Rue Guy Môquet

“A calf path? Right here on Rue Guy Môquet?” you might ask. Yes, indeed. This very street, Rue Guy Môquet, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, began its life humbly as the Chemin des Bœufs, meaning “calf path”. It connected the villages of La Chapelle and Clichy, winding its way through Montmartre and Batignolles-Monceau. Imagine farmers herding their calves along this dusty track, long before the elegant Parisian buildings lined the street as they do today. Officially established around 1846 in Batignolles-Monceau, Rue Guy Môquet extended this old path, connecting what is now Avenue de Saint-Ouen and Avenue de Clichy. Originally called Rue Balagny, after the first mayor of the 17th arrondissement, the street was later renamed in honor of Guy Môquet. This young man, a student and a resident of this neighborhood, was tragically executed by the Germans in 1941. He was only seventeen. Today, Rue Guy Môquet, stretching 590 meters long and 20 meters wide, is more than just a street. It’s a poignant reminder of a young life lost and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. You can still find vestiges of its past, like the access to the Cité des Fleurs, a private passage at number 1. And though the malletier Moynat factory at number 65 is now replaced by an apartment building, the echoes of history resonate through Rue Guy Môquet. As you stroll down this street, remember its humble beginnings, the man it honors, and the stories it holds.