Before us stretches the Avenue Théophile Gautier. It is a tribute to a man of words. Who was Théophile Gautier and why does Paris honor him with this avenue?
The Avenue Théophile Gautier resides in Paris’s 16th arrondissement. Specifically it sits in the Auteuil quarter. This avenue is not just a path. It is a passage through Parisian history.
Théophile Gautier was a French writer born in 1811. He died in 1872. The avenue is named in his honor.
Originally, this avenue was created in two phases. The first phase started on January 27, 1876. It was created between the streets of François-Gérard and du Père-Brottier. It also stretched to the Rue d’Auteuil. At first, it was named Rue de la Mire. Then it became Rue du Point-du-Jour. Finally, it was named Rue Théophile-Gautier. Later, a decree on July 10, 1882, extended the avenue. It then reached between the streets François-Gérard, du Père-Brottier, and Rue Gros.
During World War I, tragedy struck. On August 6, 1918, a shell from Grosse Bertha exploded at number 10 Rue Théophile-Gautier. The street officially became an avenue on March 17, 1933. That is when it received its current name.
The Avenue Théophile Gautier is 550 meters long and 20 meters wide. As you walk, notice the buildings.
Numbers 18-20 feature a red and beige brick facade. White bow-windows embellish it. Architect Charles Blanche built this in 1899. Buildings at numbers 21-23 are creations by architect Deneu de Montbrun in 1907. The buildings at numbers 28-30 stand at the corner of Avenue de l’Abbé-Roussel. Charles Blanche also designed this one in 1905. It features red and beige bricks and white bow-windows.
At number 38, François Mauriac lived from 1931 until his death in 1970. A plaque commemorates him. The headquarters of NRJ 12 are located at numbers 46-50. Numbers 55-57 is an edifice by Henry Auffret. It gives onto 31, Rue de Rémusat. It has eight stories and stands 27 meters tall. Previously, number 57 housed a mansion acquired in 1786 by Antoine-César de Choiseul-Praslin. He is interred in the Panthéon.
Where the avenue meets 2 Rue d’Auteuil, a plaque marks history. It says Molière lived in a country house here around 1677.
The Avenue Théophile Gautier is more than just a street. It’s a walk through time. It connects literature, architecture, and Parisian life.