Does this street name, Rue du Chemin Vert, suggest a stroll through lush gardens? This street in the 11th arrondissement has a history rooted in greenery. Let’s explore its past.
Rue du Chemin Vert stretches 1511 meters. It cuts through the 11th arrondissement. The street runs from the angle of Avenue de la République and Boulevard de Ménilmontant to Boulevard Beaumarchais. Rue du Chemin Vert borders several neighborhoods. These include Père-Lachaise, Roquette, Saint-Ambroise, and Archives. Metro lines 2, 3, 5, and 8 serve the street.
The name Rue du Chemin Vert evokes its origins. It once traversed market gardens. Imagine a path winding through fields. Jean-Jacques Rousseau described this area in 1776. He spoke of boulevards leading to Rue du Chemin Vert. He walked to Ménilmontant. He wandered through vineyards and meadows toward Charonne. Rousseau enjoyed the pleasant sites. He paused to admire plants in the greenery.
Rue du Chemin Vert was created in 1868. It combined Rue des Amandiers and Rue du Chemin-Vert. The path existed as early as 1650. It was a winding route through market gardens. These gardens were known as “des Amandiers”. The route stretched from Place de la Bastille to Ménilmontant. Royal decrees ordered its extension to the Wall of the Farmers-General.
During World War I, the street faced danger. On January 30, 1918, number 23 Rue du Chemin Vert was struck during a German air raid. The street has notable buildings. The Maison de santé Mahay was located at number 13 or 17. Folie Genlis was a large property. The Countess of Genlis lived there. It extended along the even side of Rue des Amandiers. This was near numbers 68 to 90 of the current Rue du Chemin Vert. Auguste-Jean-Marie Carbonneaux, an art founder, lived there in 1823. He set up his workshops there in 1814. After his wife’s death in 1833, he sold the property. Edouard Quesnel, a founder, rented the premises. The Folie Genlis was divided. It disappeared completely. The last buildings were demolished during the construction of Avenue Parmentier. An “Impasse de la Folie-Genlis” existed until 1860. It was located at the current Avenue Parmentier.
Number 68 is significant. The botanists lived there. Antoine Parmentier died there. A plaque commemorates Parmentier. Number 70 housed the Nast porcelain factory from 1784 to 1835. The odd numbers between Avenue Parmentier and Rue Saint-Maur marked the Ménilmontant slaughterhouses.
Today, Rue du Chemin Vert is a bustling street. It carries echoes of gardens and history. As you walk, remember Rousseau’s strolls. Picture the market gardens. Consider the artists and residents who shaped this street. Rue du Chemin Vert offers a green path through Parisian history.