I'm getting older.  I arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport at 10 a.m., more than three hours before my flight.  I bought my last French baguette sandwich, which was called the American sandwich with ham and cheese.   After two weeks in Paris, 5 Euros for a sandwich no longer seemed expensive.

In the food court there was a McDonald's which was still serving breakfast.  So I also bought a ham & egg sandwich for 1.40€.  I love their breakfast sandwich. I thought I could have the baguette later when I got hungry again.  

After having my breakfast sandwich I headed to the check-in counter.  My big suitcase was exactly 20 kilos.  The problem was I had to pay for the extra handbag.  After adjusting a few things, and transferring a few things here and there, my handbag weighed five kg. I heard the officer say I had to pay 19€, and I thought, "That's not so bad."

It's not an exaggeration to say that I went into a great deal of trouble maneuvering myself and carrying all my suitcases to the cashier at the other end of the hall. Why do Europeans have such illogical ways of doing things? Why couldn't we pay at the check in counter?

At the cashier's I found out that the surcharge was 90€, not 19. For my ticket I had paid only 60€. Go figure! With much resentment, I paid the 90€. After the fact, I realized that I didn't carry anything of value equal to 90€. Hindsight is 20/20.

Even before that unfortunate incident, prior to arriving at the airport, I was thinking that I should have taken the train instead of the plane to Copenhagen because I would have had more time to write.   My cousin had advised me that the flight would be cheaper than the train trip. In reality, it could have been cheaper if I had read the disclosures.  In my case the flight turned out to be much more expensive.  But I don't regret it, because at the boarding gate I met a young guy and got into a conversation that will always stay with me. 

His name was Mohamed and he was from Tunisia.  That 26-year-old, who looked much older than his age, put forward a sage argument.  Mohamed at his young age was able to solve the mystery of the Existence of God.  My fellow passenger said, "In my heart, not in my head, I believe in God. And since my feeling is stronger than my reasoning, I say God exists."

Now when I think back to our exchange of opinions about religion, I cannot recall how we got into a discussion about God. On the airplane we sat next to each other, and he told me that he was part of the movement that overthrew the old government of Tunisia.  I should admit that I didn't know much about Tunisia.  I only remember that I had read in Time magazine that the "Arab Spring," as they call the recent revolutions of the Arab nations, had started with an incident in Tunisia. 

Mohamed brushed over the surface of their revolution.  He also told me how he loves Tunisia and he thinks that tunisians are the most intelligent of all other Arab nations.  He also told me about their beautiful  beaches and made me want to travel to Tunisia. 

Mohamed now lives in France and he has high hopes that soon one day,  everything in Tunisia will stabilize and he will be able to go back to his homeland.  He said, "The main problem of Tunisia is corruption and no opportunity for youth to have employment ."  He hopes the new government will be able to solve the problems.  

Unfortunately two hours was not enough time to learn more.  I gave him my information and asked him to follow me on my blog.  I'm not sure if Mohamed will read this post or not.  But I hope all Mohameds will have the opportunity to follow their dreams.  

The following is about the incident that brought about the movement of Arab Spring.  Copied from Wikipedia.                     

"Tarek al-Tayeb Mohamed Bouazizi (29 March 1984 – 4 January 2011; Arabic: محمد البوعزيزي‎) was a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, in protest of the confiscation of his wares and the harassment and humiliation that he reported was inflicted on him by a municipal official and her aides. 

His act became a catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring, inciting demonstrations and riots throughout Tunisia in protest of social and political issues in the country.

The public's anger and violence intensified following Bouazizi's death, leading then-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to step down on 14 January 2011, after 23 years in power. The success of the Tunisian protests inspired protests in several other Arab countries, plus several non-Arab countries.

The protests included several men who emulated Bouazizi's act of self-immolation, in an attempt to bring an end to their own autocratic governments. Those men and Bouazizi were hailed by some Arab commentators as "heroic martyrs of a new Middle Eastern revolution."

In 2011, Bouazizi was posthumously awarded the Sakharov Prize jointly along with four others for his and their contributions to "historic changes in the Arab world".The Tunisian government honored him with a postal stamp. The Times of the United Kingdom named Bouazizi as person of the year 2011."

Visiting the Louvre's Carousel – finding the "Three Graces"

On my third day in Paris, which was Friday, I decided to spend the whole day at the Louvre.

