Rue du Gaz

Nestled between Rue de Tolbiac and Avenue Edison, the Rue Charles-Moureu holds a secret. It was once known as Rue du Gaz. Let’s unravel the story of Rue du Gaz, a street whose name echoes a forgotten industry. Rue du Gaz wasn’t always called that. Originally, in 1857, this unassuming street was part of Ivry-sur-Seine and bore a much less evocative name: Rue de Tripière, or sometimes Sentier de Tripière. The name came from a local landmark. It wasn’t until 1877, with the rise of the gas industry, that the street earned its memorable moniker, Rue du Gaz. Nearby, where the Square de Choisy now stands, stood a gasometer, a testament to the industrial revolution. The gasometer, connected to the Ivry gasworks, became a defining feature of the area. The presence of this industrial giant gave Rue du Gaz its name, forever linking it to Paris’s burgeoning gaslight era. Later, in 1927, Rue du Gaz was renamed Rue de Gentilly, reflecting its proximity to the commune of Gentilly. Finally, in 1950, the section we stand before was split off. It was renamed Rue Charles-Moureu, honoring the esteemed chemist and pharmacist. But for a brief period, the name Rue du Gaz captured the spirit of an age. It reminds us of a time when gaslights illuminated the streets, a precursor to the electric age. Today, Rue Charles-Moureu bears little resemblance to its industrial past. The gasometer is gone, replaced by the green expanse of Square de Choisy. The name Rue du Gaz may be lost to time. But its story reminds us of the ever-changing urban landscape, a place where history whispers beneath the modern facade.