Doesn’t the name Sentier du Tourniquet evoke a sense of mystery? This street once existed in Paris’s old 9th arrondissement which is now the 4th. Today the Sentier du Tourniquet is no more. It vanished in 1838. This happened during the creation of the Rue de Lobau.
Let’s journey back. Imagine the Paris of centuries past. The Sentier du Tourniquet had a different name. It was once known as Rue du Pet-au-Diable. The name translates to “Fart of the Devil Street”. Its origin remains a mystery. Some say it came from a square tower once called “the Synagogue”. Others believed a man named Petau. He earned the nickname “the Devil” due to his wickedness.
Guillot de Paris mentioned it in Le Dit des rues de Paris. It was simply called “ruelle”. Honoré de Balzac described the street. He said it was dark, dirty, and narrow. This description appears in his novel Une double famille. Balzac wrote of “la rue du Tourniquet-Saint-Jean”. It was once among the most tortuous and obscure streets. It snaked along small gardens. These gardens belonged to the Prefecture of Paris.
The Sentier du Tourniquet also had other names. These include Rue au Chevet-Saint-Jean and Rue du Cloître-Saint-Jean. These names came from its location. It ran alongside the chevet of the Saint-Jean-en-Grève church.
In 1807, the street’s name changed again. It became Rue du Sanhédrin. Napoleon I convened the Grand Sanhédrin here. They held meetings in a room within Paris’s city hall. Access to this room was via this street.
The name Sentier du Tourniquet finally appeared in 1815. A tourniquet was placed at the corner. It stood at the junction with Rue du Martroi-Saint-Jean. This device prevented carriages from passing through.
The Sentier du Tourniquet met its end in 1838. Restoration and expansion of the city hall took place. The surrounding area underwent restructuring. The street was incorporated into a new road. The Rue de Lobau was created. It honored the illustrious commander of the National Guard.