“Why almonds?” someone asks. Rue de la Côte des Amandiers whispers stories of orchards long gone. This street in the 20th arrondissement of Paris holds more history than its quiet demeanor suggests.
Rue des Amandiers, meaning “almond trees street”, gets its name from the land it was built on. The area was once known as “des Amandiers”. Imagine this place covered in almond trees. It is hard to believe it now.
The street’s story stretches back centuries. In 1672, it was just a simple path. By 1785, it extended beyond the Wall of the Farmers-General. This wall was a boundary around Paris. Rue des Amandiers-Popincourt once started at Avenue Parmentier. It followed Rue du Chemin-Vert. Then it took its current route, ending at Rue de la Mare. Along this path were water sources for Belleville. These sources gave the name to Rue des Panoyaux.
Officially, Rue des Amandiers became part of Paris in 1863. That same year, it received its current name. But don’t confuse it with Rue Laplace. That street was called Rue des Amandiers in the 14th century. Our Rue de la Côte des Amandiers has a unique story.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Rue des Amandiers was at the heart of the ZAC des Amandiers. This was a major urban renewal project. The goal was to revitalize the neighborhood.
Now, let’s talk about some notable spots. Number 8 was once home to Jean Nepomucène Hermann Nast’s porcelain factory. It moved here sometime between 1785 and 1806. The factory stayed in business until at least 1851.
The painter Camille Flers was born in a house on this street. This makes Rue des Amandiers a birthplace of artistic talent. A local branch of the League of the Just once operated here. This revolutionary group of German workers and intellectuals invited Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. However, the police arrested and expelled the leader, Adolph Junge.
At number 30, Henri Gautreau ran his alcohol burner factory from 1895 to 1927. His glass burners were stamped “H.G. Paris”. At number 45, you will see “Les Génies des Eaux”. This monumental fountain is by sculptor Yvette Vincent-Alleaume.
Numbers 71-73 have plaques honoring painter Jean Masson. Another plaque commemorates Fernand Zalkinow and his family. They were members of the resistance.
Today, you can reach 38 Rue des Amandiers easily by public transport. The nearest bus stop is Martin Nadaud. It’s just a 2-minute walk away. Gambetta metro station is only 3 minutes away. Metro lines 2 and 3 serve this station. Buses 26, 64, and 69 also stop nearby. The first metro arrives around 5:29 AM. The last one leaves around 1:12 AM.
The first bus arrives around 3:00 AM. The last bus runs around 3:55 AM. Moovit can guide you here. It shows real-time directions and transport info.
So, as you wander along Rue de la Côte des Amandiers, remember its layers of history. It is a place of almond trees, revolutionaries, artists, and renewal.