Perhaps Rue Henry-Farman doesn’t immediately scream “history,” yet it quietly echoes with tales of aviation pioneers and ancient settlements. This street in Paris’s 15th arrondissement, bordering Issy-les-Moulineaux, is named after Henri Farman. He was a celebrated aviator and aircraft designer.
But who was Henri Farman? He wasn’t just any pilot. Farman, along with his brothers Dick and Maurice, were pioneers in French aviation. They even became aircraft manufacturers. In fact, Henri achieved a groundbreaking feat right here. On this very site, he completed the first kilometer flight in 1 minute and 28 seconds, using a biplane designed by the Voisin brothers.
The Rue Henry-Farman we stand on today wasn’t always here. It was created in 1995 during redevelopment of the Vaugirard plain area. The street extends into Issy-les-Moulineaux. There, it connects with Rue Camille-Desmoulins.
However, the history of this area goes back much further than the 20th century. In 2007, construction work unearthed traces of human occupation dating back to the Neolithic and Mesolithic periods. Extensive archaeological digs followed in 2008. Archaeologists discovered numerous artifacts. These included tools, bones, and microliths dating back to 9000-5000 BC. These finds revealed that nomadic hunter-gatherers frequented this site.
Imagine this area thousands of years ago. A prairie near forests where the northern arm of the Seine once flowed. This discovery marked the oldest site of its kind found along the river.
Today, Rue Henry-Farman is home to modern structures. It includes the headquarters of the Directorate General for Civil Aviation, or DGAC. Systra, an engineering consultancy group, also has its Parisian offices here. The street is also home to Paris’s first in-house waste sorting center since 2011.
Moreover, near the intersection with Rue Louis-Armand, you’ll find the Farman-Voisin Monument. Paul Landowski created it. Suzanne Deutsch de La Meurthe, a patron of the arts, gifted it to the city. The monument commemorates Henri Farman’s historic flight. An inscription marks the achievement of flying one kilometer in a closed circuit right here.
So, as you walk along Rue Henry-Farman, remember its layered past. From ancient hunter-gatherers to aviation pioneers, this street holds stories of innovation and human endeavor. It is a reminder that even ordinary-looking streets can hold extraordinary histories.