Where does history meet craftsmanship? Rue de Saint-Antoine holds secrets of Paris. It whispers tales of revolution and artisans. Today we explore this iconic street. We’ll uncover its hidden courtyards.
Rue de Saint-Antoine boasts a rich past. It dates back to Roman times. It was a route to Meaux and Melun. Originally named Rue du Pourtour-Saint-Gervais, it led to the Abbaye Saint-Antoine-des-Champs. This abbey stood where Hôpital Saint-Antoine is now.
King Philip II built a new city wall. A new gate was erected about 450 meters beyond the old one. This gate stood near the crossroads of Rue Saint-Antoine and Rue de Sévigné. It was near the Church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis.
In 1356, Charles V ordered a new wall. The Porte Saint-Antoine was one of its six gates. After Étienne Marcel’s revolt, the king built a “chastel”. It protected his residence and the Porte Saint-Antoine. This “chastel” became the Bastille in 1382.
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, entered Paris through the Porte Saint-Antoine in 1540. He was beside Francis I of France. The Bastille fired an 800-shot salute. Houses displayed tapestries and banners. The court welcomed them. Henry II participated in a tournament near the gate in 1559. He was mortally wounded.
Louis XIII made a ceremonial entry in 1610. This followed his coronation in Reims. In 1648, a barricade went up during a revolt against Mazarin. In 1652, the Condé escaped royal troops through this gate. He was aided by cannon fire from the Bastille.
Nicolas-François Blondel added two arcades to the monument in 1670. He dedicated it to Louis XIV. It commemorated Louis’s marriage in 1660. The gate was demolished in 1778. It was no longer useful for defense. It also blocked traffic.
Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine links Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation. The storming of the Bastille in 1789 started the French Revolution. This working-class area has been a trade and craft center since the 12th century.
The Faubourg Saint-Antoine was outside Paris’s walls. This made it a route to Vincennes. In the 15th century, the king exempted the area’s workers from taxes. This boosted the street’s importance for wood and furniture craftsmen.
Craftsmen set up workshops in alleys and dead-ends. Le Passage du Chantier is the last witness to the wood and furniture trades. Cour de l’Étoile d’Or features an 18th-century sundial. La cour des Shadocks is a newly built alley from 1998.
Many workshops registered in the 17th century. They were all involved in wood and related activities. Courtyards formed mini-villages of related trades. Urban planners protected the area’s courtyards and buildings. Some still house furniture makers and restorers.
The street is virtually free of tourists. Stroll without an agenda. Walk into every passage and courtyard. Discover the history hidden within.