Perhaps you have walked by Rue des Paquerettes without realizing its hidden stories. This street is more than just a path. It is a place where memories are buried and dreams once bloomed.
Rue des Paquerettes was once known as the Chemin de Colombes. It stretched out near the Pont de Rouen in the area called Grands Champs. This path eventually met up again with the main road at Côtes d’Hautil. For a long time the land was isolated. Fields of wheat alfalfa and asparagus covered the area. Later modest houses began to appear.
The construction of the Maison Départementale likely triggered the development. A café restaurant and hotel opened to accommodate construction workers and visitors. As industries grew nearby in the early 20th century workers sought homes in the area.
The farm of Madame Labaume a place to get fresh milk closed down. Farming gradually disappeared. Only the street names kept the memories alive. Rue de l’Agriculture Rue des Paquerettes and Rue des Marguerites hint at this past.
Small houses made of wood or plasterboard were built close together following the land’s shape. Many lacked running water and sewer connections. A local grocer sold wine. A tank truck delivered wine to red painted vats. Families kept tabs and paid when they received wages or family allowances. The shop smelled of wine coffee calvados Pernod and tobacco. Lively discussions often erupted on Saturday evenings.
Writer and director Mehdi Charef lived on a Rue des Paquerettes. His autobiographical novel tells of arriving in France at age ten in 1962. He lived in a shantytown in Nanterre. The book describes the difficulties with his father. His father brought his mother sister and him from Algeria to France. It recounts the humiliation the cold and muddy paths. But it also mentions the enthusiasm inspired by his teacher. The friendship with classmates and the support of his grandmother.
In his novel the school became an escape. It offered a real chance to learn and grow. Although an outsider he understood his situation.
The shantytown was near Paris within sight of La Défense. It was the opposite of the prosperity of the Trente Glorieuses. France needed workers and encouraged immigration. However these shantytown residents did not share in the economic boom. The story reflects the realities of the Algerian War on the people. It also shows the courage of his mother facing life in the shantytown.
So remember Rue des Paquerettes. It embodies the history of Nanterre’s transformation. It reminds us of the fields that once fed the city. Also it tells of the people who built their lives here.