“Carrefour de la Croix-Rouge?” you might wonder, “Isn’t that just another name for Place Michel Debr\u00e9?” Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that.
This is Place de la Croix Rouge, nestled in the heart of Paris’s 6th arrondissement. This spot has been a crossroads for centuries, witnessing the ebb and flow of Parisian life. The name itself, “Carrefour de la Croix-Rouge,” dates back to the 15th century. The place acquired its dramatic nickname when a large red cross was placed at this intersection, marking a leper colony, a place of disease and despair. A leper colony, even in medieval times, was certainly not a desirable place to be. It was a place to be avoided, to be feared. People passing by would be warned to stay their distance, and this was the purpose of the red cross.
The site was also known as “Carrefour de la Maladrerie,” a reminder of the lepers who were cared for there. The city’s health services were limited, and those afflicted with leprosy had no home. The church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés housed a large cross painted red, a symbol of both the illness and the danger it posed. Sadly, this was a common site throughout Paris, a city where most people lived close to their workplaces.
In the 16th century, the red cross was removed, but the name remained. Even in the 18th century, during a period of upheaval, the “Carrefour du Bonnet Rouge” as it was briefly called, during the French Revolution, returned to its original moniker, “Carrefour de la Croix-Rouge.” The “Bonnet Rouge” was a symbol of the revolution, and the name change reflected the political climate of the time.
Today, the place is known as Place Michel Debr\u00e9, named after the French politician who served as Prime Minister under Charles de Gaulle. The name change, officially adopted in 2005, was a symbolic gesture to erase the historical stigma associated with the area.
Today, Place Michel Debr\u00e9 is a far cry from the leper colony where the red cross originally stood, but the echoes of its past remain. The place is a testament to the resilience of Paris, a city that has always been at the center of change. It has also been a place of innovation: In the early 20th century, the Croix-Rouge metro station was a bustling hub for commuters. The station was closed during the Second World War and never reopened because of its proximity to another station. It is said that the ghost of the station can still be felt today.