Standing at the beginning of Rue Fourcroy, you might wonder how this quiet street got its name. It’s a name that goes back a long way, to a time when the world of science was much different. This street, named after Antoine-François Fourcroy, a French chemist and politician of the late 18th century, was originally part of the commune of Neuilly. It would have been quite different back then, with fields and farms surrounding a small village.
Today, Rue Fourcroy is a peaceful haven in the bustling 17th arrondissement of Paris. You might not know this, but the area where you stand is nicknamed “The Street of Savants,” because it also includes roads with the names of other notable scientists, like Jean-Baptiste Gustave Flaubert and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.
You could be forgiven for missing this connection. The street is quite short, just a few hundred meters long, and doesn’t immediately reveal its intellectual past. Looking around, you might see artfully decorated Haussmannian buildings and a few small shops, adding to its charm.
The street got its official name in the 1860s, which means there was a whole period of time when it was known by a different name. Prior to 1867, it was called Lamare or Lamarck, both names reflecting the era’s scientific pursuits. These days, its peaceful demeanor and elegant architecture make it a place where Parisian life plays out in a slower and more refined way. So take a moment to savor the calm and serenity of Rue Fourcroy and let your mind wander back to a time when science was in its infancy and Paris was just beginning to find its voice.