A pedestrian path. That’s what the Ruelle aux Chevaux is today. This pathway is located in Paris’s 16th arrondissement in the Auteuil district.
The Ruelle aux Chevaux is a short street. It measures only 39 meters in length and 10 meters in width. Its story is connected to the history of horses in Paris. Once horses were essential. They were vital to Parisian life. Markets for horses were common. People frequently stopped there.
Around the 20th century almost 80,000 horses were in Paris. Horses offered an alternative to walking. Today remnants of these markets still exist. They serve as reminders of that time.
Let’s talk a little bit about the name Ruelle aux Chevaux. The name refers to a former place in the area. The street was created in the 1990s during development. It was part of the ZAC Gros Boulainvilliers project. Initially it was called voie AO/16. A municipal order later gave it the name Ruelle aux Chevaux.
The Ruelle aux Chevaux has no street numbers. It is bordered by a building on one side. This building houses the technical accesses. It also has a supermarket on the ground floor. On the other side is a luxury hotel. The street opens towards the Maison de Radio France. The RER C train serves the Ruelle aux Chevaux. The station is Avenue du President Kennedy.
Interestingly the first horse market was established in the 15th century. It was near the current Rue de Tournon and Rue Garanciere. Over time the horse market moved. In the 16th century it was in the Hotel des Tournelles. This was a royal domain north of Place des Vosges. Later the market moved again. It settled near Rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire.
At its peak the market near Rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire was huge. It accommodated over 1,000 horses. The area spanned 18,000 square meters. Some remnants remain today. At number 5 Rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire is a building. It housed market controllers. A bit further at numbers 11 and 13 is an inscription. It reads Marchands de chevaux. This translates to Horse traders. There is also a carved horse head.
In 1907 the horse market moved again. It relocated to the 15th arrondissement. This was next to the Vaugirard slaughterhouses. The market stayed there until it closed in 1976.
Today only a few traces of that market remain. The crèche des Morillons uses part of an old barn. The Marché du livre ancien et d’occasion is in a former horse hall. Also the Théâtre Le Monfort has reliefs of horses on its facade. The old monumental gate still stands. It is located at the corner of Rue Brancion and Rue des Morillons.
The Ruelle aux Chevaux connects us to this vibrant past. It reminds us how horses shaped Paris. Take a moment to reflect. Imagine the sounds. Think of the bustling horse market. Although small the Ruelle aux Chevaux carries a rich history.