Ever wondered about a street that changed its name more than a chameleon changes colors? That’s Rue de Longpont for you. Today, we’re standing where history whispers through the stones, a place known in modern times as Rue de Brosse in Paris.
Rue de Longpont wasn’t always called that. Imagine Paris in the medieval era. This street was first known as Rue Estienne-de-Bailly in 1292. Guillot de Paris mentioned it in *Le Dit des rues de Paris* as “rue a Moines-de-Lonc-Pont”.
Its connection to Longpont Abbey gave it another name. Monks from the Longpont Abbey near Soissons had a hospice here. That’s why it was also called Rue aux Moines-de-Longpont. Over time, the name evolved to Rue du Port-Saint-Gervais. Eventually, it became Rue du Longpont. A manuscript from 1636 even refers to it as “rue de Long pont.”
The street’s width was a matter of official decrees. A ministerial decision in the year V set its width at 8 meters. Later, a royal ordinance increased it to 15 meters. By the 19th century, Rue de Longpont was about 92 meters long. It started at Quai de la Grève and ended at Rue du Monceau-Saint-Gervais. In 1838, Rue du Monceau-Saint-Gervais became Rue François-Miron.
Street names weren’t permanent. In 1838, the street was renamed Rue Jacques-de-Brosse. This honored Jacques de Brosse. He was the architect of the Saint-Gervais church. An excerpt from a ministerial letter explains the change. The king approved renaming Rue de Long-Pont to Rue de Jacques-de-Brosse. The letter praised the architect of the Saint-Gervais church.
Later, it was simplified to Rue de Brosse. An official decree made it Rue de Brosse. At the corner of Place Saint-Gervais, Voltaire lived in 1733. He met Madame du Châtelet there for the first time.
So, as you walk this path, remember Rue de Longpont. It is a street of many names. It is a testament to Paris’s ever-changing history. It connects us to the monks, architects, and great thinkers who once walked here.