The Romanovs in Paris. September 1896.
At the end of September of 1896, His Majesty Tsar Nicholas II, Her Majesty Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna and their ten-month-old baby daughter, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, arrived in Paris for a meeting with the President of France, Felix Faure. So began “The Russian week” in France, which ended on 27 September with a parade in Chalon.
From the train station, the Russian imperial couple headed to the embassy through the tapestry of troops, behind which as a crowd of millions, under unceasing cheers of “Long live the Tsar! Long live the Tsarina!”, which was unprecedented from a foreign crowd.
Paris was overfilled with people. To its population of two million 930,000 of visitors were added. There street were full of joyful celebrations.
Everything became Russian or pseudo-Russian: Soap “Le Tsar”, sweets Russian flags or emblems, china with portraits of the Romanov family, toys, images of the Russian bear, as well as the Tsar, Her Manjesty, and even the grand Duchess Olga. The familiar toy of “the peasant with a bear “became the Tsar and Felix Faure.
Advertisements were printed on the backs of the portraits of the Romanov family and given out in the streets for free. The signs “Gift from the Tsars”- could be seen on the dress shops which advertised clothing sales. A “Franco-Russian” Dutch cheese was created…
In all of this was a lot of tastelessness, but the infatuation with the imperial Romanov family was undoubtedly sincere.
In the afternoon, with the singing of “God save the Tsar” in the background, a foundation of the first brick of the bridge dedicated to the Emperor Alexander III was laid by his son Nicholas II.
Just past the Paris Mint building, where the Tsar was given a medal in honor of his stay in the French capital, the imperial couple proceeded into the French Academy and was present at a meeting there.
The baby Grand Duchess was not forgotten either: a special doll, called "Bebe Olga", complete with a wardrobe, was created in her honour. The very first of these dolls was given to Olga as a memento of this visit.
Every time I visit Paris, I try to walk in the steps of the Romanovs, and make sure to stop by the Tsar Alexander III bridge – at the very spot where his son, Nicholas II, laid the first stone on its foundation, over a century ago.
Also see this story on my website: https://www.theromanovfamily.com/roma...
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