Why does Rue de la Briche sound so familiar? It is because this street in Saint-Denis follows the route of the former Route Nationale 14. Today it is known as the Route Départementale 914.
Rue de la Briche is more than just a road. It’s a piece of Parisian history. The street’s story is intertwined with the city’s defenses. You see the Fort de la Briche protected Paris. It was built in the second half of the 19th century. The fort stood at the edge of Saint-Denis and Épinay-sur-Seine.
The Fort de la Briche controlled key routes. These included the Seine, the RN 14 and the Paris-Beauvais railway. It protected the west of Saint-Denis. The fort connected to the Fort de la Double-Couronne. This connection was made by the Digue du Croult.
All forts in Paris were constructed around 1844. The construction took about ten years. They formed a ring of twelve similar structures. These forts were built to defend against enemy attacks. They were linked by a fortified embankment and a ditch. In Saint-Denis this ran from the Seine to the Canal Saint-Denis.
Rue de la Briche witnessed the Franco-Prussian War. The Fort de la Briche played a role in the German siege of 1870. The fort’s command structure was complex. The retired Chef de Bataillon Taphanel was in charge. The artillery was led by Chef d’Escadron Duran. Captain Dreyssé oversaw the engineering. Dr. Roux managed the medical services.
Later the Fort de la Briche housed a different kind of innovation. It became a center for testing aircraft engines. Today the fort serves a vital purpose. It houses the 26th fire company. It is also home to the canine unit. The Brigade de Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris uses it as a training center.
But there is also a dark side to Rue de la Briche. A wild dump has been accumulating. It stretches along the banks of the Seine and the Canal Saint-Denis. This dump contains mattresses, refrigerators and shopping carts. One can find Vélib’ bikes among the waste. It is estimated that over 50 cubic meters of waste have piled up. This has been accumulating since November 2024.
Getting to Rue de la Briche is easy today. You can take the train. Metro line 13 serves the area. Several bus lines also stop nearby. These include lines 170, 254 and 274. Tram line T8 is also an option. The closest bus stop is La Briche. It’s just a minute’s walk away. The Paul Éluard tram stop is also nearby. It is about an eight-minute walk.
Rue de la Briche is a street of contrasts. It’s a street where history and modernity meet. It is a place where nature struggles against neglect. It is a place where the past echoes in the present.