Step onto the Place de l’Europe – Simone Veil, a place that feels like a bridge between eras, a story told in stone and steel. This place, a testament to both innovation and human spirit, sits above the bustling train tracks of Gare Saint-Lazare. Its original name, simply “Place de l’Europe”, reflected its unique location: surrounded by streets named after European capitals like Madrid, Vienne, and Constantinople, all echoing a vision of a united Europe.
But in 2017, the city decided to honor a woman who embodied that vision: Simone Veil. She was the first president of the European Parliament, elected in 1979, a symbol of progress and a driving force for unity in a continent scarred by war. The square, a testament to Parisian vision, now bears her name alongside its original one, a constant reminder of her legacy.
Standing here, look down at the tracks below. It’s a quiet, almost surreal view, a contrast to the lively streets ringing the square. In 1826, the Place de l’Europe was born, an ambitious urban plan envisioned by Jonas-Philip Hagerman and Sylvain Mignon. It wasn’t just a square, but a symbol of a city embracing growth, a place of commercial activity, and a link to the emerging metropolis of Paris.
However, the birth of the railway, the construction of Gare Saint-Lazare, and the subsequent widening of the tracks transformed the square’s original footprint. An ambitious yet intricate steel structure, a viaduct designed by Adolphe Jullien, rose up in 1863, placing the square above the bustling trains, a feat of engineering for its time.
The Place de l’Europe – Simone Veil, a place where the past, present, and future intertwine, a place where progress and heritage converge, a reminder of the eternal pursuit of unity.