Once upon a time, Avenue des Marais wasn’t what it seemed. This street in Paris has a past life. It was once known as Rue des Marais. Or even Rue des Marais-du-Temple. Some knew it as Rue des Marais-Saint-Martin.
The Avenue des Marais we seek once resided in the 10th arrondissement. More specifically, it was part of the 39th administrative district of Paris. This area is known as the Quartier de la Porte-Saint-Martin.
Don’t confuse it with Rue des Marais-Saint-Germain. That one became Rue Visconti in the 6th arrondissement. That change happened by decree.
Let’s journey back to 1652. The Gomboust plan shows this street already existing. It started at numbers 1 and 3 Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple. It ended at numbers 86 and 88 Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Martin.
Why “Marais”? Because the street was built on marshy land. Marais means marsh in French. The name stuck.
In 1772, the Rue des Marais was still quite bare. Only a few buildings lined it.
Later changes came with grand designs. The section between Rue de la Douane and Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple vanished. It made way for the Caserne Vérines barracks. This was declared a public necessity in 1856.
The Avenue des Marais also lost its central part. This happened when Boulevard de Magenta was built. That was deemed a public necessity in 1859.
Tragedy struck on August 30, 1914. Early in World War I, a German Taube airplane bombed the Rue des Marais.
The Avenue des Marais evolved. A section became Rue de Nancy. This change came about with the creation of Place Jacques-Bonsergent. Part of Rue de Lancry was also included.
The remaining part of Rue des Marais received a new name. It became Rue Albert-Thomas.
Interestingly, some notable people once lived on the Avenue des Marais. At number 46 lived Charles de Chilly. He was a theater actor. He lived and died there in 1872.
At number 95, Fernand Ochsé was born in 1879. He was an author, composer, decorator, painter, and a Proustian dandy. Julien Ochsé, a poet, was also born there in 1874.
Today, little physically remains of the old Avenue des Marais. Yet, its story echoes. It reminds us that even streets change. They adapt to the needs and visions of a city. So remember the story of Avenue des Marais. Its marshy beginnings, its famous residents, and its transformation. It’s a small piece of Paris’s ever-evolving story.