“Doctor who?” you might ask as we arrive at the Place du Docteur-Paul-Michaux. This square in Paris is named in honor of Paul Michaux. He was a physician. He founded the Féderation gymnastique et sportive des patronages de France. That is the FGSPF.
To find the Place du Docteur-Paul-Michaux we must go to the 16th arrondissement of Paris. More precisely, we find it in the Auteuil neighborhood. The square is located at the intersection of several important avenues. These are the rue du Lieutenant-Colonel-Deport and the avenues de la Porte-de-Saint-Cloud and du Parc-des-Princes.
The Place du Docteur-Paul-Michaux was created on part of the avenue du Parc-des-Princes. It officially received its name by decree.
However there is also a street named Avenue du Docteur Michaux in Aubervilliers. This is a different place. It is important not to confuse Paul Michaux with André Michaux. André Michaux was a French botanist and explorer. He is known for his study of North American flora. André Michaux collected specimens in England, Spain, France and Persia. His work contributed to European knowledge of the natural world.
André Michaux’s notable works include “Histoire des chênes de l’Amérique”. That translates to “The Oaks of North America”. He also wrote “Flora Boreali-Americana”. That translates to “The Flora of North America”. These books were important botanical references well into the 19th century. André Michaux was born in Satory near Versailles. He trained in agricultural science. Later, he became a student of botany under Bernard de Jussieu.
In 1782, the French government sent André Michaux to Persia. He was a secretary to the French consul on a botanical mission. He returned to France with a fine herbarium. He also introduced eastern plants to French botanical gardens. Louis XVI appointed André Michaux as a Royal botanist. He sent him to the United States in 1785. Michaux was to study plants for French building, carpentry, medicine, and agriculture. He established a botanical garden near Charleston, South Carolina. There, he described many North American species.
André Michaux was almost chosen to explore the interior of North America. Thomas Jefferson even drafted a list to raise funds for the expedition. However, André Michaux volunteered to assist Edmond-Charles Genet. Genet was promoting American support for France’s wars. This involvement led to the expedition being canceled.
In 1800, André Michaux sailed to Australia. He left the ship in Mauritius. Then, he went to Madagascar. He died there of a tropical fever in 1802. Several plants are named in honor of André Michaux. These include the Carolina lily and Michaux’s saxifrage. The Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania is also named for him.
So, while we stand at the Place du Docteur-Paul-Michaux honoring a physician. It’s interesting to remember the contributions of André Michaux. Both men left their mark on history. One healed people and the other explored the world of plants. They both remind us of France’s rich scientific and cultural past.