“Who was Pierre Charron?” you might ask. The Rue Pierre Charron is a street in Paris steeped in history and intellectual significance.
The Rue Pierre Charron resides in the 8th arrondissement near the high-fashion district of Avenue Montaigne. It is 320 meters long and 20 meters wide. Its story starts well before its official naming.
This street was once part of a single Rue de Morny. It stretched all the way to the Place d’Iéna. In 1918, the section between Avenue George V and Place d’Iéna became Avenue Pierre Ier de Serbie. The street’s official denomination occurred on October 25, 1879.
The street is named for Pierre Charron a French philosopher. He lived from 1541 to 1603. Charron authored “Traité de la Sagesse” meaning Treatise on Wisdom. He was a friend of Montaigne. Avenue Montaigne nearby is named after him.
Rue Pierre Charron is close to several Métro stations. George V and Franklin D. Roosevelt on line 1 are nearby. Saint-Philippe du Roule on line 9 is to the north. Alma-Marceau on line 9 is to the south.
Le Gerny’s once stood at 54 Rue Pierre Charron. It was a famous Parisian nightclub. Edith Piaf made her professional debut there. Louis Leplee the owner discovered her singing on a Paris street. He gave her the nickname “la môme Piaf” meaning The Little Sparrow. This happened in October 1935.
The street is also mentioned in Renaud’s song “Les Charognards”.
So as you stroll down Rue Pierre Charron remember the philosopher and the singer. Think of wisdom and song intertwined in the heart of Paris.