Could a simple wish transform a street’s destiny? Rue Jacob whispers tales of Queen Margot’s longing to return to Paris. This street in the 6th arrondissement has a rich story.
Rue Jacob’s name origin is debated. Some say it comes from a former hotel. Edouard Fournier proposed another idea. It was not a hotel but an altar. During the League revolt, Queen Marguerite made a vow. She promised to give God a tenth of her goods and build an altar. This was to mirror Jacob’s actions. She hoped God would allow her to return to Paris. She was held prisoner in the Chateau d’Usson. The altar was to be in the closest place to her residence. Marguerite de Valois lived at 6 Rue de la Seine. This spot was near the Petit Pré aux Clercs.
Monks took on the altar’s construction. The Augustins Réformés acquired land. It stretched from Rue des Petits Augustins to Rue des Saints Pères. This land ran along Rue Jacob. Marguerite de Valois gave them her possessions there. The monks built their church and monastery. But they forgot the altar. Marguerite de Valois died in 1615. Only Rue Jacob kept the name.
Rue Jacob is parallel to the Seine. It runs from Rue de Seine to Rue des Saints-Pères. Most buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1910, a flood hit Paris. The water reached 8.62 meters high. The Rue Jacob was affected. A photo shows books floating down the flooded street. Wooden walkways allowed people to move around.
Rue Jacob has strong literary ties. Number 20 was home to Natalie Clifford Barney from 1909 to the 1960s. Barney hosted a Friday salon. Guests included T. S. Eliot and James Joyce. The building is no longer there. Buildings at the other end of Rue Jacob still stand. The Librairie Alain Brieux is a reminder of the street’s literary history. The Hotel d’Angleterre also stands as a reminder. It once housed the British Embassy. The Treaty of Paris was agreed here in 1783. It ended the American War of Independence. Ernest Hemingway stayed at the hotel on his first night in Paris.
The charm of Rue Jacob lives on. Its literary past enchants visitors. The echoes of Queen Margot’s wish linger. Each stone holds a story waiting to be discovered.