Avenue du Franc Moisin

Gazing down Avenue du Franc Moisin, it’s hard to believe this bustling street was once a notorious shantytown. Avenue du Franc Moisin, a name echoing through centuries, originating from a humble field mentioned as far back as the 15th century. The area, known as Franc-Moisin, even had a designated path. Before the First World War, Avenue du Franc Moisin became a refuge for Spanish immigrants. They left the “Little Spain” quarter, seeking solace in this already deteriorating area, which eventually transformed into a shantytown. The residents themselves called it the “Chinese quarter,” perhaps referencing Barcelona’s Barrio Chino. Tragedy struck during World War II. A bombing aimed at the Rateau factory hit Avenue du Franc Moisin and the Pleyel crossroads, claiming seven Spanish lives and injuring twenty more. The post-war economic recovery brought Algerian workers, finding a temporary home along the Canal Saint-Denis. In the 1960s, Portuguese immigrants joined, particularly after the Champigny-sur-Marne shantytown was dismantled. By 1968, the Franc-Moisin shantytown housed over 5,000 people, one of France’s largest. Two devastating fires, in 1967 and 1970, left over 600 homeless. The government, spurred into action, focused on Franc-Moisin. Social housing was planned on available marshland and military land. In 1972, the decision to eradicate all shantytowns accelerated construction. Temporary housing sprung up across several towns, including Saint-Denis, to house the Franc-Moisin inhabitants. In January 1974, the Cité des Francs-Moisins, a social housing project, was inaugurated. But the story doesn’t end there. Avenue du Franc Moisin has continued to evolve. Initiatives like the “neighborhood project” in 1986 and the “Grand Projet de Ville” in 2001 aimed to revitalize the area. From addressing dilapidated housing to improving the quality of life, from new schools and gyms to creating parks and enhancing access across the Canal Saint-Denis, Avenue du Franc Moisin has undergone a transformation. Today, Avenue du Franc Moisin stands as a testament to its resilient community. From shantytown to social housing project to a neighborhood striving for renewal, its journey, captured in films like “L’Esquive” and “La Vie scolaire,” is a reminder of the ongoing evolution of urban spaces.