What if roses gave a street its name? Welcome to the Rue des Rosiers. This street is an ancient gem in the heart of Paris. It runs through the 4th arrondissement. The Rue des Rosiers stretches 303 meters long. It weaves east to west in the Saint-Gervais quarter. This area is in the southern part of the Marais.
The name Rue des Rosiers dates back to 1230. Jacques Hillairet noted that rose bushes grew in nearby gardens then. Another source confirms the name’s existence in 1233. The Rue des Rosiers is literally the street of rosebushes.
In 1230, the street was mostly built along Philippe Auguste’s ramparts. Some of these stones are still visible today. You can find them in the Jardin des Rosiers Joseph-Migneret. Access to this garden is at number 10.
Historically, the Rue des Rosiers had an interesting shape. It formed a right angle. It started at Rue du Roi-de-Sicile. It continued into what is now Rue Ferdinand-Duval. Then it turned towards Rue Vieille-du-Temple. The eastern part of today’s street was once a dead end. This was between Rue Ferdinand-Duval and Rue Pavée. It had different names over time like Rue de la Quoquerée.
The Rue des Rosiers has a long history with the Jewish community. Political events caused the community to grow and shrink. Jews were expelled from France in 1306 and 1394. This caused populations to move in and out. From 1881 to 1914, about 20,000 immigrants settled here. They were fleeing persecution. These people came from Romania, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. The Ashkenazi community became very prominent. This explains the area’s strong Pletzl image in the 20th century. But recent research shows the Sephardic community was present too.
The street also had a Christian religious presence. A statue of the Virgin stood at the corner of Rue des Rosiers and Rue Ferdinand-Duval. Protestants damaged it in 1528 during religious conflicts. François I replaced it with a silver effigy. This was stolen in 1545. Later a stone statue replaced it. This statue was still there in 1789. Eventually, the figure of the Virgin disappeared.
In 1636, the street was called Rue des Roziers. A report noted “quantité de boues et immundices”. This translates to “quantity of mud and filth”. A ministerial decision in the year VII set the minimum width at 8 meters. A royal order later increased it to 11 meters.
From 1848 to 1850, the street was extended to Rue Malher. The central part is somewhat dark, narrow, and winding. It escaped Haussmann’s realignment of Paris streets. The current Rue Ferdinand-Duval split from Rue des Rosiers in the 15th century. It was named Rue des Juifs. In 1900, it was renamed Rue Ferdinand-Duval. This renaming happened during the Dreyfus Affair.
In the 19th century, the Rue des Rosiers was 171 meters long. It started at 21 Rue des Juifs. It ended at 50-52 Rue Vieille-du-Temple. The street numbers were red. The last odd number was 35. The last even number was 48. Another Rue des Rosiers existed in Montmartre. To avoid confusion, it became Rue du Chevalier-de-la-Barre.
In 1982, a terrible event struck Rue des Rosiers. A terrorist attack at the Goldenberg restaurant killed six people. Twenty-two were injured. In 2011, French justice identified the Fatah-Revolutionary Council as responsible.
Today the Rue des Rosiers is known as the heart of the Jewish quarter. You can find many Jewish shops and restaurants here. Since the 1980s, luxury boutiques have also appeared. Falafel is a popular food here. Several restaurants compete to sell the best falafel.
Renovations in 2007 gave the street a calmer feel. Since 2014, the Jardin des Rosiers Joseph-Migneret has been open to the public. The Rue des Rosiers is a pedestrian zone on Sundays since 2006.