“Ever heard of a street that echoes with tales of train journeys and artistic souls?” That is Boulevard du Havre. Let’s explore its past.
Boulevard du Havre got its name in 1845. It was named after the port in Normandy. Trains from the nearby Saint-Lazare station served that port. The station itself had been built in 1837. The name later expanded. It included part of Rue de la Chaussée-d’Antin. This referenced the Duke of Antin. His mansion once stood there.
The street wasn’t always called Boulevard du Havre. During the French Revolution, its name changed. From 1791 to 1793, it was Rue Mirabeau le Patriote. Then, from 1793 to 1816, it became Rue du Mont-Blanc. After the Bourbon restoration, it reverted to Chaussée-d’Antin.
Interestingly, the odd-numbered buildings are in the 9th arrondissement. The even-numbered buildings are in the 8th. This quirky detail divides the street between two districts.
Émile Zola frequented this street. From 1897, he rented an apartment at No. 3. It was for Jeanne Rozerot, his mistress. She was also the mother of his two children. Imagine Zola strolling here deep in thought.
At No. 8 stands the Lycée Condorcet. It opened in 1803. It occupies a former monastery of the Capuchin monks. The monastery was built in 1780. During the Revolution, it was nationalized. The Lycée Condorcet is one of Paris’s oldest secondary schools.
Many famous figures attended the Lycée Condorcet. Three former presidents of the Republic studied there. Leftists like Victor Schoelcher and Paul Verlaine were also educated there. More recently, Alain Krivine attended. Even Jean Jaurès and Jean-Paul Sartre taught philosophy there briefly. Stéphane Mallarmé taught English too.
In 1841, the creation of Rue du Havre was decided. This was to ease traffic around the Saint-Germain, Versailles, and Rouen railway station.
The section between Boulevard Haussmann and Rue de Provence was aligned in 1839. It was originally part of Rue de la Ferme-des-Mathurins. Today that is Rue Vignon.
In literary circles Boulevard du Havre is also known. Paul Guimard wrote a novel called “Rue du Havre.” It won the Prix Interallié in 1957.
At No. 8, you will find the Lycée Condorcet. It was founded in 1803. It is housed in the former Capuchin monastery of Saint-Louis-d’Antin. Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart designed the monastery in the 1780s.
So, as you walk Boulevard du Havre, remember its layered history. Think of the trains, the revolutionaries, the writers, and the students. They all left their mark on this Parisian street.