“A queue in Brie” What a curious name for a place. The Chemin de la Queue-en-Brie a quiet street in Paris holds a secret. It whispers tales of a town far older than the city surrounding it. La Queue-en-Brie itself was once a bustling village. Its history stretches back to prehistoric times. Imagine the Paleolithic people settling in this valley. They left behind their tools and artifacts. Centuries later medieval people built an impressive church. Saint-Nicolas Church stands as a testament to their faith. The church dates back to the eleventh and twelfth centuries. It has been restored and altered many times. A medieval tower stood guard nearby once. This tower defended the road to Paris. Victor Hugo even used La Queue-en-Brie as inspiration. In his masterpiece Notre Dame de Paris he imagined it as Phoebus’s fortress.
The village has seen many historical figures. Marshal Mortier a hero of Napoleon’s campaigns was its mayor from 1822 to 1830. Then Henri Rouart a celebrated Impressionist painter served as mayor from 1891 to 1912. He was a friend of the great Edgar Degas. La Queue-en-Brie was once a fortified place. In 1430 it withstood a siege. Finally it was freed from the English. Later in 1563 it was ravaged by Huguenots and Germans. La Queue-en-Brie’s story is a tapestry woven with threads of conflict and resilience. The street’s name a quaint reminder of a time when this area was a separate village. A time long before Paris engulfed it. The Chemin de la Queue-en-Brie is more than a street. It’s a living link to a rich and vibrant past. A past that continues to resonate today in the quiet streets of Paris.