“A white cross, really?” I imagine someone saying as they look down this path. Today, we are standing at the Chemin de la Croix Blanche. It is a path with a history stretching back centuries. Although, let’s be honest. Its story is intertwined with larger streets and a changing Paris.
The Chemin de la Croix Blanche was once part of a network of streets. This network shaped the city’s landscape. The street’s name comes from a sign. This sign marked its location long ago.
Originally, the Chemin de la Croix Blanche was known by another name. Documents from 1280 refer to it as Rue Augustin-le-Faucheur. Over time, this name morphed. It became Rue Anquetin-le-Faucheur. Then, it was Rue Huguetin-le-Faucheur, followed by Rue Hennequin-le-Faucheur and Rue Otin-le-Faucheur.
By 1450, the street was called Rue Otin le Fauche. A manuscript from Sainte-Geneviève Abbey mentions it. In 1636, a manuscript finally refers to it as Rue de la Croix blanche.
In 1844, the Chemin de la Croix Blanche was quite narrow. It measured only about two meters wide. Imagine how cramped it must have felt.
A ministerial decision in the late 1700s aimed to improve the area. The plan was to remove a neighboring street. The Chemin de la Croix Blanche would remain and expand to eight meters.
Later, a royal order changed these plans again. Buildings separating the Chemin de la Croix Blanche and another street were removed. This created a wider passage of 12.5 meters.
The Chemin de la Croix Blanche ultimately disappeared as an individual street. In 1868, it was absorbed by the Rue du Roi-de-Sicile. It became part of something larger. The street’s identity was lost.
Today, as we stand here, remember the Chemin de la Croix Blanche. It was a small street with a long history. Its story reminds us of how Paris has constantly evolved. Streets disappear and are renamed. Yet, their stories remain etched in the city’s fabric. The past is not always visible. But it shapes the present.