Thursday 18 October 2012

Ghost signs (81): Au Pont St Jacques

A former cafe in Lamballe still flaunts the flamboyant typography of its sign. Or rather, signs, since there are at least two layers visible. The cafe name, Chez Basset, appeared on both although it has become less prominent in the repainting. The choice of smaller text was perhaps in part to accommodate the fuller name 'R Basset'. 



Above the name curves a double 'Au Pont St Jacques' (at St Jacques' Bridge). Below are two lines of text. The earlier says simply 'Cafe. Cidre' in bold text; over it was painted '?END A BOIRE ET A ?ER' - probably 'vend a boire et a manger' (we sell food and drink). 


Since its days as a cafe, the building has housed an art gallery and then an employment service. Signs for the latter have gone, but its current use was not apparent when I took these photographs.  


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Quite a pretty house too. Let's hope a good use for it can be found soon.

The Bassets are presumably long gone. I wonder if anyone living nearby still remembers the cafe being open.