Did you know Avenue Paul-Déroulède is named after a controversial figure? Right here before us lies a street steeped in history a Parisian artery with a complex past. Avenue Paul-Déroulède in the 15th arrondissement a seemingly quiet street holds a fascinating story. It’s named for Paul Déroulède a poet novelist and politician. He was a fervent nationalist and antisemite. This is a man who profoundly impacted French politics.
Déroulède was a key figure in the Ligue des Patriotes a powerful nationalist organization. He passionately advocated for the “revanche” the reclaiming of Alsace and Lorraine after the Franco-Prussian War. His writings particularly his “Chants du soldat” fueled fervent patriotism. These songs sold over 100000 copies from 1872 onwards. They glorified war and fueled a desire for revenge. This was not always popular.
Déroulède’s nationalism wasn’t limited to France. He was also against Jules Ferry’s colonial policies. He famously quipped “I lost two sisters you give me twenty servants”. This reveals a complex view of French national identity. His perspective highlighted the conflict between national pride and colonial expansion. He saw colonial expansion as a distraction from the true goal: reclaiming lost territories.
His political activism went far beyond words. Déroulède attempted a coup d’état in 1899. It was during the funeral of President Félix Faure. His ambition to overthrow the republican government ultimately failed. He faced banishment. Later he received a pardon in 1905.
Avenue Paul-Déroulède stands as a reminder of a turbulent period in French history. It symbolizes both the fervent nationalism of the era. It also reveals the complex and often problematic ideologies that shaped the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The avenue begins at 15 Avenue de Champaubert and ends at 45 Avenue de La Motte-Picquet. It is 44 meters long and 17 meters wide. There was once another Avenue Paul-Déroulède in the 1st arrondissement. However it was renamed Avenue du Général-Lemonnier in 1957. This left only one Avenue Paul-Déroulède in Paris. As we walk this street let’s reflect on the legacy of its namesake a man whose life and ideals were as multifaceted as the city itself.