“A dead end.” That is the literal meaning of “impasse.” Impasse Aubert is a small street in Paris with a rich history. The Impasse Maubert is located in the Saint-Victor district of the 5th arrondissement.
The history of Impasse Maubert dates back to before the 12th century. In 1206, the Collège de Constantinople was founded here by Pierre. He was the Patriarch of Constantinople. Later, in 1420, it was integrated into the Collège de la Marche. Guillaume de la Marche founded that college.
For a time, Impasse Maubert was known as Impasse d’Amboise. This was because the Hôtel d’Amboise was built here in the 14th century. The street officially received its current name in 1867. This was due to its proximity to Place Maubert.
The name Maubert may come from a distortion. It may come from the name of Aubert. Aubert was the second abbot of Sainte-Geneviève. He created butcher stalls on this site in the 12th century. They were within his censives. Another possibility is that the name comes from Maître Albert.
Place Maubert is a short distance from the Impasse Maubert. It has a macabre history. In earlier times, it was a site of executions. People deemed blasphemers or heretics were executed here.
Étienne Dolet was a famous victim. He alarmed authorities by writing works against the Catholic faith. King Francis I ordered his books burned in 1544. In 1546, Dolet was sentenced to death on his 37th birthday. He was hanged and his body was burned with his books. Louis de Berquin suffered a similar fate in 1529. He was punished for studying the Bible seriously.
In 1898, a statue of Dolet was erected in Place Maubert. But the statue was taken down during the German occupation.
Today, Place Maubert is a small plaza. It has a fountain and hosts an open-air market. But the history of Place Maubert and Impasse Maubert offer a glimpse into Paris’s past. The Impasse Maubert is a reminder of the city’s long and complex story.