Right here where we stand once stood a village La Chapelle. It predates modern Paris. Now it is a vibrant part of the 18th arrondissement.
La Chapelle started as a small village. Saint Geneviève had Saint Denis’s coffin moved here. She wanted a burial site. This was around 475 AD. A church was built. The village grew around it.
Kings and queens passed through La Chapelle for centuries. They were on their way to wage war. Others went to be buried in Saint-Denis. This made the town a busy place.
Inkeepers and blacksmiths thrived. Fields and plains supplied Paris with food. Wine from the Goutte d’Or hamlet was popular. Fairs and markets gave La Chapelle a good reputation. The Lendit fair was famous.
Joan of Arc prayed in La Chapelle in 1429. She then tried to liberate Paris. She was wounded and taken back to La Chapelle. The king ordered her to retreat.
The village was often attacked. Wars and conflicts caused devastation. But the people rebuilt it. Dance halls called guinguettes became popular. They gave the area a new appeal.
In 1790, La Chapelle became a commune. It included the Goutte d’Or. A massacre occurred in 1791. This caused a stir in Paris.
The 19th century brought big changes. People came to La Chapelle for work. They were too poor to live in Paris. Railroads replaced fields.
Baron Haussmann proposed annexing La Chapelle to Paris. In 1860, it became part of the 18th arrondissement. The village lost its independent life.
La Chapelle was divided. Part went to Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen, and Aubervilliers. The village of La Chapelle disappeared. But its memory lives on.
The village had a church. It was the center of life. Pilgrims visited. Markets thrived. Roses and vines were grown. Relics were transferred to Saint-Denis.
The Lendit fair brought prosperity. But it later declined. The Champeaux market grew. The fair moved inside Saint-Denis.
Mills were built. They ground plaster. Wine was made in the Goutte d’Or. Taverns and cabarets sprung up. They offered wine and entertainment.
The French Revolution brought changes. Residents complained about damage from royal hunting. Smuggling was common. There was hostility to tax collectors.
The La Chapelle Massacre took place in 1791. Soldiers fired on the National Guard. Victims were buried in the village cemetery.
In 1814, troops camped in La Chapelle during the Battle of Paris. The church was used to store fodder. Crops were damaged.
The Industrial Revolution transformed La Chapelle. Railroads created a divide. Factories opened. The population grew.
A new town hall was built in 1845. A new cemetery was opened in 1850. A second church construction began in 1858.
The commune was divided in 1859. Part was annexed to Paris. The rest went to other communes. La Chapelle became a district of Paris.
The rural village became an industrial town. The pleasures of the countryside disappeared. Only the cabarets remained. La Chapelle became part of the capital.
Today La Chapelle is a vibrant neighborhood. It is a mix of cultures and histories. It is a place where the past meets the present. The Voirie de la Chapelle remains a testament to this legacy.