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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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Terrific photos, Pete Hawk -- thank you for risking your neck to get them!
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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!
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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
5
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.
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@Tom If ever a raging chimney fire should occur due to creosote buildup & cleaning neglect, there might not be any need for a screeching detector. The roar itself will be enough.
As for the chimney & the structural integrity of the house, that's another matter. And of course, the house could burn down.
2
@Tom It's mandatory in France to have smoke detector in each house since five years at least. You are too compelled to have your chimey swept once a year if you want your insurance paying you back in case of fire.
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@Tom
Sorry but it has been mandatory for several years...insurance will not work if you have not installed one but how is the state to verify every lodging ?
1
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.
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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.
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@Andrew Popper
You're right, and one of them is called Chimney Sweep's Carcinoma, a scrotal cancer. Seen less now it was identified in the 1700's. My ex-husband was a chimney sweep in the 80's so we were interested in the health risks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimney_sweeps%27_carcinoma
3
ce sont de belles photos!
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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.
11
@Paulie, spare me... you're required to have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually in France by a licensed expert in order to be compliant with insurance regulations if you have a working, wood-burning chimney - no matter your income level. No mustache-twirling, brandy-snifting going on here.
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@Paulie mais NON!!! video of a fire? we appreciate a certain quality of life here, and i don't even have a chimney but things need to be kept real, please.
5
Exactement! I leave for Paris at the end of March, for two wonderful weeks. The very thought of such a culture shift is in itself intoxicating.
1