“Helvétius? Who was he and why does a street bear his name?” you might be asking yourselves as we stand here. Rue Helvétius has a story that stretches back centuries, and the name itself echoes a time of revolution and intellectual ferment. Today, we explore its past.
Rue Helvétius was named after Claude-Adrien Helvétius. He was a French philosopher who lived from 1715 to 1771. Helvétius was a prominent figure of the Enlightenment. He advocated for reason and challenged traditional ideas.
The street’s story begins long before it was named Rue Helvétius. Originally, parts of it were known as Rue Sainte-Anne. This name honored Anne of Austria. She was the queen of France and wife of Louis XIII.
In 1792, during the French Revolution, the street was renamed. This was a period of radical change. The city renamed streets to reflect new values. Rue Sainte-Anne became Rue Helvétius to honor the philosopher who had lived there.
Helvétius lived at what was then number 18. He lived there with his brother-in-law. His brother-in-law was Nicolas Delay de La Garde. He was a Fermier général or a tax collector.
The decision to rename the street was official. The Conseil Général de la Commune de Paris made it. The council stated that Rue Sainte-Anne should be renamed in honor of Helvétius. The philosopher was born on this street.
However, the name Rue Helvétius was not permanent. In 1814, after the Bourbon Restoration, the street reverted to its former name. It became Rue Sainte-Anne again.
Rue Sainte-Anne has a long and varied history beyond its name changes. It was once the site of male prostitution. This occurred from the early 20th century. It continued until the 1980s. The Bains Sainte-Anne opened during World War I. These baths became a known haunt for homosexual men.
Later, the street transformed again. Japanese restaurants replaced the gay venues. Rue Sainte-Anne became the heart of Paris’s Japanese district.
Many notable people have lived on Rue Sainte-Anne. The dancer Marie Allard lived here. She was the mistress of Gaëtan Vestris. Jeanne-Louise-Françoise de Sainte-Amaranthe and her son-in-law Charles de Sartine were arrested here. At the time, the street was named Rue Helvétius.
At number 46, a plaque commemorates the death of Bossuet in 1704. Jean-Baptiste Lully lived at number 47. He was a composer. He lived there until 1683. The building is decorated with musical instruments.
The street has been home to nightclubs. Le Sept was located at number 7. Alain-Philippe Malagnac d’Argens de Villèle ran Le Bronx at number 11. Suzy Solidor opened a lesbian cabaret at number 12 in 1932. The poet Charles Baudelaire stayed at the Hôtel d’York at number 61. It is now the Hôtel Baudelaire Opéra.
Today, as you walk along Rue Helvétius, remember its layers of history. It reflects philosophical ideals. It reveals social transformations. The street has evolved through time. Its name reminds us of the past.