In the late 18th century, Paris was a grand and thriving city — a principal center of Enlightenment thought and the brewing French Revolution. It witnessed the construction of important public squares like Place Vendôme and Place de la Concorde, and a sweeping urban expansion after the removal of its old walls, replaced by broader streets lined with trees. The city flourished as a cradle of haute couture, fine dining, and elegant cafés Before the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, Paris was in a state of chaos.' Before the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, Paris was in a state of chaos.
The king had begun deploying troops around the city, and the people feared an imminent
crackdown.
Many lawyers and intellectuals were members of the National Assembly or part of the Third Estate, and they were at risk of arrest or being accused of treason.
In July 1789, rumors spread that the king planned to arrest members of the Third Estate and dissolve the Assembly — some of them actually fled temporarily in fear. “Some facts may be written here, but in the end, this remains a story told to us — and we may never truly know how much of it was real.”
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