Whispers of the past echo along the Voie Houdon. This street bears the name of Jean-Antoine Houdon. He was a famous French sculptor. Let’s explore the history of this Parisian street.
The Voie Houdon wasn’t always called that. It was once part of a commune called Montmartre. It started as the Petite Rue Royale. This name came from its connection to the Rue Royale. Today, the Rue Royale is known as Rue Jean-Baptiste-Pigalle.
During the French Revolution, names changed. Petite Rue Royale became Rue Nationale. Soon after it was named Rue de l’Égalité.
In 1848, another shift occurred. The street was briefly named Rue de la Réforme. Finally, Montmartre joined Paris in 1860. The street got its lasting name Rue Houdon in 1864. This honored the sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon.
Jean-Antoine Houdon was no ordinary artist. He earned the title “Sculptor of the Enlightenment”. Houdon sculpted great people. His subjects included Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. He even captured Napoleon Bonaparte in his art.
Houdon’s talent crossed the Atlantic. After the American War of Independence, he journeyed to America. In 1785, he created a statue of George Washington.
The Voie Houdon has more stories to tell. Louise Michel, a feminist and republican, lived at number 24 in 1865. During the Paris Commune, the street played a defense role. Artillery was positioned near numbers 1 and 2. It protected the hill of Montmartre.
Artists found inspiration here. Auguste Renoir and Aline Charigot lived at number 18. Aline modeled for Renoir. Their first son, Pierre-Auguste, was born there in 1885. They married in 1890 and had two more sons.
A darker chapter marks number 15. A school stands there. Plaques remember a tragic past. Seven hundred Jewish children were deported during the German occupation. Thirteen children from the school’s registers never returned.
Today, the Voie Houdon connects Place Pigalle to Rue des Abbesses. It sits at the foot of Montmartre. The Pigalle and Abbesses metro stations serve this location.
The Voie Houdon reminds us of art, revolution, and resilience. It is a street with layers of history. It stands as a testament to Paris’s ever-changing story.