Lost in the heart of Montparnasse, we find ourselves at the Impasse de la Gaite. What stories could this dead-end street whisper? Let’s explore its past. The Impasse de la Gaite is a small street in Paris’s 14th arrondissement. It’s a part of the Montparnasse district. The street is only 60 meters long and 10 meters wide. It ends without connecting to another street.
The Impasse de la Gaite gets its name from the Rue de la Gaite. That street was near an old toll barrier. In the past, this area was full of balls, guinguettes and theaters. Joy and merriment were common.
The Impasse de la Gaite was created in Petit-Montrouge. Petit-Montrouge was part of the commune of Montrouge. Paris annexed this area in 1860. This happened under a law called the “loi Riché”.
Today, the Impasse de la Gaite is served by the Metro line 6. The nearest station is Edgar Quinet. The street starts at number 3 Rue de la Gaite.
The Rue de la Gaite was known for its entertainment. It was full of theaters, restaurants, and music halls. One famous place was Bobino. The Montparnasse theater opened in 1818. It was run by the Seveste brothers. The Comedie-Italienne was also nearby. The Rue de la Gaite was lively day and night. It lived up to its name. It was dedicated to Parisian pleasures.
The Rue de la Gaite got its name because it was near the old toll barrier. This barrier was lined with balls and theaters. Joy and gaiety reigned there.
The Rue de la Gaite was once a country road. It existed as early as 1730. It lost a section that extended beyond Avenue du Maine. The two sections were annexed by Paris in 1860. They became part of the 14th arrondissement. The street has been officially part of Paris since 1863.
In 1804, the Rue de la Gaite was part of a road from Clamart to the Montparnasse barrier. It was outside the Farmers General wall. This wall was a tax barrier. Vestiges of it remain at Place Denfert-Rochereau. Taverns were outside the barrier to avoid taxes on wine. Montparnasse had many guinguettes. These were balls and restaurants. One famous restaurant was Richefeu. It had three floors. Prices went down as you went up.
In 1860, Emile de La Bedolliere described the Rue de la Gaite. He said it was a “land of Cockaigne”. It was full of balls, restaurants and cabarets. Crowds gathered at the theater doors in the evening.
Another part of the Rue de la Gaite was south of Avenue du Maine. It was an extension of Rue du Theatre. The streets merged in 1865. They became Rue Vandamme.
The Rue de la Gaite had many notable buildings. There were theaters like the Gaite-Montparnasse and Montparnasse. Bobino was a famous music hall. The Comedie Italienne was also there. Other theaters were nearby. These included the Guichet Montparnasse and the Theatre d’Edgar.
Restaurant Richefeu was at number 1. Salle Ganglof was at number 6. Simone de Beauvoir lived at number 11 bis in 1936 and 1937. Bal des Quatre Saisons was at number 15. Bal des Gigoteurs was at number 18. The “Bal des Gigolettes” was at number 20. It became Bobino Music-hall. The building was demolished in 1985. It was replaced by a hotel and a studio called “studio Bobino”. Since 2010, the place is called “Bobino”. It hosts one-man shows and concerts.
The Impasse de la Gaite and the Rue de la Gaite stand as reminders of a lively past. The area was full of entertainment. It was a place of joy and merriment. As we leave this dead-end street, we carry with us a glimpse of old Montparnasse.