Iconic rooftops of Paris

Have you ever looked at a photo of Paris and wondered why so many of the rooftops look so good despite the age of the buildings? It’s all down to zinc, a humble metal that was chosen as the roof topping of the ‘modern’ buildings of 19^th century Paris. Sue Aran explores the history of the iconic rooftops of Paris …

The zinc rooftops of Paris

Much that we love and hold dear about the City of Light today, we owe to the singular brilliance of Georges Eugène “Baron” Haussmann. In 1853, when he began the renovation of Paris at the command of Emperor Napoleon III, he was unaware of the enormous cultural impact his reconfiguration of the city would have. As a former architect, I find his vision inspiring and extraordinary. Not only was he prescient about humanizing the scale of the city, but he also knew instinctively that in a grand, large-scale design, rhythm and harmony of materials were essential. The beautiful, iconic zinc rooftops of Paris, which practically all Haussmann buildings are covered by — and the workers who create them — were even considered for UNESCO’s list of French Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Paris’s zinc roofs are thanks to the work of cleric Jean-Jacques Dony (1759-1819) of Liège, a part of France at that time, though now it is part of Belgium. Dony was fascinated by chemistry and by his early 20s, he had his own laboratory. He spent 25 years researching the smelting of zinc which is present in the earth, air and water. It is non-toxic, a trace element that is indispensable for all living organisms, a fundamental part of the metabolic processes of plants, animals and humans. In the human body, over 300 enzymes require zinc for proper functioning.

Although zinc compounds had been used for at least 2,500 years in the production of brass, zinc wasn’t recognized as a distinct element until 1668, when a Flemish metallurgist, P. Moras de Respour, pioneered the extraction of metallic zinc from zinc oxide. As far as Europe was concerned however, zinc was discovered by the German chemist Andreas Marggraf in 1746, who was the first to distinguish it as a new metal.

While chemists tried to handle zinc (formerly known as Indian Tin) it was Dony who discovered and patented a procedure for processing and refining sheet zinc, today the fourth most commonly used metal in the world. In 1805, Emperor Napoléon granted him a monopoly for the exploitation of the zinc mines of Moresnet, 50 kilometers east of Liège, on condition that he pay an annual royalty of 40,500 francs (approximately €15,000 today). Dony showed his gratitude to Napoleon by presenting him with a zinc-lined bath. Napoleon was so thrilled by its light weight and utility that he took it on his subsequent campaigns, including his invasion of Russia in 1812. The bath can still be seen at the Maison de la Metallurgie et de l’Industrie in Liège.

But by 1813, Dony found himself unable to pay the annual royalty and was forced to sell his patent and mining rights. He died in poverty in 1819. However, the company he founded grew and prospered to become the largest zinc-producing company in the world. In 1837, the Société des Mines et Fonderies de Zinc de la Vieille Montagne was created. The new industrial uses of zinc with its undeniable properties of flexibility, durability and resistance to corrosion, arrived just when Haussmann began transforming the city.

At that time, most Parisian roofs were made of either wood, tile, or slate. New construction on such a massive scale called for a faster and more economical roofing material. Zinc sheets were substantially lighter and easier to install, and they protected buildings from water damage. Zinc roofing could be used to create curved shapes or sharply angled roofs, allowing for more elaborate designs to suit the aesthetics of the 19th century Belle Epoque, including the creation of attic rooms, which are highly sought-after living spaces today.

The exposed zinc rooftops, which still cover 85 percent of the iconic Parisian skyline owe their beautiful patina to a natural process of weathering, the softening of the colour belies its durability and strength. The specialist knowledge of around 500 Parisian couvreurs-zingueurs, zinc roofers, who work year-round to build, maintain, and repair the zinc-covered roofs of Paris is essential to the continuation of the zinc roofs. You’ll often spot them perched on scaffolding preserving the iconic roofs of Paris.

Le Zinc – a French favourite for bars!

Zinc didn’t just cover rooftops – it also covered bars! From the 1800s, galvanised zinc countertops were a standard feature of French bars and cafés. In fact, they were so popular that the term Le Zinc came into use to describe bistros and cafés. The expression “rendezvous au zinc” meaning let’s meet at the bar is still in use today!

Emile Zola wrote in “The Belly of Paris” published 1873: “In particular was the counter… sumptuous, with its broad expanse of silver polished bright. The covering zinc overhung the red and white marble base with a deep wavy border, thus overlaying it with a silky sheen, a cloth of metal, like a high altar spread with its embroideries.”

During World War II, some of the metal tops were appropriated, nevertheless plenty survived and can still be seen all over France. There’s not much to beat sitting on a stall at local zinc bar with a glass of wine, imagining the people that have been here before you, perhaps with a glass of absinthe, the drink of choice in the late 180os.

Zinc jardinieres, baths, jugs and more

Zinc proved to be such a versatile metal that it was used to make galvanised bathtubs, watering cans, jugs, buckets, decorative window surrounds, Jardinieres, wash tubs, tabletops and buckets galore and they’re commonly found at flea markets all over France.

Sue Aran is a writer, photographer, and tour guide living in the Gers department of southwest France. She is the owner of French Country Adventures, which provides personally-guided, small-group, slow travel tours into Gascony, the Pays Basque, Provence and beyond.