Avenue de la Porte de Vincennes

Gazing down Avenue de la Porte de Vincennes, one can almost feel the echoes of history. This grand avenue, straddling the 12th and 20th arrondissements of Paris, isn’t just a road; it’s a portal. Avenue de la Porte de Vincennes leads directly to the commune of Saint-Mandé, seamlessly connecting Paris with its neighboring suburb. Avenue de la Porte de Vincennes stands on the very ground once occupied by the old Porte de Vincennes, a gate in the Thiers wall. This wall, built between 1841 and 1844, once encircled Paris. It was demolished between 1919 and 1929. The avenue’s name directly reflects this history, guiding us back to a time when fortifications shaped the city’s boundaries. Avenue de la Porte de Vincennes also carries the legacy of royal grandeur. It’s a part of a historic route, bordered by elm trees. This route, commissioned by Louis XIV in 1660, stretched all the way from the Château de Vincennes to the Arc de Triomphe du Trône. The avenue extends a remarkable 330 meters in length and boasts a generous width of 83 meters. It bridges over the Boulevard Périphérique, the city’s ring road, with ramps connecting the two thoroughfares. These ramps form part of the Porte de Vincennes interchange. The avenue itself is an extension of the Cours de Vincennes, stretching outward from central Paris. Interestingly, the odd-numbered buildings belong to the 20th arrondissement’s Charonne quarter. The even-numbered buildings belong to the 12th arrondissement’s Bel-Air quarter. At number 10, on the 12th arrondissement side, stands the Chapelle Sainte-Bernadette. This chapel, also known as Notre-de-Velankanni, serves the Indian Tamil Catholic Chaplaincy. A darker moment in the avenue’s history unfolded at number 23, on the 20th arrondissement side, at a branch of the Hyper Cacher supermarket. This was the location of the tragic Porte de Vincennes hostage crisis. Avenue de la Porte de Vincennes has also served as part of National Road 34 and was once traversed by the Nogentais Railway Company’s tramways. The avenue has seen much transformation, even being part of the ZAC Porte-de-Vincennes development zone. From royal routes to modern transportation, Avenue de la Porte de Vincennes stands as a testament to the ever-evolving story of Paris.