Rue de la Métairie

“A secret rendezvous? On Rue de la Métairie?” The whispered question hangs in the air. Let’s unravel the story of this intriguing street, Rue de la Métairie. Rue de la Métairie sits quietly in the 20th arrondissement of Paris. This street whispers tales of a time long past, a time of farms and bustling industry. Rue de la Métairie wasn’t always known by this name. It was once called “Cour de la Ferme”, a nod to the Savies farm that once graced this very spot. This farm, belonging to the Priory of Saint-Martin, was a source of income for the priory. Imagine the farm, its fields stretching out where buildings now stand. As Paris grew, so did Belleville. The farmland slowly gave way to the homes of working-class Parisians. Although most farms disappeared, a few “vacheries” remained. These small farms provided fresh milk to the city. Rue de la Métairie housed one such dairy farm. In 1877, the street officially became “Cour de la Métairie,” reflecting its agricultural heritage. But the story doesn’t end there. Around 1914, the dairy farm faded into memory. In its place rose the Continsouza factory. This factory, which originally specialized in phonographs, expanded its operations to Rue de la Métairie. Here, they manufactured optical and mechanical equipment for companies like Gaumont and Pathé. Look around you. Can you picture the factory workers bustling about? The buildings on Rue de la Métairie still bear witness to this industrial past. Number 5 housed the administrative offices and commercial bureaus. Its elegant design, with its stone base and brick facade, speaks to the factory’s success. At number 5bis, a more modern industrial building stands. Its large windows, made possible by a metal frame, maximized the light pouring in. Today, various businesses occupy this space. In 1928, a devastating fire swept through the Continsouza factory, destroying a significant portion of its buildings. The factory eventually moved in 1948. A shoe manufacturer, Berthelot, then occupied number 5. Later, in 1992, the building was sold again. Now, it houses “la Maison Blanche”, a post-cure center. Rue de la Métairie, a quiet street in Belleville. Yet beneath its calm surface lies a vibrant history of farms, factories, and the changing face of Paris.