Once upon a time, Passage Benoît linked the rue Saint-Benoît to the place Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It existed as a dependency of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés abbey in 1789. Today, however, this passage exists only in memories and historical records.
Passage Benoît, as it was known, met its end in 1866. This Parisian passage disappeared during the extension of Rue de Rennes. The street’s expansion, reaching from Rue du Vieux Colombier to Rue de l’Abbaye, led to the passage’s suppression.
Imagine stepping back to around 1867. You would find yourself in Passage Saint Benoît, near the entrance on Place Saint Germain des Prés. Looking towards Rue Saint Benoît, you might spot the wine merchant, Au lion d’or. The entrance to the passage was at number 17 of that street. To the left was Rue Sainte Marthe, opened in 1715.
The Passage Benoît was once an entry to the Saint Germain des Prés abbey enclosure. Specifically, it was the Saint Benoît gate. It gave direct access to the church square and later to Place Saint Germain des Prés.
Before its disappearance, the layout of Passage Benoît was altered in 1715. Henri-Pons de Thiard de Bissy, the commendatory abbot, opened several streets south of the enclosure. These included Rue d’Erfurth, Rue Sainte-Marthe, and Rue Childebert. Architect Victor-Thierry Dailly designed the Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The passage then consisted of two short covered passages. These passages stood on either side of Rue Sainte-Marthe. One was under number 17, Rue Saint-Benoît. The other was under number 4, Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
The history of Passage Benoît is intertwined with significant changes in Paris. The extension of Rue de Rennes marked a turning point. It reshaped the urban landscape and erased this passage from the city.
Even though Passage Benoît is gone, its story lives on. It reminds us of the ever-changing nature of cities. It also reminds us of the layers of history beneath our feet. Though physically absent, Passage Benoît remains a part of Paris’s rich past.