The Disappearing Chimney Sweeps of Paris

While These are Great pictures, The article Sems to be poorly investigated. There are millions of wooden stoves in France, and while their Numbers might decrease in densely populated areas, chimney sweeping will be around for a Long Time in Future. By the way, yellow pages find 45 results for chimney sweeps in Paris at first try. In Germany, even gas boiler chimneys need to be swept once every year thus you can find sweeps in every village - I am quite sure there are more than a hundred sweeps in Berlin.

I'm floored by the stunning photography!!! Needless to say, it's unsung work by the chimney sweeps. Art and necessity paired in this article – thanks.

I remember my Grandad coming back for a strip down wash in the kitchen sink and a breakfast of six hard boiled eggs! This was in the late fifties but I can trace chimney sweeping back to the early 1800’s in my family. I have a photo of him and his brother on Windsor Castle roof in the 30’s busy sweeping ( unfortunately there is no facility to share here) - not sure of the story behind it but it looks like a professional shot possibly for the local paper? The techniques have not changed much - flexible brushes and dangerous rooftop clambering. A fascinating article.

There are plenty of chimney sweeps in New York. They clean chimneys for boilers, not only wood burning fireplaces. They also inspect chimneys and reline them, rebuild fire boxes, and remove and install mantels. You can find them in directories under “chimney services.”

I use an ethanol burner in my functioning chimney. Cleaner, no need to sweep. Not even need to have a functioning chimney, but it's better to have a conduit to release whatever is burnt off from ethanol, which manufacturers insist is only water vapor, but anything that burns releases some toxic material, like the layer of soot on the ethanol burner itself.

Terrific photos, Pete Hawk -- thank you for risking your neck to get them!

Such a dangerous, dirty, unappreciated profession. I have always been captivated by their skills, knowledge and willingness to do such a thankless job. Actually, I always wanted to be chimney sweep. I even had a name picked out for my fantasy profession, "Ash Wipes, Inc." Merci beaucoup ramoneurs de paris!

Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-oo Good luck will rub off when I shakes 'ands with you Or blow me a kiss And that's lucky too Now as the ladder of life as been strung You may think a sweep's on the bottommost rung Though I spends me time in the ashes and smoke In this 'ole wide world there's no 'appier bloke Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-oo Good luck will rub off when I shakes 'ands with you Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-oo Good luck will rub off when I shakes 'ands with you I choose me bristles with pride Yes, I do A broom for the shaft and a brush for the flume Up where the smoke is all billered and curled 'Tween pavement and stars is the chimney sweep world When the's 'ardly no day Nor 'ardly no night There's things 'alf in shadow And 'alf way in light On the roof tops of London Cool, what a sight Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee When you're with a sweep, you're in glad company No where is there are more 'appier crew Than them wot sings, chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-oo Chim chiminey, chim chim Cher-ee chim cher-oo

I recently visited Paris. I brought a smoke detector with me. As expected, neither Paris airbb had any fire detectors. Nor did our accommodations in Avignon. When I got home, I Google France and smoke detectors. As expected, the majority of the country has barely heard of them,much less use them. I would keep cleaning the chimney friends.

My image of Paris is exactly chimney studded-roofs looked at through the window of an attic, which makes me nostalgic. (But I hate the scenery of antenna-protruding houses in the country side of Japan. No antennas in my childhood.) But I have not thought of chimney sweeps toiling on them.

One of the most insidious dangers of this occupation are the very high concentrations of highly carcinogenic substances found in the soot inside the chimneys. I'm surprised this was not mentioned in this piece. I bet the rate of assorted cancers in found in chimney sweeps is shockingly high.

ce sont de belles photos!

Another dying occupation but considering why these jobs are needed it is nothing but a loss for the romantic who would never consider doing such a job themselves. At least the French have nationalized health care. Dear me, how will the wealthy manage to get by without a roaring fire to drink their cognac by on a cold winter ‘s night? Maybe the French can do as we do here in the US during Christmas and dedicate a tv channel to a loop of a fire.