Peeking into the past along Rue du Baigneur reveals more than meets the eye. This street in the 18th arrondissement has a story tied to cleanliness and social change. Let’s explore this hidden gem.
Rue du Baigneur begins at 51, rue Ramey and ends at 42, rue du Mont-Cenis. It is about 170 meters long and 12 meters wide. Its name comes from a bathhouse established in 1853. This bathhouse vanished in 1960.
Imagine a time when many homes lacked bathrooms. The bathhouse on Rue du Baigneur offered a place for Parisians to get clean. People came once a week to scrub away the grime of daily life. This made the street’s name quite fitting.
Originally, this street was just a dead end. In 1845, Monsieur Gamard opened it as an impasse about 58 meters long. It connected to rue Ramey and was called impasse des Bains. By 1860, it was known as impasse des Baigneurs.
In 1892, it officially became a street. Then in 1903, it absorbed the impasse du Petit-Dieu. For a time, it was named rue des Bains, then rue des Bains prolongée. Finally, in 1930, it became Rue du Baigneur.
At the start of the street, there once stood a clock shop. Some say its large clock sign gave the street its name. Others believe it was from a sundial. However, there is no trace of the sundial today.
In the 1930s, a fish shop replaced the clock shop. Its mosaic décor remains almost untouched. Though the fish are gone, the mosaics remind us of its past. Today, Agathe, an artist, has her studio there. She creates colorful and friendly animals.
On the other side of Rue du Baigneur, small 19th-century buildings stand. Ricardo Mosner, an artist, once painted frescoes on their walls. Mosner also illustrated songs by Nougaro. These frescoes have faded over time.
Numbers 6 bis and 8 bis are buildings of interest. Number 6 bis was built in 1912 by Weber and Michau. Number 8 bis, built in 1907 by architect E. Stempert is more ordinary.
Bab-Ilo, a music venue, is located on the odd side of the street. It has been inactive since 1984. In the early 20th century, this spot was a lesbian temple. The name Bab-Ilo comes from Babylon. Bab-Iluni means “The gate of the gods”. Jazz lovers enjoyed its open and warm atmosphere.
Numbers 13 and 15 are grand buildings designed by Veber and Michau in 1906. They show how the area was becoming a more upscale neighborhood. World War I disrupted this transformation.
Rue du Baigneur ends at rue du Mont-Cenis. It is not far from rue Caulaincourt, which Marcel Aymé called “the most beautiful street in Paris.” Near the end of Rue du Baigneur, a former bakery now serves as a restaurant. It still features palm-shaped columns and a painted glass ceiling.
Rue du Baigneur is a reminder that Paris is a city of contrasts. It bridges a working-class area near Rue Ramey with the trendy Caulaincourt district. This street shows how much Paris has changed. It offers a glimpse into the daily lives of Parisians long ago.