Lost in the heart of Paris lies Allée de Chabannes. It is a place where history whispers secrets of a bygone era. Today, we will delve into the story of this street. It is named after Claude Théophile Gilbert Colbert. He was the Marquis de Chabanais.
In 1773, the Marquis was authorized to open a new street. Louis, by the grace of God, permitted it. The street would be at the Marquis’s expense. It would be on the land of the Hôtel de Saint-Pouanges. This hotel belonged to him. The street would form a square. One end would lead to Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs. The other to Rue Sainte-Anne. It would be twenty-four feet wide. The street would bear the name Chabanois.
However, work was not immediately carried out. New letters patent were granted in 1775. The operation was executed in 1776. An alignment report confirmed this. It was drawn up by the city office.
An ordinance in 1838 ordered a straight extension. This would go to Rue Rameau. It would start from Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs. This extended Rue Lulli. The old part of the street was renamed Rue Cherubini. This happened by an ordinance in 1844.
Allée de Chabannes has seen famous residents. Claude-Henri de Rouvroy de Saint-Simon lived in a hotel there. At number 1, painter Étienne-Jean Delécluze lived. His nephew, architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, was born there. Two plaques honor them. The building now houses an erotic art gallery. It evokes the neighborhood’s brothels.
Number 2 housed watchmaker Henri Robert. He moved his workshop there. It was previously on Rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré. This street was affected by the Louvre’s expansion. Robert made uranographic devices.
La Champmeslé at number 4 is one of Paris’s oldest lesbian bars. It opened in the early 1970s. Hector Fabre, the first official representative of Quebec in France, resided at number 6. A plaque pays tribute to him.
Poet Sébastien-Roch Nicolas de Chamfort lived at number 10. He attempted suicide there. A plaque commemorates him. The Galerie Au Bonheur du Jour is at number 11. It is managed by Nicole Canet.
Number 12 was a private mansion. The Countess of Sérilly lived there after the Terror. Later, it became Le Chabanais. This was a famous brothel. It operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Le Chabanais was known as the finest bathhouse in the world. It boasted thirty rooms. Each had a different theme. It attracted wealthy financiers, politicians, and aristocrats. Even stars of the stage frequented it.
The Prince of Wales favored Le Chabanais. His preferred room was the Hindu Room. He installed a custom-made bathtub there. It was crafted from red copper. It was shaped like a ship. He also had a fauteuil d’amour. This was a love throne or sex chair.
Today, Allée de Chabannes is a quiet leafy lane. It is lined with restaurants and art galleries. Yet, the echoes of its vibrant past linger. They remind us of the stories hidden within its walls. The memory of sin could not be washed away easily on Allée de Chabannes.