Rue Coëtlogon

Did a street ever save a tree? On Rue Coëtlogon, it certainly did. This seemingly ordinary street, nestled in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, holds a charming secret. It begins at 92 Rue de Rennes and ends between 5 and 7 Rue d’Assas. Rue Coëtlogon was once known as Impasse d’Assas. Its current name honors Alain Emmanuel de Coëtlogon, a vice-admiral and Marshal of France. The street itself is fairly young, opened in 1866. It was built on the former gardens of the even-numbered houses on the street. These houses were constructed after 1791 on land confiscated from the Benedictine convent of Cherche-Midi. Now, here’s where our story takes a delightful turn. At number 8 Rue Coëtlogon stands a remarkable plane tree. It thrives on a narrow strip between the sidewalk and the building. This tree isn’t just greenery. It’s a local landmark and a testament to the power of art. The painter Henri Harpignies lived at number 9. He used the tree as inspiration, admiring its branches from his window each morning. In 1913, the city planned to remove the tree. They deemed it an obstruction. Harpignies, then 94 years old, would have none of it. He marched to the prefecture and pleaded the tree’s case. His persistence, coupled with his artistic renown, saved the tree. Today, it continues to grace Rue Coëtlogon, a living monument to a painter’s love for nature. The street also housed other notable figures. Félix Régamey had his studio at number 6 in 1888. Sculptor Auguste Corbière resided at number 7. Numbers 12 and 14 were once the home of Léon Foucault. Later, literary critic Eugène Rousseau lived there, hosting prominent writers like Montherlant and Mauriac. Even the writer Frédéric Beigbeder spent his youth on this street. Rue Coëtlogon may be short, only 108 meters long, but it bursts with stories. So, next time you’re in Paris, take a stroll down Rue Coëtlogon. Look for the magnificent plane tree, a symbol of how art and nature can intertwine, right here on this charming Parisian street.