Wondering why this path is called Allée de Londres in Les Pavillons-sous-Bois? It might seem odd to name a street after the capital of the United Kingdom. But its story is intertwined with Parisian urban development.
Allée de Londres finds its namesake in the Rue de Londres. This Parisian street is located in the 8th and 9th arrondissements. The Rue de Londres’s story begins in 1826. Two speculators Jonas Hagerman and Sylvain Mignon developed a new district. It was near the Tivoli gardens. They named it quartier de l’Europe. Streets were named after European capitals.
The Rue de Londres became one of the first streets to be built. It quickly attracted wealthy residents. Aristocrats and financiers built elegant townhouses there. The street became known for its ornate facades.
Hector Berlioz the famous composer lived on Rue de Londres. He resided there with his first wife Harriet Smithson. They lived at number 35 in 1836. Before that they had lived across the street at number 34 in 1834. Later they moved to number 31 in 1837.
The area around Rue de Londres also has interesting history. The Cit\u00e9 de Londres is another nearby street. It was created in 1840 by M. Tessier. He owned the land. The Cit\u00e9 de Londres owes its name to its proximity to Rue de Londres.
Over the years Rue de Londres has been home to many notable people. Alphonse Liébert a photographer had his studio at number 6. Claude Debussy lived at number 42 between 1884 and 1892. Google France has been headquartered at number 8 since 2011.
The buildings on Rue de Londres have interesting architectural details. The building at number 30 features blue and green enameled ceramics. It was once the headquarters of the Société Française des Eaux Minérales. Number 16 was built in 1881 for the Crédit de France. Its design includes Renaissance elements.
So while we may be far from Paris today, the name Allée de Londres here connects us to a rich history. It is a story of urban development artistic residents and architectural beauty. It reminds us that even seemingly simple street names have interesting stories. These stories connect different places and times.