“A street named after white cloaks” you might say. But Rue des Blancs-Manteaux’s story is richer than that. Right here in the heart of the Marais we stand at the beginning of this ancient Parisian street. Its name Rue des Blancs-Manteaux meaning Street of the White Mantles hints at a fascinating past.
For centuries this street was known by other names Rue de la Petite-Parcheminerie Rue de la Vieille-Parcheminerie or simply Rue de la Parcheminerie. This was due to the many parchment makers who worked there preparing animal skins for writing. The change happened around 1289.
That’s when the Serviteurs de la Sainte Vierge the Servants of the Virgin Mary arrived. These monks wore distinctive white cloaks. They established a convent nearby. Their presence gave the street its current name. It’s a name that’s stuck even though the order was replaced by the Guillemites in 1274. Those monks wore black.
But Rue des Blancs-Manteaux continued to thrive. Imagine the sounds of the past. The rhythmic scraping of knives preparing parchment. The chanting of monks in their white cloaks. The bustling market that once stood here.
The street is a treasure trove of history. Number two was once home to the chemist Antoine-François Fourcroy. From number four to ten sits Square Charles-Victor-Langlois built on the site of that very convent. Number twelve is a landmark. This is the Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Manteaux the church that remains from the convent.
A poignant detail. The church was not always oriented as it is today. Between 1685 and 1690 it was rebuilt on a north-south axis. It’s a subtle change but important. Even more remarkable is the church facade. Victor Baltard added it in 1863. It was originally from the Eglise Saint-Eloi-des-Barnabites on the Ile de la Cite. It survived demolition during Haussmann’s renovations.
The history continues. Number sixteen housed the Mont-de-Piété a pawnbroker. This charitable institution offered loans at reasonable rates. It opened in 1778 a testament to the enduring needs of the community.
A song even memorializes the street. Juliette Greco and Les Frères Jacques sang Dans la rue des Blancs-Manteaux a song by Jean-Paul Sartre about the executions that took place here during the Revolution. The echoes of these events still linger.
So take a moment. Look around. Breathe in the atmosphere of Rue des Blancs-Manteaux. The street whispers stories of monks parchment makers and revolutionaries. It’s a street that blends the past and present a unique piece of Paris’s heart.