Perhaps you are wondering about Voie E/7. This unassuming passage in the 7th arrondissement holds a subtle charm. Voie E/7 is located in the Gros Caillou area.
This Parisian street may seem like any other. Yet, Voie E/7 whispers stories of property rights. It hints at access to enclosed land.
Voie E/7 begins at 26 rue Surcouf. It ends as a dead end. Some maps call it a common passage. This refers to an old right-of-way. It allowed passage through private property. This access was for landlocked areas. Voie E/7 is near Voie D/7. This is also known as Passage Commun D7.
The 7th arrondissement is one of Paris’s twenty arrondissements. It is known as le septième in spoken French. The 7th is one of the richest areas in France. It shares this status with the 16th arrondissement and Neuilly-sur-Seine.
Palais-Bourbon is another name for the 7th arrondissement. This refers to the National Assembly. The Eiffel Tower is in the 7th arrondissement. The Hôtel des Invalides is also here. It is Napoleon’s resting place. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is another notable site.
Several museums are located here too. These include the Musée d’Orsay and Musée Rodin. The Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac is also in the 7th. The 7th arrondissement sits on the Rive Gauche. This is the Left Bank of the Seine. Faubourg Saint-Germain is an aristocratic neighborhood here. Many French national institutions are in the 7th. The National Assembly and government ministries call it home. Many foreign embassies are here too. Some occupy beautiful hôtels particuliers.
The French upper class has lived in the 7th since the 17th century. It became home to France’s highest nobility. The phrase le Faubourg describes French nobility. This refers to the 7th arrondissement’s old name. The 7th and Neuilly-sur-Seine are the most affluent areas in France.
French high nobility moved here from the Marais in the 17th century. The Marais was the aristocratic district then. Nobles built urban mansions there. They sought the clearer, less polluted Faubourg Saint-Germain. Prestigious families built residences here. Examples include the Hôtel Matignon and Hôtel Biron.
After the Revolution, many mansions became national institutions. They offered magnificent spaces. The French expression les ors de la Republique refers to this time. It means the luxurious environment of national palaces.
The Faubourg regained its glory during the Restauration. It was the political heart of the country. After Charles X’s fall, the district lost political influence. It remained the center of the French upper class’s social life.
The arrondissement hosted five Universal Exhibitions in the 19th century. These events greatly impacted its cityscape. The Eiffel Tower and the Orsay building were built for these exhibitions.
Voie E/7 may be a small passage. Yet, it connects to a rich history. It highlights the evolution of Paris. It offers a glimpse into property and privilege.