Isolated, Rogue and Private Vines (bis)

Expanding the census on the hidden vines of Paris (win a free wine walk!)

May 02, 2024

This is a repeat (in part) of our post of 25 January. As I stated then, “It’s hard enough for most people to identify a grape vine when they see one (unless it’s weighted with grapes, or in full leaf, or both, and sometimes even then…), so launching a participative quest to expand the list of isolated, rogue and private vines in Paris in winter is perhaps not the best timing.”

We are now in Spring (sort of) and so it is a lot easier to identify grape vines as they begin to take on leaf. And how quickly their exuberant foliage appears out of nowhere. Bare branches are suddenly adorned in an abundance of green with new shoots and tendrils reaching out for a hold in all directions.

The astonishing thing about this exercise is how widespread, how abundant, and how extensive they are. For example, here are a few I recently found, entirely by chance, and in places I have walked and visited on many occasions in the past. Which only goes to show that there is much we do not see until we actually begin to look.

This and the above photo are in the courtyard of 53 bis rue de la Roquette, 75011

What, dear reader, is in it for you in this ampelographic quest? Apart from focussing your attention on the green, the living, the forces of nature persisting discreetly amidst the concrete jungle, you may find it soothing for the soul.

And, for every vine, collection of vines we have not yet discovered on our pointedly focussed search, we will offer a free wine walk. You can check to see if the vine(s) you find have already been accounted for on our newly created webpage, Isolated & Random Vines of Paris.

So this week’s post is not exactly wordy or informational, but pictorial.

So what are the rules? Easy. Take a picture of whatever grapevine you find, include its location, and send it to us. And if you know the history of the vine in question, when it was planted and what variety it is, we will be ever more grateful. If we’ve not already found it (check our website), or it’s not in my book, The Hidden Vineyards of Paris we’ll give you a free wine walk. And we’ll post the photo you send us on this site for our followers to see so that you are celebrated around the world for your invaluable discovery.

Buy The Hidden Vineyards of Paris now

Brillat Savarin, the famous food writer and first ever human to attempt to provide us with a definition of taste said, “The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star”. I would paraphrase and say that, “The discovery of a new vine does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of, well you name it.”

NB: This census only includes vines that can be found within the 20 arrondissements of Paris.