The Cathedral of Notre Dame :

In August of 1876 the governor of Cochin China,
Mr. Dupré, organized a contest to determine the architectural style of Notre Dame Cathedral. The purpose of this was twofold: to give the colonial missions a place to worship, but also to show the Vietnamese, through architecture, the strength of French civilization. The project, by architect Jules Bourad, was based upon the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Paris, but smaller in size with a Romanesque revival and Gothic style. All construction materials were imported from France. In particular, the outside of the structure was fashioned of bricks made in Marseilles, and without a coating, has retained its original bright pink color. With its 93 m. (305 ft.) length, 35.5 m. (116.5 ft.) width, and 57.6 m. (189 ft.) height from the ground to the tip of the steeple. In 1895 two bell towers were added to the cathedral, each 57.6 m. (189 ft.) high featuring 6 bronze bells for a total weight of 28 (metric) tons, made in France. Crosses were added to the top of each tower; they are 3.5 m (11.5 ft.) high, 2 m. (6.5 ft.) wide, and weigh 1000 Kg. (2200 Lbs.). At the end of the 19th century the building symbolized the most beautiful workmanship of French Indochina, more specifically of the Indochina Union.

Pigneau de Behaine Square

Marriage at the
Cathedral of Saigon

Celebration of the marriage of Mr. and miss Lesponne Andrée Bernard in the Cathedral of Notre Dame on Saturday, April 19, 1952.

The Post Office :

The main Post Office was built in 1891 by Alfred Foulhoux and Henri Vildieu. It represents the link with the metropolis (Paris). At the beginning of colonialisation its role is even greater: the telegraph plays a determining role in the transmission of military orders and the coordination of operations.
In 1872, the line linking the capital to Cape St. Jacques was extended by an underwater cable to Singapore. The metal framework of the building was designed by Gustave Eiffel.
On either side of it are two maps. It is the largest Post Office in Vietnam and one of the most beautiful in the world.

The "Joker's Point Cafe"
(Café de la Pointe des Blagueurs)

The "Joker's Point" restaurant (Restaurant de la Pointe des Blagueurs) was run by its owner, Madame Durand. From here one could dream while watching ocean liners arriving and departing from the "Messageries Maritimes" dock across from the restaurant.
The terrace faced the confluence of the Saigon River and the Chinese Arroyo.

On Sundays, the people of Saigon often had a drink or a light meal on the floating dock of the "Jokers Point"cafe, located on the Quai de Belgique (Belgium Embankment).

In front of the "Joker's Point" Cafe were sampans and ocean-going junks as well as a Mobil service station.

The Opera
or
Municipal Theater

The Municipal Theater was built in 1910 by the architecture firm of Félix Ollivier, Ernest Guichard, and Eugène Ferret. Hosting theater companies from Paris or divas just passing through, it enlivened somewhat the city in which the elite got bored in the evening. It was inaugurated in the presence of Prince Waldemar of Denmark. In the architectural style of the Third French Republic, the façade is inspired by the Petit-Palais in Paris. The interior appointments are well-equipped with perfect acoustics and lighting. The building includes a general-seating area and two balconies, for a total of 1800 seats. Décor, inscriptions, and furniture were designed in France by famous French artists and sent to Saigon. In 1943 a part of this décor was removed during the Japanese occupation.
For the 300th anniversary of the founding of Saigon the city government had a part of the façade’s décor reconstructed.
Last in the 50‘s and the beginning of the 60’s this theater was the seat of the South Vietnamese parliament.
The theater is located on Francis Garnier Square, across from the Hotel Continental..

Francis Garnier Square
(Theater)

Havas Far-East

Havas Far-East
16, Francis Garnier Square
Saigon
Telephone: 21446

Chasseloup-Laubat Street
(now Nguyên Thi Minh Khai):

The Marquis of Chasseloup-Laubat was Minister of the Navy for the Colonies under Napoleon III. He founded the Protectorate of Cambodia and completed the conquest of Cochin-China.

