Might the name of the Rue du Fossé de l’Aumône suggest a tale of charity? It is more a story of drainage and defense. We are standing at a location that whispers tales of medieval ingenuity and the ever-present battle against the Seine’s floods.
This is the Rue du Fossé de l’Aumône. It echoes a past where a trench played a vital role in protecting the land. This area was once vulnerable to the whims of the river.
Let’s delve into the history of the Fossé de l’Aumône. Its origins are debated. Some say it was a natural channel. Others believe it was a man-made ditch. Regardless, it became a crucial part of the landscape.
The name Fossé de l’Aumône could stem from “Fossé de l’Aumont.” This translates to “dead water.” Another theory suggests the name comes from a tax. This tax was called “franche aumône.” It was payable to the Abbey of Saint-Denis after an inheritance.
Imagine the medieval engineers. They toiled to maintain this four-kilometer-long ditch. Their goal was to protect the Gennevilliers peninsula from floods. The Fossé de l’Aumône allowed water to flow into the Seine. It cut off a bend in the river.
Over time, the Fossé de l’Aumône saw many improvements. Digues were built. Louis XIII ordered enhancements. The Duke of Choiseul, owner of the Gennevilliers château, maintained it.
The Rue du Fossé de l’Aumône appears on the 18th-century map. It is labeled as “fossé de Laumaune.” This shows its importance in the royal hunting grounds.
The Abbey of Saint-Denis lost ownership in 1789. The Fossé de l’Aumône was seen as clergy property. Some landowners filled parts of it. They turned it into farmland.
The digues were raised to 7.30 meters between 1811 and 1813. In 1832, the Colombes digue was added. It stood four meters high. The Fossé itself was twenty meters wide.
During the Seine’s great flood of 1910, the Fossé de l’Aumône played a crucial role. It contained the rising waters for four days.
Gustave Caillebotte captured it in his 1889 painting. The painting is titled “Vue du Petit-Gennevilliers depuis le ‘fossé de l’Aumône.'”
Sadly, the Fossé de l’Aumône was neglected. It was filled in from 1928.
Today, a street bears its name. The Rue du Fossé de l’Aumône is a reminder of the past.
This area underwent significant changes in the 1970s. Gardens disappeared. New housing replaced them.
The Rue du Fossé de l’Aumône tells a story. It speaks of water management. It also narrates land use changes. It echoes a past of medieval engineering. It reminds us of the constant need to adapt to nature’s forces.
As we stand here, remember the Fossé de l’Aumône. It was a line of defense. It shaped the landscape and the lives of those who lived here. Now, the Rue du Fossé de l’Aumône is a place to remember that history.