“Galleron,” a name whispered through time. It echoes through the history of a small street in Paris’s 20th arrondissement. This is Rue Galleron. It is a place where the past and present intertwine.
Rue Galleron starts at 8 Rue Florian. It ends at 22 Rue Saint-Blaise. The street is short. It stretches only 133 meters. It is also narrow. It measures a mere 7 meters in width.
Its name comes from a gardener. His name was Galleron. He lived here before 1758. He was known for growing peach trees in Montreuil. He promoted peach cultivation.
Once, Rue Galleron was part of a larger path. It was called Ruelle Galleron. A map from 1758 shows it in the village of Charonne. It connected Rue de l’École to Rue Saint-Blaise. It marked the southern edge of a convent. This was the Convent of the Perpetual Adoration of the Holy Sacrament.
In 1844, it became “Petite Rue de Fontarabie.” Later, it was officially recognized as part of Paris. A decree gave it the name Rue Galleron. Part of the street bordered the ZAC Ancien Village de Charonne.
Even a figure from the French Revolution had ties here. Fouquier-Tinville owned a country house in Charonne. The main entrance was on Impasse des Deux-Portes. But he also had a secondary entrance on Rue Galleron. Imagine him slipping through that side door. Maybe he was escaping the pressures of his infamous role.
Rue Galleron is more than just a street. It is a link to a simpler time. It is a reminder of a gardener who loved peach trees. It is a hidden piece of Parisian history. As you walk along Rue Galleron think of those who walked here before you. Think of the gardener and the revolutionary. Their stories are embedded in the stones beneath your feet.