Boulevard Bineau

This Boulevard Bineau. It stretches out before us, a vital artery connecting Paris to Normandy. Boulevard Bineau isn’t just a road. It’s a thread woven through the tapestry of French history. It carries echoes of horse-drawn carriages and whispers of revolutionaries. It has witnessed the transformation of Neuilly-sur-Seine from a sprawling chateau estate to the modern cityscape we see today. Boulevard Bineau officially received its name in two stages. The section from Paris to the Seine was christened in 1856. The portion crossing Île de la Jatte followed in 1912. The boulevard honors Jean-Martial Bineau, a prominent French politician who served as Minister of Public Works in 1849. In 1871, during the Paris Commune, Boulevard Bineau became a battleground. The barricade at Rue Peyronnet was a focal point of the fighting. The area around the roundabout of Avenue d’Inkerman and Boulevard Bineau saw constant exchanges of fire. Years later, in January 1910, the Seine overflowed its banks. Boulevard Bineau, along with other Neuilly thoroughfares, found itself submerged. The town hall dispatched firefighters to rescue stranded residents. Around a hundred people were given temporary shelter in hotels and hostels. A more celebratory occasion graced Boulevard Bineau on April 24, 1914. King George V of England and Queen Mary visited the English Hospital in Levallois. The route from Porte de Champerret, along Avenue de Villiers and Boulevard Bineau, was adorned with French and British flags to mark the royal visit. Over the years, Boulevard Bineau has been home to notable figures. In the 1950s, it housed Jacques Foccart, the influential businessman and politician. At number 148 Boulevard Bineau stands an Art Deco building from 1928. Designed by architect Louis Gondallier de Tugny, it was once the home and studio of French painter and sculptor Charles-Albert Walhain. He lived and worked there until his death in 1936. The boulevard also holds darker memories. In 1980, an attempt was made on the life of Chapour Bakhtiar, the last Prime Minister of the Shah of Iran, at his residence on Boulevard Bineau. Though the attempt failed, a neighbor was tragically killed in the ensuing shootout. As we stand here on Boulevard Bineau, we’re not just looking at a street. We’re looking at a living timeline. It’s a testament to the ever-changing nature of cities and the enduring power of history.