The Parisian air whispers secrets. Rue d’Avron holds them close. This street isn’t just a path. It’s a timeline. A journey through Parisian history.
Rue d’Avron stretches from boulevard de Charonne to boulevard Davout. It’s a long road 880 meters to be exact. It connects two significant boulevards. It’s a vital artery in the 20th arrondissement.
Originally a simple path. The “chemin de Paris a Montreuil” it linked Paris to the town of Montreuil. Its name changed many times. It became “rue de Montreuil” then “Grande rue de Montreuil”. Finally in an arrêté it earned its current name Rue d’Avron. It honors the Plateau d’Avron. A strategic location during the Franco-Prussian War. The plateau defended Paris in 1870-1871.
Rue d’Avron experienced a complete renovation in 2011. Wider sidewalks now welcome pedestrians. Thirty-one apple trees offer shade. Eight planters add color with hibiscus cornus alba and pampas grass. Four new bus shelters provide convenience. Thirteen new delivery zones ease traffic. Thirty-nine new lampposts illuminate the night.
The street boasts remarkable buildings. Number 35-37 held the Palais d’Avron cinema. An Art Deco facade. Sadly it’s gone. Number 40 houses Les Forges de l’Est. A hardware store since 1875. It’s been a fixture for over a century and a half. Imagine the stories those walls could tell. Nearby at number 41. The windmills once stood tall. The Gobert or Agobert or Dagobert windmills. They appear on old maps. Numbers 61-63 once housed Bull’s French headquarters. The company’s main employer in the 20th arrondissement in the 1960s.
Number 81 once held the Family cinema. Number 107 was the home of Natan Darty. Later he founded the Darty Group. His family lived here. He survived Auschwitz a testament to resilience. A locomotive adorns the gate at number 117. Unique Parisian charm. The Petite Ceinture railway line runs beneath number 120. A hidden railway. Number 125 houses the Croix Saint-Simon hospital. Part of the Diaconesses Croix Saint-Simon hospital group.
A Fontaine Wallace sits between Rue d’Avron and Rue du Volga. A quiet spot for reflection. The Petite Ceinture railway bridge crosses above. A silent witness to the street’s evolution.
Rue d’Avron. It’s more than a street. It’s a living tapestry. A place where past and present intertwine. It’s a story etched in stone. In memories. In the very air we breathe. A Parisian story worth exploring.