“Thibaut…Thibaut…Thibaut” someone mutters. Has the name always been part of this street’s story? Standing here on Rue Louis Thébault, we are about to discover its hidden layers.
This seemingly quiet street has a past. It is a past woven from threads of several former streets. Rue Louis Thébault is part of the Rue des Bourdonnais. This area is more than just a path. It is a chronicle of Parisian life.
Let’s rewind to the 19th century. Picture a time before Rue des Bourdonnais existed as one entity. Instead, imagine a collection of smaller streets each with its distinct identity. There was Rue de l’Archet. It got its name from a bridge with an arch that crossed it. There was also Rue Thibautodé. This name might come from a property owner or maybe a dice player. The name has changed over time. People once called it Rue Thybault-aux-Dez. Finally, there was Rue des Bourdonnais named after Adam and Guillaume Bourdon. They were both influential people in Paris.
These streets eventually merged into the Rue des Bourdonnais. This happened in the middle of the 19th century. Rue Lenoir-Saint-Honoré also became part of it.
Rue de l’Archet was near the Seine river. In 1300, it was called Rue de l’abreuvoir Thibaut-aux-Dés. Over time, it was also named Rue des Jardins and Ruelle Jean-de-la-Poterne. The baths in this street gave it other names. It became Ruelle des Étuves-aux-Femmes. One of the bath owners named Marion gave her name to the street. It briefly became Rue de l’Arche-Marion.
Rue Thibault-aux-Dez has some stories too. Some believe it got its name from Thibaut Odet. He owned houses on the street in the 13th century. Others claim it came from a dice player named Thibaut-aux-Dès. The name changed over the years. By the 17th century, it was known as Rue Thibautodé.
The Rue des Bourdonnais has its own history. Guillot de Paris called it Rue à Bourdonnas. Later, it became Rue Adam-Bourdon and Rue Guillaume-Bourdon. It was a place for commerce. Drapers and silk merchants had shops here.
The houses are long gone now. One notable building once stood at number 31. Pierre le Gendre commissioned it. He was a treasurer. The Roze family owned it later. It was known as La Couronne d’Or. Silk merchants occupied it later. The building was destroyed in 1841.
Now, Rue Louis Thébault is part of a street with a layered past. It is a history of arches and merchants. Rue Louis Thébault’s story is inextricably linked to the Rue des Bourdonnais and its long history.