Rue John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Observing the Rue John Fitzgerald Kennedy today, it’s hard to imagine its previous incarnations. This grand avenue, stretching almost a kilometer along the Seine in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, wasn’t always named after the 35th US President. It has held many names, reflecting the evolving history of Paris itself. It was once part of the “Route de Versailles”, a path trod by royalty and commoners alike. Later it became the “Quai de Passy”, acknowledging its riverside location in the then-independent village of Passy. Rue John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s current name, bestowed in 1964, honors JFK after his impactful 1961 speech at the Hôtel de Ville. This renaming highlights the strong Franco-American relationship. The avenue is more than just a thoroughfare. It’s a living timeline of Parisian history. Imagine the scene in 1572. The aftermath of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre saw the Seine become a grim waterway. Nearly two thousand bodies washed up on the banks of this very road, then known as the Chemin des Bons-Hommes. Fast forward to 1855. The “American Railway”, France’s first urban tramway, clattered along the Quai de Passy, pulled by horses on its route from the Place de la Concorde to the Pont de Sèvres. In 1901, Santos-Dumont’s dirigible, after successfully circling the Eiffel Tower, met its unfortunate end crashing at numbers 12 and 14. The avenue also witnessed the devastating floods of 1910. In 1963, the Maison de la Radio, a striking architectural masterpiece, rose on the site of a former gas factory, forever changing the landscape. The avenue, now bearing Kennedy’s name, continues to be a stage for history. In 1996, the Place de Bolivie was inaugurated at the intersection of Rue d’Ankara and Avenue de Lamballe. This was shortly followed by the assassination of the Turkish ambassador at the corner of Quai Kennedy and Pont de Bir-Hakeim. Rue John Fitzgerald Kennedy, with its stately buildings, bustling traffic, and serene views of the Seine, holds centuries of stories. From royal processions to technological marvels, and from tragedies to triumphs, this avenue embodies the vibrant spirit of Paris.