Drawn from the Sun King’s vision, the Paris Avenue stands as a testament to grand ambition. Today, we explore its story right where it begins.
The Paris Avenue in Versailles wasn’t just built. It was born from Louis XIV’s desire to showcase his palace. He wanted to create a perspective view with a wide, straight, tree-lined avenue from Place d’Armes. Before its construction, reaching Paris from Versailles meant navigating winding routes. One went north. The other south around Montbauron hill.
Imagine shovels and pickaxes at work. Wicker baskets and dump trucks moved earth for four years. A trench carved into Montbauron’s southern flank opened the view. The avenue also rose above the Porchefontaine ponds. Finally, in 1685, the Paris Avenue was completed. It got its name because it leads to Paris.
This avenue is one of the widest in France at 90 meters. It features a central road for cars and two side-alleys. A median strip with plane trees divides the central part from the side-alleys. The avenue physically divides the city. Notre-Dame and Montreuil are on its north side. Saint-Louis, Chantiers, and Porchefontaine lie to the south.
In 1824, the Marquis de la Londe ordered the construction of octroi tax collection pavilions. These buildings controlled the passage of goods. They were built at the entrance to Versailles. The left building housed the collection office. The right building accommodated officials. The octroi tax was abolished in 1943 because it hurt the economy. The pavilions almost faced demolition, as they created a visual obstacle. But they were preserved. In 1993, the crossroads was redesigned for safety, keeping the pavilions as a symbolic entrance.
From 1857 to 1934, a tramway served the Paris Avenue. Initially, horses pulled the carriages. Later, the tramway was mechanized and then electrified. Today, the RATP 171 bus line replaces it.
Since 1976, the Paris Avenue has marked the finish line of the Paris-Versailles race. The avenue’s two-kilometer stretch tests runners.
Several remarkable buildings border the Paris Avenue. The Grande Écurie and Petite Écurie showcase historic architecture. Robert Camelot’s 1950s building once housed Versailles’ central post office. Versailles town hall also stands along the avenue. The Pavillon des Gendarmes is a listed historic monument. The Hôtel de préfecture des Yvelines is another notable structure. Once the Du Barry stables, it is now Versailles police headquarters. The Pavillon Du Barry, Madame du Barry’s former residence, is another historic site. The Hôtel des Menus-Plaisirs and Maison d’arrêt de Versailles are also located here. Lycée La Bruyère and Lycée Marie-Curie are educational institutions on the avenue.
As you stand here, remember the vision of the Sun King. The Paris Avenue is more than a road. It’s a symbol of ambition, a divider of districts, and a historic landmark. It continues to evolve while preserving echoes of the past.nn