Rue de la Corne de Bœuf

“A bull’s horn?” you might ask, puzzled, as we stand before this unassuming street. “What could Rue de la Corne de Bœuf possibly have to do with a bull’s horn?”. Well, let me transport you back to a Paris of centuries past, where the Rue de la Corne de Bœuf pulsed with life, although not exactly the life you might be picturing. Its name, strangely enough, likely comes from a shop sign, a common practice in those days. Imagine butchers’ stalls overflowing with cuts of meat. The aroma, both enticing and slightly off-putting, fills the air. This was not a street for the faint of heart. The Rue de la Corne de Bœuf held a far grittier history. In the 15th century, we find it mentioned as such. But earlier records know it by other names. Guillot de Paris, in his “Le Dit des rues de Paris”, calls it “Rue de la Triperie”, the tripe street. Later, it became “Rue des Bouticles”, the street of small shops, then “Rue de l’Araigne”, “the street of the hook”, likely referring to the hooks used to hang meat. By 1802, much of Rue de la Corne de Bœuf vanished. It was partially swallowed by the creation of the Place du Châtelet, a significant transformation of the area. Imagine the old, narrow streets giving way to a large, open square. It was a sign of the changing times, a modern Paris emerging from the medieval maze. Before its disappearance, the street had seen its share of drama. The 1702 records show fifteen houses lining the street. They were lit by just three lanterns, casting long, flickering shadows after dark. Even the playwright Arlequin, in “Supplément du théâtre italien”, didn’t miss the opportunity to weave the Rue de la Corne de Bœuf into his narratives. He offered a humorous etymology, claiming the street was named for a “Pied de Bœuf”, a bull’s foot, bought by “Jean Tison” for a princess’s feast. It’s a whimsical tale. It captures the spirit of a street that, despite its unglamorous association with butchery, held a place in the city’s vibrant tapestry. So, as we stand here, on the edge of what was once the Rue de la Corne de Bœuf, let’s remember its many names and its evolution over time. It’s a reminder that even the most seemingly ordinary streets can hold extraordinary stories, if we only know where to look.