“The last home of Missak Manouchian” A whisper travels down the Parisian wind. It speaks of Rue de Plaisance a street steeped in history and resilience. This isn’t just any Parisian street. It’s a place where stories echo through the cobblestones.
Rue de Plaisance lies in the 14th arrondissement a vibrant district full of life. It’s a place where the past and present intertwine. The street itself is relatively short. It starts at 83 Rue Raymond-Losserand and ends at 26 bis Rue Didot. But its length belies its rich history.
Opened in 1860 the street was initially named Passage Saint-Victor. This was part of a development by Alexandre Chauvelot. He created the Plaisance hamlet on land from the commune of Montrouge. Petit-Montrouge was annexed to Paris in 1860. The name changed to Passage Didot in 1877. Finally in 1888 it received its current name Rue de Plaisance.
Number 11 Rue de Plaisance holds a poignant memory. It was the last residence of Missak Manouchian. He was a poet and a member of the FTP-MOI a French resistance group during World War II. A commemorative plaque was placed there in 2009. A street artist Dugudus created a serigraph in his honor in early 2024 just before Manouchian’s posthumous recognition.
Number 45 on Rue de Plaisance also has a story to tell. Guy Hocquenghem a gay rights activist lived there from 1973 to 1977. A commemorative plaque was installed in January 2020. However it was removed in September of the same year after a controversy.
Rue de Plaisance is more than just an address. It’s a living testament to Parisian history. It’s a reminder of the courage of resistance fighters and the ongoing fight for social justice. As you walk along Rue de Plaisance take a moment to feel the weight of the stories whispered on the wind. They speak of lives lived and legacies left behind. They tell of a Paris both resilient and ever-changing. This street is a small piece of a larger puzzle. A vibrant community lives and breathes within this historical context. A reminder that even small streets hold immense stories.