“Ary Scheffer. Ever heard of him?” Rue Scheffer in Paris is named after this painter. It is not because he lived here. He lived in the 9th arrondissement. His house is now the Musée de la Vie romantique.
Welcome to the Rue Scheffer. This street is in the 16th arrondissement near the Trocadéro. Let’s explore its history and some interesting spots.
The Rue Scheffer is 590 meters long. It is 12 meters wide. The street runs from Rue Benjamin Franklin to Avenue Georges Mandel.
Originally, in 1730, it was called Chemin des Moulins. This path was between Rue Vineuse and Rue Cortambert. There were three mills nearby. One was the Leclère mill. It was near today’s Rue Bellini. In 1848, it became Rue des Moulins in Passy.
By a decree on August 24, 1864, the street got its current name. The Rue Scheffer was extended westward between 1848 and 1853. The plan was to connect it to Rue de la Pompe. This project was stopped when Avenue Henri Martin was built. Today, it is known as Avenue Georges Mandel. An extension to the south occurred in 1903. It connected Rue Vineuse and Rue Benjamin Franklin. This extension led to the disappearance of Square Benjamin Franklin.
At number 1 Rue Scheffer, you can see an Art Deco building. It was built from 1929 to 1930. Marcel Hennequet was the architect. Its facade is made entirely of bay windows.
Pierre-Jean de Béranger lived at number 4. He stayed with Mme Bega until 1850. She was a war widow. Anna de Noailles had an apartment at number 40 from 1910.
Once, there was a convent of Discalced Carmelites at number 51 Rue Scheffer. Today, it is a private street called Villa Scheffer. The Republic of the Congo owns the house at number 57 bis. It houses technical facilities for the embassy. The embassy is on Rue Paul Valéry.
The Art Nouveau building at 39 Rue Scheffer is also quite special. Ernest Herscher, an architect, designed it for himself in 1911. He wanted it to house his architecture agency on the ground floor. The stone and pink brick facades are lively. Bow-windows extend to the roof. The corner of the building has corbels and stacked round shapes. The sculptor Pierre Seguin added floral motifs. They are especially noticeable under the cornice. The ironwork on the curved balconies is very detailed.
So, Rue Scheffer is more than just a street. It has history, art, and interesting stories. Take a closer look as you walk along. Imagine the people who lived and worked here. Think about the changes this street has seen.