“A pun” you whisper. That’s how Rue Eugène-Delacroix got its name. A playful twist of fate. Right here in the 16th arrondissement.
This charming street. It’s not just any Parisian lane. It holds a piece of history. The history of Eugène Delacroix himself. The renowned French painter. His vibrant brushstrokes painted a world. This street now bears his name. A legacy of art. A legacy of Paris.
Originally. It wasn’t called Rue Eugène-Delacroix. In 1730. It was known as the “chemin de Versailles”. A pathway leading to the Palace of Versailles. Imagine carriages. Horses’ hooves on the cobblestones. Dust rising in the air.
Later. It was christened “chemin de la Croix”. The “Road of the Cross”. A cross once stood here. At the corner with Rue de la Tour. The French Revolution swept away the cross. A symbol of a bygone era.
The street’s name changed again. In 1825. It became “rue du Chemin-de-la-Croix”. Then “rue de la Croix”. A simple renaming. A reflection of the changing times.
In 1868. The clever pun came into play. The part of the street between Rue de la Pompe and the Longchamp roundabout was renamed Rue Decamps. The southern part. This part became Rue Eugène-Delacroix. A clever wordplay. A tribute to the artist.
The street is short. Just 152 meters long. Eight meters wide. It runs north-northeast to south-southwest. The buildings are elegant. Some are grand. Some are more modest. They stand shoulder to shoulder. Bearing witness to time.
Number 5. The home of Victor Jean Desmeures. A painter himself. He lived here. Creating his own art. Number 6 boasts one of the first joint creations of architects Henri Preslier and Germain Dorel. Numbers 7-9 house UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning. A place of global collaboration and learning.
Today. Rue Eugène-Delacroix is a quiet street. A charming pocket of Paris. It carries the spirit of the artist. It reminds us of history’s playful turns. Of the enduring power of art. And the stories whispered by Parisian streets. It’s more than just a street. It is a canvas of time. A testament to the vibrant history of Paris. A legacy of Eugène Delacroix. The street reflects his passionate spirit.