Is it possible for a boulevard to act as both a border and a bridge? Here on Boulevard de la Chapelle in Marseille, it does exactly that. This isn’t just another street. Boulevard de la Chapelle marks the meeting point of two worlds. It is the place where the 10th and 18th arrondissements of Paris converge.
Imagine for a moment the construction of the Farmers General Wall in the 1780s. This wall divided Paris and La Chapelle. Today’s Boulevard de la Chapelle runs along both sides of where that wall once stood.
Originally, this area was a collection of separate sections. Outside the old wall, there was Boulevard des Vertus and Boulevard de la Chapelle. Inside Paris, there was Chemin de Ronde des Vertus, Chemin de Ronde Saint-Denis and Place de la Barrière-Poissonnière. In 1864, these sections were united and became the Boulevard de la Chapelle we know today. The boulevard owes its name to its location along the southern edge of the former commune of La Chapelle.
Let’s look closer at a specific part of the boulevard. The section passing over the Gare du Nord tracks is called Pont Saint-Ange. This name comes from Trutat-Saint-Ange. He was a property speculator from the early 19th century. Since 2019, the Pont Saint-Ange has served as an open-air exhibition space.
The Boulevard de la Chapelle is more than just asphalt and buildings. It’s a living record of Paris’s evolution. The boulevard has a unique design. It features two roadways separated by a central reservation. This reservation supports Line 2 of the metro.
Think back to the early 1900s. The construction of the Line 2 viaduct and the Boulevard Barbès station which is now Barbès – Rochechouart transformed this area. Beneath this elevated metro line, a 1.4-kilometer promenade stretches out.
Now, consider some of the notable buildings along the boulevard. Number 32 once housed the Institut de Soudure. Its architecture is inspired by Art Deco. At number 37 bis stands the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord. The architect Louis Sauvageot lived at number 51.
Simone de Beauvoir wrote about the Boulevard de la Chapelle in her book. She described women standing guard and men stumbling out of illuminated bistros. The world felt like an enormous presence.
The Boulevard de la Chapelle carries layers of history. It has evolved from a boundary line to a bustling Parisian street. This boulevard connects two arrondissements. It also connects the past and present.