Promenades Aeriennes, 1817 (hand coloured etching on paper)

Artist: Pierre Joseph Antoine de la Mésangère (1761-1830) This was originally published by Pierre Joseph Antoine de la Mésangère (1761-1830), better known by the name of Le Mésangère, as plate number 102 in Le Bon Genre, his first edition of hand-coloured engravings showing French life and fashion, published in 1817. The idea of a roller coaster began in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the 18th century; the snow-covered constructions were built in Russia for sledding but these examples used cars running on rails. By the early 19th century they had spread to European capitals and in 1812 a Company called Les Montagnes Russes constructed some in the Belleville district of Paris. The 'aerial walks' was a roller-coaster built in the Jardin Baujon. Opened in 1817, by French banker Nicolas Beaujon, the Parc Beaujon was an amusement park on the Champs Elysees. Its most famous feature was the Promenades Aériennes or "Aerial Strolls." It featured wheeled cars securely locked to the track, guide rails to keep them on course, and higher speeds than earlier models.