Perhaps you’ve wondered how Rue du Vert Bois got its name. The street owes its name probably to the trees. These trees, Bois Vert or Vert Bois, were part of the enclosure of the priory Saint-Martin-des-Champs. The public road was opened on a part of it.
Rue du Vert Bois is a charming street in Paris’s 3rd arrondissement. It stretches 413 meters from 75 Rue de Turbigo to 306 Rue Saint-Martin. You can reach it via the Arts et Métiers and Temple metro stations.
Back in 1313, a man named Mathieu de Vert-Bois owned land here. This fact was noted in a sales document from Sainte-Opportune. The Commission du Vieux Paris discovered this interesting detail.
The street sits on the old sewer that once led to the Ménilmontant stream. During the 13th century, the Saint-Martin-des-Champs priory was built. Its towers and walls faced what was then called Rue Neuve-Saint-Laurent. Today, the Musée des Arts et Métiers uses the old church. The Conservatoire national des arts et métiers occupies the adjoining buildings.
In 1636, the street was known as Rue Neufve Saint Laurens. Later, in 1851, Rue Saint-Laurent merged with Rue du Vertbois. At that time, Rue du Vertbois was between Rue de la Croix-Neuve, Rue du Pont-aux-Biches-Saint-Martin, and Rue Saint-Martin.
During World War II, the local school on Rue du Vertbois became the “atelier du Vert-Bois”. Painter Jean Lombard led this workshop. Sculptor Maxime Adam-Tessier and painter Georges Romathier were among its members.
At the corner of Rue Saint-Martin stands the northwest tower of the old Saint-Martin-des-Champs priory. Here, you’ll find the Vert Bois fountain. In 1882, the Société des Antiquaires, supported by Victor Hugo, saved the tower from demolition. The area between Rue Saint-Martin, Rue du Vertbois, Rue Montgolfier, and Rue Bailly marks the priory’s limits. Parts of it are still visible from Rue du Vertbois.
In 1687, a new jail was built at the corner of Rue du Vertbois and Rue Saint-Martin by the Prieuré Saint-Martin-des-Champs. Henri Sauval wrote about the monks. They put criminals underground with bread and water. The criminals were left to die miserably in a pit.
More recently, Rue du Vertbois has transformed. Parisian millionaire Cédric Naudon is turning it into a gourmet and design destination. His project, “La Jeune Rue” or “the young street”, combines ethically sourced food with high-quality design.
Naudon aims to bring back bakers, butchers, and fishmongers. He wants to offer a variety of cuisines. He also commissioned top designers to create unique interiors. Tom Dixon designed a seafood store. Jasper Morrison created a tapas bar. Patricia Urquiola designed an Italian restaurant. Ingo Maurer designed a speakeasy. Michele De Lucchi designed a butcher shop. Paola Navone designed a Korean street-food restaurant.
Naudon bought many properties on Rue du Vertbois and nearby streets. His goal is to offer ethically sourced products at reasonable prices. He wants to create 250 jobs in the neighborhood. The next “Jeune Rue” project remains a secret.