Long before refrigerators existed ice was a precious commodity in Paris. This street Rue de la Glaciere tells a fascinating story. It reveals how Parisians once relied on ingenious methods to stay cool.
Rue de la Glaciere in the 13th arrondissement wasn’t always a bustling city street. Centuries ago it led to a glaciere a place where ice was stored. This was long before the invention of refrigeration. The name itself hints at its history. It derived from the nearby ponds and marshes of the Bièvre River. These froze in winter providing a source of ice.
Imagine the scene in the 17th century. People harvested ice from the frozen Bièvre. They stored it in brick-lined pits in the hills of Montsouris. This ice was a luxury. It kept food and drinks cool during the hot summer months. The hameau de La Glaciere a small village thrived around this ice trade. It supplied ice to Parisians for centuries.
The 19th century brought significant changes. Rue de la Glaciere was officially named in 1863. This followed Petit-Gentilly’s incorporation into Paris in 1860. The northern section of the street was developed first. This part took on a more urban and bourgeois character. The southern part remained more industrial and working class.
The Bièvre River’s canalization and the filling in of its valley impacted the area. New streets appeared including those we see today such as Rue de Tolbiac. Many other smaller streets and alleys existed then disappeared over time. The area underwent major transformation. Some parts were demolished and rebuilt in the mid-20th century. This was to address housing issues.
Rue de la Glaciere boasts remarkable buildings. Number 24 notably held the residence of Pierre and Marie Curie. They lived there around 1898 during their groundbreaking work on radium. The street also housed the headquarters of Scouts and Guides de France. This was until 2019. The church of Saint-Albert-le-Grand stands near the site of the former Sainte-Agonie chapel. This chapel served as a secret refuge for Allied airmen during World War II.
Even in literature Rue de la Glaciere holds a place. Victor Hugo mentioned it in Les Misérables. Joris-Karl Huysmans described the neighborhood in his works. The street even appeared in the film Paris brûle-t-il? It shows the convent of the Sisters of Saint-Joseph. This was a site of significant resistance activity during the war.
So next time you walk down Rue de la Glaciere remember its unique story. It whispers of ice and history. It speaks of the ingenuity and resilience of the Parisians. It is a quiet reminder of the cold past. This made the hot summers of Paris manageable.