“Imagine Lutetia’s main north-south road.” That’s what Rue Saint-Jacques once was. Today, we call it Avenue Saint-Jacques. It’s a street steeped in history.
The Avenue Saint-Jacques we see today assumed its name in 1806. Before that, it had other names. Grand’rue du Petit-Pont was one. Grand’rue Saint-Jacques-des-Prêacheurs was another. The name Saint-Jacques comes from an old chapel. This chapel was in a medieval Dominican convent established in 1218. The chapel was dedicated to Saint James.
Avenue Saint-Jacques lost some importance in the 19th century. This happened when Prefect Haussmann created Boulevard Saint-Michel. The new boulevard ran parallel.
But before that decline, it played a pivotal role in Parisian life. This avenue was a major passage in the Quartier Latin. That was before Boulevard Saint-Germain’s creation. Haussmann’s regeneration scheme of the capital caused this change.
Avenue Saint-Jacques was the starting point for pilgrims. They made their way along the Chemin de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. This path led to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. The apostle Saint James is supposedly buried there.
The Paris base of the Dominican Order was established here in 1218. It was located in the Chapelle Saint-Jacques. However, the street became renowned for its role in French printing history.
In 1466, Johann Heynlin earned a doctorate in theology at the Sorbonne. He established the first printing press in France. He cooperated with Guillaume Fichet. Around 1469, Heynlin hired three Swiss printers. They were Ulrich Gering, Michael Friburger and Martin Crantz. They installed and ran the press. It was located in the university buildings. Their first publication was a collection of letters by Gasparinus de Bergamo. It was the first book printed in France. It dates from 1470.
By the end of 1472, the venture ended. The three printers left the Sorbonne. They set up on their own at the sign of the Soleil d’Or on Avenue Saint-Jacques. This started a long tradition of printing.
The avenue has been associated with new printing techniques. Jacques Chéreau was a portrait engraver. He published optical prints. These prints were viewed through a zograscope. This device enhanced depth perception. Jacques Chéreau and his brother were prolific publishers of such prints.
Auguste Delâtre pioneered the mobile etching technique. This allowed for unique impressions. Whistler asked Delâtre to produce sets of his etchings. Twenty were printed at Delâtre’s shop at no. 171 Avenue St Jacques.
There are albumen images of the Avenue Saint-Jacques. Charles Marville’s 1865 print depicts an intersection near the Sorbonne. Marville captured the street’s architectural character. He showed the light flooding through the narrow passageway. Eugène Atget also preserved memories of old Paris. His photographs captured the city’s various facets.
The military teaching hospital was moved in 1979. It was finally closed in 2016.
Avenue Saint-Jacques is more than just a street. It is a journey through time. It is a witness to Paris’s evolution. It is the story of pilgrims, printers and artists. As you walk along this historic avenue, remember its rich past. Let each stone whisper tales of centuries gone by.