Wander with me down Rue du Sergent Jules Bobillot. This street in the 13th arrondissement remembers a brave soldier. It is located in the Maison-Blanche district.
Rue du Sergent Jules Bobillot stretches 1,070 meters. It runs from Place d’Italie to Place de Rungis. The street’s namesake is Jules Bobillot. He was born in Paris in 1860. He died in Hanoi on March 18, 1885.
Bobillot was initially a journalist. At 20, he joined the 4th Engineering Regiment. He became a sergeant during the Franco-Chinese War. He showed great courage at the siege of Tuyen Quang. There he was seriously wounded. He died a month later in a Hanoi hospital. Bobillot quickly became a colonial hero. He symbolized patriotism. The Third Republic promoted this image. His ashes were returned to Grenoble in 1966. They rest in the Saint-Roch cemetery.
A bust of Sergeant Jules Bobillot stands in Place Paul-Verlaine. This square intersects Rue du Sergent Jules Bobillot. An earlier bronze statue of the sergeant was on Boulevard Voltaire. It was removed and melted down during the Occupation.
Many French cities have a street named after him. These include Béziers, Cannes, Grenoble and Toulouse. Rue du Sergent Jules Bobillot was created in the late 19th century. This happened when the Bièvre valley was filled in. It connects Place de Rungis and northern Rue de Tolbiac. The street mainly served the new Glacière-Gentilly freight station. This station was on the Petite Ceinture line.
Construction occurred in two phases. The first was in 1893. It linked Place de Rungis and Rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles. The second phase was in 1896. It connected Rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles and Place d’Italie.
Rue du Sergent Jules Bobillot has notable sites. Place Paul-Verlaine features the Butte-aux-Cailles swimming pool. There is also an artesian well restored in 2001. Monuments honor Sergeant Bobillot. They also commemorate the first human flight in a hot air balloon. The Église Sainte-Anne de la Butte-aux-Cailles is at the junction with Rue de Tolbiac.
Once, an alley called Impasse Désirée was here. The second horse butchery in Paris was founded there. By 1914, it was the city’s largest. At number 36, a street plaque incorrectly calls Bobillot an infantry sergeant. He was an engineering sergeant. Other plaques on the street correctly state this. The Saint-Vincent-de-Paul private school is at number 49. It began in 1858. The Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul started a girls’ school.
At number 103, an old sign holder remains on the building’s facade. The caretaker used it to announce vacant apartments. This is possibly the last of its kind in Paris. Today, Rue du Sergent Jules Bobillot stands as a reminder. It honors a soldier’s bravery. It also reflects the city’s evolving history.