How would you like to take a little piece of Paris with you? An authentic object which, from its height, will have borne witness to the history of the capital?

This is what the company “Toit de Paris” offers with its extraordinary idea of recycling the zinc roofs of traditional Parisian buildings into superb decorative objects!

   

Zinc roofs have been one of Paris’ architectural signatures since the Haussmann works of the 19th century. Its shades of grey, which cover the capital, are known worldwide. More than 70% of Parisian roofs are made of zinc, a material chosen for its lightness and resistance to corrosion and bad weather.
France even would like to register Parisian roofs and the know-how of roofers and zinc workers on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage list!

The idea of Constance Fichet-Schulz (helped by her graphic designer mother) to recycle these roof scraps recovered during renovation work is entirely original. Inspired by the piece of the Berlin Wall that her parents gave her and faced with the current overwhelming observation of the mass production of tourist and impersonal products, she decided in 2020 to create her own unique and elegant objects.

You will have the choice between:

* The “Empreinte” series (stylized impression of the plan of Paris)

* The “Choose your arrondissement” series (stylized print of one of your choice’s 20 districts of Paris).

* The “fragments” series, a surprise piece of roof

For each of these creations, you can add initials, a short message, and a location point at the address of your choice. All are screen-printed with the GPS coordinates of the original location of the roof sheet.

Each creation is delivered with:

*a numbered certificate of authenticity whose QR code will allow you to locate the exact Parisian address of origin,

*a proof of dating of the piece of zinc.

Did you know that roofers and zinc workers inserted newspaper pages between the sheets of zinc and the still-wet concrete, avoiding waiting for it to dry? While restoring the roof, the roofers found the newspaper stuck to the old zinc sheet. These pages allow the datation of your roof from Paris.
Roofers had gradually been abandoning this tradition in favour of new ones. Each roofer signs his way on the roof he is renovating, leaving his successor a delicate touch (coin, bottle of wine, etc.).

 

You can also choose a new “Monuments of Paris.”key ring series : Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame or Musée d’Orsay… Perfect for everyday use!

So don’t hesitate to preserve the magical memory of your trip with this artisanal object made in France, an authentic testimony and vector of tangible link with the history of Paris!

You can buy these creations on the “Toit de Paris” website or at one of the 3 Parisian resellers (the Eiffel Tower boutique – 5 Av. Anatole France, 75007 Paris / the Musée Carnavalet boutique – 23 Rue de Sévigné, 75003 Paris / the Pavillon de l’Arsenal boutique – 21 Bd Morland, 75004 Paris).

 

Photos credit: product over the roof picture:@raphaelmetivet / roofers pictures: @carina_ta_legao/founders picture:@isaurelambert