“70 meters long and 10 meters wide” That’s what the official records say about the Voie de Chevreuse. But can numbers truly capture the essence of a Parisian street? This unassuming street in the 6th arrondissement holds secrets whispered through centuries. The Voie de Chevreuse is more than just a thoroughfare. It’s a living link to Paris’s past a remnant of the “grand chemin de Chevreuse” the old road to Vanves.
Imagine cobblestones underfoot the echoes of carriages long gone. This street wasn’t always called Voie de Chevreuse. It had a humbler beginning as the “chemin” or “chaussée de Vanves”. This ancient path existed as early as 1210 bordering the land of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It led travelers to Vanves and Issy-les-Moulineaux towns just beyond the city walls.
The Voie de Chevreuse’s history is interwoven with the powerful. Louis XIII himself altered its course in 1618 granting the Chartreux monks a piece of the road. This was in exchange for land needed to create the Luxembourg Gardens. Even the renowned playwright Jean Racine left his mark. He oversaw renovations to the Château de la Madeleine in Chevreuse in 1661. This chateau’s proximity to the Voie de Chevreuse’s namesake valley shows the street’s connection to a broader historical narrative.
The street also held the studios of notable artists. Johan Barthold Jongkind a 19th-century painter lived and worked at number 5. Paul Cézanne even visited the sculptor Philippe Solari who also resided there. Reid Hall a campus of Columbia University now stands at number 4. Before becoming a prestigious university campus it was a boarding house. André Gide the famous French author resided there between 1886 and 1887.
Today the Voie de Chevreuse connects the rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs to the boulevard du Montparnasse. It continues to quietly witness the rhythm of Parisian life. It connects the past and the present. It hums with the echoes of history and art. Walk this street and feel the weight of centuries. Hear the whispers of those who once walked its path. The Voie de Chevreuse is far more than 70 meters long and 10 meters wide. It’s a journey through time.