Fridays are "nocturne," meaning the museum is open until late at night. I had planned to be at the museum by 10:30 a.m., to take the eleven o'clock group tour. After a few mishaps on the way and in the metro, I made it to the Louvre at ten minutes to eleven.

If I didn't take the 11 o'clock then I had to wait until 2p.m.  Fortunately, I already knew my way around, because I had spent the last two days at the "Carousel" — the shopping center connected to the entrance of the Louvre in the basement.

The main reason for my visits to Louvre's Carousel was appointments at its Apple store. I had bought an iPad right before I left for Paris and I needed to learn how to use it. I've taken advantage of Apple store training sessions for the past two years, and I'm blown away by the depth of knowledge one acquires from the private or group sessions offered at the stores. You may walk into any Apple store anywhere in the world and receive the same courteous treatment.

The Apple store at the Louvre Carousel was as I had expected. I had already made an appointment from home for my first day in Paris. As I entered the store, one of the trained techs wearing their signature blue T-shirt welcomed me. "Bonjour madame." I responded in English, "Bonjour. I have an appointment for a 'One to One' session." He directed me upstairs.

Everything seemed so familiar — same ambiance, same interior design, same crowd. I took the glass staircase to the mezzanine. My instructor was Damien, who spoke English. When I told him I was Armenian and from Glendale, he said that he had Armenian friends in Glendale. WHAT?

In one of my previous blogs, I have already indicated my admiration for the Apple stores tutorials and the way the trained technicians welcome customers and solve their problems. You may want to read my entry on my blog under the title of: "Heaven should be like an Apple Store."

*   *    *    *

Enough about the Apple Stores; now back to the Louvre. When I exited the metro at the Palais Royal station, I had to run to be able to make it to the tour. All too often I forget that I'm no longer a 25-year-old agile young woman.

I ran passed the glass pyramids, in front of the Louvre. I passed young African peddlers that were trying to sell me little souvenirs. Then I took the stairs down to the entrance of the museum at the Carousel. As I arrived at the entrance to the Louvre, there was a big line for the security check. I thought I would be late for the tour, but I was wrong. I passed the security check just in time and was able to purchase a ticket and join the group.

The one-and-a-half-hour guided tour covered the history and origin of the Louvre and a brief history of the arts. Our guide took us into galleries with awe-inspiring ornate walls and ceilings, and showed us the most important paintings and sculptures in the museum. Among them were Venus of the Milo, the Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, and two crowns — one was Napoleon's coronation crown and the other was the only preserved crown from before the Revolution with 140 carats worth of diamonds.



After one hour of the walking tour, I was exhausted. Again I felt my age. To rest, I went to one of the museum's cafés and had a sandwich. Then I went back again to the Apple store for another half-hour appointment of "One to One" In the afternoon, after having a café-aux-lait at Starbucks, I headed back to the Louvre.

This time, I explored the Richelieu wing, where Mesopotamian art and a huge collection of marble statues from more recent times are housed. I was on a mission. First, I wanted to see architectural pieces from the ancient Achaemenid civilization in Iran; next, I wanted to find the marble statue of the "Three Graces" of more recent times, which held the heart of Henry II, the French king.

I knew that Louvre had a great collection of Persian art from Achaemenid Empire dating back to 500 B.C. But I never had before seen them. Without much trouble, I found the gallery where the Persian art was housed. Unfortunately, there was not a whole lot available to see. Only two galleries were dedicated to the ancient Persian art.

The first gallery showcased smaller artifacts and tools; I was not much interested in these. The second one housed an imposing capital of a column from Apadana Palace, and although it was just one object, by itself it was worth my whole trip to Paris.

My words will fall short in describing the monumental and massive bull-head capital which was as tall as a two-story building. This architectural piece was one style of capital that ornamented the many pillars erected inside of the palace built by Darius the king. I feel lucky that while I was in Iran I had the opportunity to visit the ruins of the Persepolis. Apadana Palace had 72 columns, each about 60 feet (19 meters) tall. It is mind boggling that so many years ago people could built such colossal edifices.




History has it that in 301 B.C., Alexander the Great ransacked the Persepolis and his troops burnt the structures. I should add that the Achaemenid kings are prominent in history for the humanitarian way of treating their subjects. It is said the first Human Rights Declaration was made by Cyrus the Great, an Achaemenid king.