Chasseloup-Laubat Street is one of the longest in the city of Saigon. It begins in the north at the bridge of Arroyo de l’Avalanche (Avalanche Creek) (Thi Nghè), runs along the Saigon Botanical Gardens, crosses the width of the city and ends at the line between Saigon and Cholon. In going through the central part of the city, the street borders on one side of the old Governor General’s Palace, now the Palace of Independence. It also passes in front of the Collège Chasseloup-Laubat, a high school built in 1875.

This college which will subsequently become the “Lycée Jean-Jacques Rousseau”.

Since the ‘70’s, the school has officially been called
“Etablissement de l’Enseignement Général du 2e Degré” (General Establishment of Secondary Education), “Lê Quý Dôn”. In 1930, Marguerite Duras, (pen–name of French author and playwright Marguerite Donnadieu) would study at Chasseloup-Laubat and received her degree there.
At the end of the ‘30’s, it would be Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia’s turn.

Chasseloup-Laubat College

The Olympic Company

Cars: Oldsmobile, Vauxhall, Salmson
Trucks: Diamond T, Bedford
Motorcycles: Hardley, Harley
Chairmen: Mr.Nguyen Thanh Co & Mr.Nguyen Van Nhon

Olympic Theater and Garage

95 - 99, Chasseloup Labat Street
Saigon

Offices of the Saigon Michelin tire manufacturing company

180, Chasseloup Labat Street
Saigon

Foray Square

The Boy Landry Company

Near the Theater at 15-17 Foray Square (formerly Theater Square) is located the "Boy Landry".
"Boy Landry Company is specialized in the importation of wines and spirits as well as manufactured goods.
Companies represented:
- Bordeaux Wines: Ginestet, Schroeder et Schyler, Gauthier Frères.
- Alsatian Wines: Cornaz.
- Calvados: from the Auge valley.
- Liqueurs : Dolfi, Vielle Cure de Cenon.
- Champagne : Pol Roger, Mercier.
- Aperitifs : Berger, Saint-Raphaël, Picon, Pikina, Bonal, Cinzano.
- Rum Saint-James.
- Cider: Ma Normandie.
- Syrups: Cusenier
- Perfums: Roger et Gallet
- Cigarettes and rolling-papers: Job
- Records, Phonographs, and Radios: Pathé-Marconi
President, CEO : Mr.René Victor Manaut (ancien Ministre)
Manager for Indochina : Mr.Rollet
Agency heads:
Mr.Bouges (Saigon), Mr.Gellé (Phnom Penh), Mr.Tuylagarde (Hanoi)

Le Myre de Villers Embankment

In 1879, Charles Le Myre de Villers was the first civilian governor of Cochin-China and plenipotentiary minster to the Court of Annam. He was the Deputy for Cochin-China from 1889 to 1902.

Societé Indochinoise de Transports Aériens
(SITA)

At 5 Le Myre de Villers Embankment before 1951 it was the main office of SITA after Air Vietnam company used the same building.
Air Vietnam was founded in 1951, the capital of which is divided 50/50 between the Vietnamese government and Air France.
Its fleet was made up of Douglas DC 3 and DC 4 aircraft, and later was equipped with Boeing 727's and Caravelles.

CARIC

Also at the number 5:
The "Chantiers et Ateliers Réunis d'Indochine" (C.A.R.IC.)

Compagnie Maritime des
Chargeurs Réunis

S.M.E.O.
15, le Myre de Villers Embankment

Customs House

21, Le Myre de Vilers Embankment

Le Myre de Vilers Embankment
Aerial view

Francis Garnier Barracks

On the "Le quai Le Myre de Villers" embankment along the Saigon river was the Francis Garnier Barracks located near by the Admiralty.

The Trung sisters

The Trung sisters, known in Vietnamese as Hai Bà Trung (literally "the 2 Trung ladies").
Trung Trac and Trung Nhi are two historical characters who victoriously repelled the Chinese attacks on Vietnam in the year 39.
Today they are considered to be national heros at the same level as Joan of Arc, and are revered as the instigators of the first resistance movement.
The statues of the two sisters in Bach Dang, across from Hai Bà Trung Street near the Saigon River, the older sister facing south her right hand on her sword and her left one holding her sister's right hand who is holding her left hand to her forehead the better to see what is happening in the North.

This statue was pulled down on November 1st, 1963, because it was a favorite of Madame Nhu (Tran Lê Xuân)