This is one of the Paris’s communities the most rooted in the capital. Its members are more Parisians than most Parisians. Their history begins began 150 years ago when the first Aveyronnais like other from Auvergne came in Paris to search for a job.
At the country, with the increasing population,the large families were no longer able to feed so many mouths on the farms. Such hard times can leave their mark on generations, and the typically conservative, deeply traditional nature of the Aveyronnais can be traced back to the time when they were obliged to throw their bags over the shoulder and go up to Paris because of the local demographic situation. From 1850 on, what had often been a temporary departure now became permanent emigration. And the destination was nearly always Paris.
The Aveyronnais in Paris were shaped initially by the soil that bore their ancestors. Most of those who emigrated during the 19th and 20th centuries came from the “montagne” (mountain), which is a special term to designate the areas in the north of Aveyron: Aubrac, Carladez, and the valley of the Lot. Over the centuries, local people were accustomed to fight against a tough climate.
At the begining, they had worked as hot-water carrier in the Paris’streets. They carried buckets of hot water in the floors of beautiful buildings to fill the baths of rich and beautiful ladies.
With the golden age of coal, they held coal depots and delivered coal to all Parisians.When the man was out delivering the bags, its woman served wine to customers. They were nicknamed « Bougnat ». Increasingly, they sold wine and coffee. The bistro has become their main activity ».