In 1947, the United Nations adopted the principles of Cyrus' declaration, which was originally written in cuneiform alphabets on a cylinder. A replica of the cylinder is showcased at the U.N. headquarters in New York City. Throughout ancient history, and also documented in Old Testament, Cyrus the Great and his descendants had the reputation of being fair kings.

In history books, there isn't much reference to Achaemenid culture, but without doubt, it can be considered one of the most important pillars of civilization.

 *     *    *    *

After accomplishing my first mission, I headed to find the marble statue that I was looking for. The statue was completed by a famous French sculptor as a monument to Henry II, the king of France, who died during a jousting game in 1560. In those days it was a practice to enclose the heart of the king in an urn. The original bronze urn that the "Three Graces" held on their head was removed and destroyed during the French Revolution; its metal was used to make weapons.

We own a replica of the statue at home. I wanted to have an updated photograph of myself next to the statue. In 1997 when I was in Paris, I got a photo of myself alongside the Graces. It was time, I thought, to do this again.

First, I wandered randomly around and into different galleries that housed all the marble statues. I didn't see it. Then I asked a few docents, and they gave me wrong directions. I went up and down flights of stairs in the vast expanse of Louvre. Tired and frustrated, I was about to give up when I realized there was one more gallery that I had not checked. I asked another docent and she said that she was pretty sure the statue was in the last gallery.

Mission accomplished! I found the Three Graces and got my picture. That night as I slept all the historical characters from Cyrus the great to Henry II, were dancing in my head.

French Senate Passes a Bill Criminalizing Armenian Genocide Denial

Today is a happy day for us Armenians because the French Senate yesterday on Monday 1/23/12 passed the bill to criminalize any public denial of the Armenian Genocide.  This is a great occasion for us Armenians to celebrate. Despite threats and bullying from the Turkish state, the bill was passed by 127 votes against 86.

Thousands of French-Armenians gathered in front of the French Senate building in Paris to express support for the bill. The Armenian crowd on the other hand, was singing Armenian national and revolutionary songs and celebrating  

Turkish Protesters demonstrate over the Armenian issue outside the French embassy in Ankara in December 2011. (CNN news)

Friction over Armenia genocide issue

(CNN) – "Politicization of the understanding of justice and history through other people's past and damaging freedom of expression in a tactless manner are first and foremost a loss for France," the statement added, "Turkey is determined to take every step required against this unjust action, which disregards basic human values and public conscience."

The Turkish-Armenian controversy over the killings that took place last century has reverberated wherever Diaspora communities representing both groups exist. Armenian groups and many scholars argue that Turks committed genocide starting in 1915, when more than a million ethnic Armenians were massacred in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey officially denies that a genocide took place, saying hundreds of thousands of Armenian Christians and Turkish Muslims died in intercommunal violence around the bloody battlefields of World War I.

Before the vote, Sen. Herve Marseille, one of the bill's supporters, argued that since France already recognizes the Ottoman-era killings as genocide, the same standard that applies to Holocaust denial should apply to the Armenian case.

"When we contest the Jewish genocide, we can be punished," Marseille said. "And up until now, when we contest the Armenian genocide, there is no punishment. So we can't have a legal punishment for one and not for the other. Everyone is equal in front of the law."

But Sen. Jacques Mézard, who opposed the legislation, said freedom of expression was at stake."It calls into question historical and scientific research. Tomorrow will there be a question of a Vendée genocide?" he asked, referring to a revolt against the French revolutionary government in 1793. "Will we put the Spanish and the United States in the stocks for the massacre of Native Americans? We must reject this text and consign it to history books."

After December's vote in the National Assembly, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused France of committing its own "genocide" during its war against Algerian independence in the 1950s and 1960s. Erdogan announced that Turkey was reviewing its ties with France. Ankara recalled its ambassador to Paris for consultations, canceled bilateral visits and wouldn't cooperate with France in joint projects within the European Union.

The French Foreign Ministry shot back at Erdogan's comments, saying France "assumes with clarity and transparency its duty to remember the tragedies that have marked its history." And Sarkozy has said that his country doesn't need an OK from another nation to develop its policies.

The genocide debate is also a source of tension between Turkey and the United States. The White House, for example, annually beats back efforts in Congress to pass a resolution that would formally recognize the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide.

The bill’s passage did not come as a surprise, as both the Left and the Right in France had expressed support for it.

France had adopted a bill officially recognizing the Armenian genocide in 2001.