What if I told you this square honors a woman who demanded equal rights during the French Revolution? This is the Esplanade Olympe de Gouges. It is a tribute to a true pioneer.
Here at the Esplanade Olympe de Gouges, we find ourselves in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. The square sits where rue Béranger, rue de Franche-Comté, rue Charlot, and rue de Turenne meet. An island sits in the center. A single tree grows there.
The Esplanade Olympe de Gouges is named for Marie Gouze. She was known as Olympe de Gouges. Born in 1748, she became a writer and an early advocate for women’s rights. Olympe de Gouges was ahead of her time. Revolutionaries did not always defend women. Honoring her with a public space is fitting.
Michel Fleury, head of the Commission du Vieux Paris, had reservations. He felt the location wasn’t right. The area around the Esplanade Olympe de Gouges has classic architecture. The Boucherat fountain and buildings on rue Béranger showcase this. Fleury suggested another location. He proposed naming the intersection of rues de Turbigo and Réaumur after her. Ultimately, the decision rested with the Council of Paris.
The Esplanade Olympe de Gouges was created in 2003. The city inaugurated the square that year.
You will find the Fontaine Boucherat near the Esplanade Olympe de Gouges. It is located between rue de Turenne and rue Charlot.
Olympe de Gouges was a revolutionary. She wrote “Declaration of the Rights of Woman” in 1791. This challenged “The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.” She argued women deserved the same rights as men. This included the right to speak out. Olympe de Gouges also demanded women have the same right to climb the scaffold.
In 1793, she was arrested for her political views. Olympe de Gouges was executed by guillotine on November 3, 1793. She died for her beliefs.
So, as you stand here at the Esplanade Olympe de Gouges, remember her courage. Remember her fight for equality. Let the spirit of Olympe de Gouges inspire you.