Imagine Parisian locals going about their daily lives. They shop for food or take a café au lait. Welcome to Rue Lamarck.
Rue Lamarck offers an authentic glimpse of Parisian life. It sits quietly tucked away in northern Montmartre away from tourist crowds.
Rue Lamarck is one of the longest streets in the 18th arrondissement. Only a few streets are longer. Rue Lamarck begins atop the Butte Montmartre. It starts near Rue Maurice-Utrillo. It winds around the Butte descending towards the north. The street crosses Rue Caulaincourt. It continues west to Avenue de Saint-Ouen.
Lamarck-Caulaincourt metro station is on Rue Lamarck. It has been a subject for artists and photographers. The station also appeared in the film Amélie. Audrey Tautou’s character helps an elderly blind man there. The intricate metal work around the metro sign is striking. The tunnelled entrance sits between two staircases.
The street is named after Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck. He was a naturalist. He was also a professor of zoology. Lamarck defined a theory about the evolution of living beings.
Rue Lamarck was created in stages. It opened in 1867. It stretched between Rue du Chevalier-de-La-Barre and Rue Eugène-Carrière. In 1881 it was extended south to Rue Foyatier. By 1893 it reached Avenue de Saint-Ouen westward. In 1930 the southernmost part became Rue du Cardinal-Dubois.
During World War II, bombs struck the area. A witness described Rue Lamarck as a furious river. A string of bombs hit a water reservoir.
The street has unique traffic patterns. It is one-way in both directions. But this is on different sections of the street.
Many interesting buildings are on Rue Lamarck. No 16 was once an Israeli night asylum. Today, it is the Centre israélite de Montmartre. The Hôtel Ermitage Sacré-Cœur is at No 24. It features murals by Roland Dubuc. The headquarters of the République de Montmartre is at No 30.
Chez Rita et Claudio offers kitsch Italian charm. A.lea is a go-to for upscale dining. Birdie Num Num offers tasty salad bowls. Mémé Viet serves good value Vietnamese cuisine.
In Francis Carco’s novel, he notes that one can see all of Paris from Rue Lamarck. The heroine lives on Rue Lamarck in the movie Un homme et une femme.
So next time you find yourself in Paris. Take a stroll along Rue Lamarck. You will find the authentic Parisian life.