Place du Château

Was it a castle for a king’s mistress? No. That’s a myth. Welcome to Place du Château-Rouge. This square in Paris’s 18th arrondissement hides a fascinating history. It wasn’t always a square. Once a manor house stood here. This “Château Rouge” was much smaller than people imagined. One owner even spread a false story. He claimed it was built for Gabrielle d’Estrées Henri IV’s mistress. This was purely for publicity. The man turned the building into a public dance hall. He used the legend to attract more customers. The building was demolished in 1889. Only the name remained. Place du Château-Rouge is now a crossroads. Boulevard Barbès Rue Poulet and Rue Custine meet here. The area belonged to Montmartre before becoming part of Paris. Louis-Philippe authorized its creation in 1847. The square’s rectangular shape formed at the intersection of Rue Poulet and Rue Lévisse. Later Haussmann’s renovations changed the area dramatically. Rue Lévisse became part of Boulevard Barbès. A new street Rue Custine was built. These changes expanded Place du Château-Rouge westward. During World War II the area suffered. Allied bombing in 1944 damaged buildings near the square including those close to the metro station. The square today has a large Wallace fountain. It stands as a reminder of the area’s past. A past of false legends bold owners and wartime destruction. The name Château-Rouge lives on however. It is on the metro station. It is also found on the nearby colorful street market. This is Place du Château-Rouge a place with a rich and surprising history.