Could you believe that this road leads us to a farm? This is the Rue de la Ferme. It is a path with a story that stretches back to the heart of Parisian history.
The Rue de la Ferme owes its name to the Ferme de la Faisanderie. This farm was established in 1855. Empress Eugénie herself initiated its creation. The farm later became the École du Breuil.
Originally, the area was used for pheasant breeding. The Bois de Vincennes was a royal hunting ground before the Revolution. The farm became part of Paris in 1929. It was included in the 12th arrondissement.
The road follows an old path. It was part of a network of forest routes. Robert de Cotte designed these routes between 1731 and 1739. Adolphe Alphand transformed the path into a road around 1860. This happened during the Bois de Vincennes’ development into a public park.
Imagine the Ferme de la Faisanderie in its prime. In 1859, it housed one hundred Swiss and Norman cows. There was also a flock of two hundred sheep. Seven Percheron mares lived here too.
Later, the Faisanderie changed. In 1903 and again in 1919, the city auctioned it off. The stables housed racehorses. Around fifty trotters benefited from the nearby Vincennes hippodrome. Sadly, fire struck in October 1934. Twelve horses died.
Today, only traces remain of the Ferme de la Faisanderie. Its legacy lives on in the name of the road. It also remains at the intersection of the Route de la Pyramide. The Rue de la Ferme is more than just a road. It connects us to a rich past. It reminds us of a time when farms thrived.