Journey Through Time 47. The Paris Commune: The City That Ate Its Zoo (Ep 2)
Nov 13, 2025
Explore the surprising culinary choices of Parisians during the siege, where pets and zoo animals became gourmet dining fare. Discover the fierce resentment towards the government after France's surrender, igniting revolutionary spirits. Delve into the brave actions of Parisian women and children who sparked the uprising. Learn about the political divide between radical Paris and conservative rural France, and the chaotic events leading to the birth of the Paris Commune. It's a gripping tale of defiance, desperation, and the fight for independence.
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Paris Versus Provincial France
- Paris's politics diverged sharply from rural France during the siege, creating a deep national split.
- This urban-rural political divide set the stage for the Commune's radical break with the national government.
Gastronomy Under Siege
- Parisians ate pets, zoo animals, and eventually rats during the siege to survive.
- Wealthy restaurants served 'fancy meat' like elephant and rat pies alongside fine wine.
Suffering Fueled Political Rage
- Siege conditions amplified hunger, cold, pollution, and disease, hardening Parisian resolve.
- Those hardships fueled rage when the national government negotiated surrender, seen as betrayal by Parisians.