“Did you know that the Rue de Laborde in Paris has a past tied to pig farming?”
Let’s explore this street together. Rue de Laborde is in the 8th arrondissement. It stretches 490 meters from Rue du Rocher to Boulevard Haussmann.
The street’s story starts in 1788. Back then it was a path called Chemin des Porcherons. This translates to “path of the pig farmers”. It was the main street of a poor area known as Petite-Pologne meaning Little Poland.
Later the street was named Rue des Grésillons. This name came from its location next to a public dump. This dump was called Voirie des Grésillons. Interestingly Grésillons meant third flour. According to Marquis de Rochegude this refers to the windmills in the area.
In 1810 the Roule slaughterhouse was built on this former dump site. A ministerial decision in 1802 set the street’s minimum width at 10 meters. The street was officially named Rue de Laborde in 1837. This honored Alexandre de Laborde. He was the Seine’s prefect.
Now let’s look at some notable buildings on Rue de Laborde. At number 4, there’s a boundary marker. It’s decorated with fleur-de-lis from 1726. It marks the city’s border under Louis XV.
Abbé Huvelin lived at number 6. He was a vicar at Saint-Augustin. Charles de Foucauld converted to Christianity here in 1886. Foucauld lived nearby at 50 Rue de Miromesnil.
A wooden chapel dedicated to Saint-Augustin stood at number 11. It was built in 1831. The Saint-Augustin church is in this district. Number 15 was once the Pépinière barracks.
The writer Alain Bosquet lived at number 32. He lived here from 1967 until his death in 1998. A plaque commemorates him. At 34 bis there is an Art Deco building from 1957 designed by Jean Beaugrand.
The Union Nationale Inter-universitaire is located at number 36. Poet Jacques Garelli lived at number 38. He lived here from 1970 until he died in 2014.
The Grand Garage Haussmann is at 43-45 Rue de Laborde. Built in 1939 it featured an industrial bow window. It was a 120-space parking garage on six levels. It was purchased in 2022 to become apartments.
During the Liberation of Paris, the surgeon Victor Veau lived at number 50. His home served as a command post for the Resistance. A plaque honors René Fischer who died at 26.
Finally at the intersection with Boulevard Haussmann stands a statue of Baron Haussmann. It is the work of François Cogné.
So Rue de Laborde began as a humble path for pig farmers. It transformed into a street filled with history. It is a place where art religion and resistance intertwine. Take a moment to appreciate the layers of history beneath your feet as we move on.