Place Hérold

Hidden in plain sight, Place Hérold whispers tales of Courbevoie’s past. Place Hérold isn’t just a square. It’s a crossroads of history, a stage where the drama of life has unfolded for centuries. Originally known as Place de l’Église, it took its current name from the renowned French composer, Ferdinand Hérold. Imagine Place Hérold in the 19th century, a quiet square dominated by the Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul church. Life revolved around the church, the heart of the community. Then, in the 1960s, a wave of modernization swept through, dramatically altering the landscape of Place Hérold. A parking lot replaced the old houses and the original Rue de l’Église vanished. The heart of old Courbevoie was paved over. But the story doesn’t end there. Place Hérold witnessed another dramatic transformation. On September 15, 1943, American bombs rained down on Courbevoie, targeting the Z Lamp factory. The devastation reached Place Hérold, destroying three hundred homes and leaving the square in ruins. Years later, in 1961, the film “Une aussi longue absence” captured the poignant beauty of the post-war square, immortalizing Place Hérold on the silver screen. Decades passed, and the square continued to evolve. In 2018, Place Hérold underwent a renaissance. The parking lot disappeared, replaced by a pedestrian-friendly space. The church’s forecourt was renamed Parvis de l’Abbé-Pierre, honoring the humanitarian’s legacy. Place Hérold today stands as a testament to Courbevoie’s resilience, a space reborn from the ashes of war and transformed by time. It’s a place where history whispers from every corner, a reminder of the past and a promise for the future.