Rue des Pépinières

“Nurseries?” you might ask, tilting your head at the name Rue des Pépinières. Indeed, this street owes its name to a royal legacy. Rue des Pépinières once led to the royal nursery, the Pépinière Royale du Roule, established in 1720. Imagine this bustling street lined with horse-drawn carts carrying saplings, shrubs, and vibrant blossoms. These weren’t just any plants. They were destined for the gardens of royalty, adorning the grounds of Versailles, the Tuileries, and other magnificent châteaux. The nursery, a sprawling 18 acres, stretched between present-day Rue de Courcelles, Rue La Boétie, Rue de Miromesnil, and Boulevard Haussmann. Rue des Pépinières wasn’t always a grand street. It began as a humble path in 1555 connecting the Faubourg du Roule to a spot known as “La Pologne.” This path skirted the southern edge of the royal nursery and earned the name “Chemin de la Pépinière à la Pologne.” It wasn’t until 1782 that the path was widened and christened Rue des Pépinières. The street even boasts a literary connection. In Honoré de Balzac’s *Le Contrat de mariage*, the character Paul de Manerville resides in a grand house with a garden on Rue des Pépinières. Over time, sections of Rue des Pépinières were renamed. In 1868, the portion from Place Saint-Augustin to Place Chassaigne-Goyon became Rue Abbatucci, later changing again to Rue La Boétie in 1879. Today, Rue des Pépinières retains its original name only from Place Saint-Augustin to Place Gabriel-Péri. So, as you stroll along Rue des Pépinières, remember the rustling leaves and vibrant blooms that once graced this path, a testament to a time when the street served as a verdant gateway to royal splendor.