Unearthed secrets whisper from the stones of Rue de la Pierre Levée. This unassuming street in Paris’s 11th arrondissement holds a captivating history. Its name itself a riddle. It speaks of a discovery made during the street’s creation in 1782. Workers unearthed a large stone. They believed it to be part of a Druidic altar. A menhir a megalith. This ancient relic gave the street its name Rue Pierre Levée raised stone.
Before 1782 the area was part of the Faubourg du Temple. It lay just outside the old Louis XIII city walls. The street wasn’t always so peaceful. From 1818 to 1825 the police closed it. It had a bad reputation. It wasn’t fully developed at that time either. The Rue de la Pierre Levée eventually received its current name. It reflects its intriguing origins.
Today as you walk Rue de la Pierre Levée you see the architectural style of the 1830s and 1840s. Buildings line the street. Number 4 is particularly noteworthy. It houses the former Loebnitz faience factory. Built in 1884 by Paul Sédille its facade is stunning. Three ceramic panels depict Architecture Sculpture and Painting. These panels came from the Beaux-Arts pavilion at the 1878 World’s Fair. A fourth panel Ceramic was added later. The factory’s kilns still exist in the basement.
The street also boasts a personal connection to the arts. At number 8 the painter Camille Flers married Louise Adèle Clauss. Her father Jean Marx Clauss founded a porcelain factory on Rue de la Pierre Levée in 1805. The family’s artistic legacy is interwoven with the street’s history.
And finally at number 17 a plaque commemorates Henri Gambey. He died there in 1847. A member of the Academy of Sciences he was a renowned inventor of precision instruments. His contributions to science further enrich this Parisian street’s story. The Rue de la Pierre Levée a quiet street. It is a testament to Paris’s enduring blend of history. It offers a glimpse into the lives and crafts of those who once walked its cobblestones.