A steep climb awaits you. Welcome to Rue du Mont-Cenis. Not Cassin. My apologies. This isn’t a simple street. It’s a pilgrimage route.
Rue du Mont-Cenis in Montmartre is more than just a road. It’s a living history book. It whispers stories of centuries past. It was once known as Rue Saint-Denis. It’s named after the Mont Cenis mountain pass. Imagine the ancient pilgrims. They walked this very path. They journeyed from Saint-Denis to Montmartre’s summit. This was their sacred way.
For hundreds of years. This was a key thoroughfare. It connected Saint-Denis to the religious heart of Montmartre. The Abbesse of Montmartre met the monks of Saint-Denis here. Every seven years. They met near the present-day Jules Joffrin metro station. The Abbesse escorted them up the hill. It was called the “Chemin de la Procession”. A processional path. A sacred journey.
The Rue du Mont-Cenis is long and steep. It has many flights of steps. Fifty-two steps climb between Rue Custine and Rue Lamarck. Fifty-four more link Rue Paul-Féval and Rue Saint-Vincent. Eighty-one more climb between Rue Saint-Vincent and Rue Cortot. Can you imagine the effort? These were not simple walks for those early pilgrims.
Along Rue du Mont-Cenis. You find important buildings. Saint-Pierre de Montmartre church stands at number 2. It’s possibly Paris’ oldest church. It dates back to the third century. Number 14 houses Montmartre’s water tower. It sits in Square Claude-Charpentier. Hector Berlioz once lived at number 22. The famous composer. Bernard Lorjou a painter lived at number 19. He lived there with his wife from 1934.
Number 67 marks the spot of a former Trinity Chapel. It was built in 1579. It later became a fire station. Then it was a cabaret. La Belle Gabrielle. They say Gabrielle d’Estrées had a sheepfold here. It’s a street that has seen many changes. It has seen many lives. Eugene Dabit lived at number 143. He spent his early years there.
The bombing of 1944 caused destruction. The allied bombing targeted the La Chapelle railway depot. It also targeted German anti-aircraft guns. The area suffered severe damage. Imagine the fires. The chaos. The Rue du Mont-Cenis itself has endured the test of time. It endures. A testament to Montmartre’s resilient spirit.
So look around you. Appreciate this historic street. Breathe in its ancient air. It’s a road that embodies resilience. It embodies history. It embodies faith. And a long steep climb.