Rue de Montenotte

Imagine strolling down Rue de Montenotte, a charming Parisian street nestled in the 17th arrondissement. This quiet street, with its buildings lining both sides as if standing in a silent conversation, whispers tales of a bygone era. You might not know this, but the street’s name is a tribute to a decisive victory. The name echoes the resounding victory of Napoleon Bonaparte, marking the moment when his forces overcame the Austrian army in 1796. The street, however, was not always named after this historical battle. It was once part of a longer thoroughfare called rue des Dames, connecting the Ternes district to the Abbaye des Dames de Montmartre. In the early 18th century, this section was known as rue de la Plaine. It was a period when, strangely enough, a vast expanse of empty land bordered the street, culminating in a series of steps leading up to the iconic Arc de Triomphe. The transformation was dramatic, triggered by the removal of a hill called Butte de Chaillot, where the Champs-Élysées now stand. In 1869, the street, which stretched as far as the avenue Carnot, was christened Rue de Montenotte. This name was embraced to honor Napoleon’s triumph. However, in 1927, the section of the street that continued past the steps, between avenues Mac-Mahon and Carnot, was separated and rechristened rue du Général-Lanrezac. So, as you walk along this street, you’ll be treading a path paved with layers of history – an ode to a past marked by a decisive battle, a long, forgotten route for nuns, and a tranquil plain left behind by a transformed landscape.