I have done plenty of posts on the streets of my Versailles but there are always older new pictures not in my blog that should be, After all, this blog is my life’s history and I thank you for coming along with me on my ride. Versailles needs no introduction me think ! However, just to make sure ,,,,I am bragging lol! I used to lived in Versailles for almost 10 years upon entering France! And have come back to visit several times never tired of it. Therefore, let me tell you more streets of my Versailles !!! Hope you enjoy it as I
Let me tell you briefly about the streets of rue de Satory, Rue du Général Leclerc, and Rue du Maréchal Joffre in my dear Versailles !!! This royal City is still the capital of the Yvelines dept 78 in the Île de France region, By the French constitution,any changes , modifications, etc to the constitution the whole government needs to move here and come up with the changes by law ! Versailles is too big to let go !!!
In the Satory district of Versailles, many deputies in the Etats Généraux (States General) were living in rue de Satory, and rue du Vieux-Versailles. They met at the Libraire Blaizot who published the minutes of the meetings. It is naturally in this familiar neighborhood that they gathered for the swearing in the Jeu de Paume (see post) , founder of the new French Republic (France).
Today, the rue de Satory is in the district of Saint Louis. From the name of the hill south of the city to which it gave access. Old rue de la Montagne which reunited the rue du Maréchal-Joffre and the current rue de Satory. Some interesting buildings to see here me think are :
N ° 1: Beautiful Art Deco facade at the corner of avenue de Sceaux restored in 2012 (restaurant Limousin). Ernest Renan lived there in 1848 (he was a teacher at Lycée Hoche (high school)). No. 7: Former Librarie Blaizot which was a literary a firm to read the press at the time of the French Revolution. N ° 13: Have followed since 1778, a grocery then butchers until today. N ° 17: Balconies of 1790, geometrical: one of the entrance of the old barracks of the horsemen of Chevau-légers (light cavalry). Their motto was “To defeat the giants” .. No. 18: Birthplace of General Lazare Hoche, who died at 29 after “pacifying” the Vendée and Bretagne. It has balconies with curved railings. Purchased by the city in 1986. N ° 22: False windows, a house of the 18C at the corner of the rue du Vieux Versailles: a corner balcony style Louis XV. No. 26: Military cafe of the Maison du roi (King’s House) in 1814, then bakery, glacier, and tea room as today. N ° 27: Former Hôtel Lannion and former cabaret of the Jardin Royal (Royal garden) before the French Revolution. N ° 33: A Pharmacy since 1768. The street ends today at the former crossroads of Quatre Bornes with the rue de l’Orangerie. By the Orangerie (see post).
Moving on to the Rue du Général-Leclerc ,also, district of Saint-Louis. In memory of General Philippe Leclerc de Hautecloque who lived in Versailles as being an instructor at the military school of Saint-Cyr, and entered Versailles with his armored division on August 25, 1944 from Saint-Cyr. The street was name in his honor in 1948. Some interesting buildings on the street are :
N ° 15: Old Hôtel Montesquiou . Passage of the Marquis de Lalonde (mayor of Versailles under the monarchy Restoration) to avenue de Sceaux. .N ° 34: the former Mirabeau dwelling in 1789. See,also, the Fausse fountain at the corner of rue Royale ,now école d’art mural (art school) of Versailles.
Finally, we get to the Rue du Maréchal-Joffre, again on the district of Saint-Louis. It was name as such in 1919. This is the former rue de Satory named after the hill it crosses to the south. From the name of Joseph Joffre , Commander-in-Chief of the French Army from 1914 to 1916 during the Great War or WWI. Some interesting buildings here that I like are :
N° 1 : Former restaurant of the Trois Marches (eventually the chef of Trianon) N ° 2: Former small vegetable garden of the king (manure and sowing), lot in 1736. N ° 4: Lot attributed to Jean Loustonneau, surgeon of the Children of France, under king Louis XV. Awarded in 1864-1869 to the Chief Medical Officer of the Military Hospital. N ° 5: House where died in 1808 Mademoiselle de Romans, one of the mistresses of king Louis XV of which she had a son recognized Louis-Antoine de Bourbon. N. 7: Accommodation in 1789 of Isaac Le Chapelier, founder of the Breton club which met at Café Amaury , rue Carnot, and associated with the law prohibiting corporations. N ° 10: Current entrance of the Potager du Roi (see post) which was created from 1678 to 1683 under the direction of Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinie . Former vegetable garden and orchard of king Louis XIV and his successors. A neighborhood police station and housing for employees of the horticultural school were located at the corner of rue Hardy until the 1980s. The construction of artisans and tradesmen along the wall of the potager du roi were removed in 1853 and two grids open in front of the rue d’Anjou and rue des Bourdonnais. (See my post on the Potager du Roi). N ° 12: Parc Balbi. (see post), Former cul-de-sac of Satory giving access to the entrance to Balbi Park. From the name of the Countess of Balbi, Anne Jacobé de Caumont de la Force, for whom the Count of Provence, brother of Louis XVI and future Louis XVIII had built in 1785 the park and the adjoining pavilion In 1792, some of the rare plants has been moved to the Jardin des Plantes in Paris ,as usual! (see my post on the Parc Balbi).
N ° 13: Former house of the family of the Marquis de Lalonde (mayor of Versailles until 1825) entrance of the cemetery of Saint-Louis. Depended in 1990 on the College of the Sacred Heart. N ° 14: Former Hôtel Letellier before the French revolution, then Grand Seminary in 1833, which became school Jules-Ferry in 1907 after the separation of the church and the state, then Lycée Jules-Ferry (high school) by extending to the place de l’ancienne caserne Denfert (former barracks) across the street. N ° 15: Angle of the rue des Bourdonnais. A cemetery from 1725 to 1776. Purchased in 1890 by the firm of disabilities services of Versailles. In 2015 the private school Saint-Louis. N ° 19: Former Hôtel de Choiseul d’Aillecourt. Salon of the Countess des Écotais under the monarchy Restoration, then by an American diplomat between the two WW. No. 24: Impasse Satory ;a Villa built from 1791 to 1804 with a view of the pièce d’eau des Suisses pond (see post). Convent of Carmelites in 1900, then Grand Seminary in 1906 (displacement of seminarians from the Letellier pavilion) until 1972. Saint-Louis retreat house for elderly priests and some lay people since 1981 a retirement home for persons in need or EHPAD.
No. 29: Lycée Jules-Ferry. Former Hôtel du duc de la Vrillière in 1772, which served as stables to the Countess d’Artois, younger sister of the Countess of Provence. They contained 28 cars and 7 sedan chairs. The building then became the barracks of cavalry and infantry Denfert, then from 1981 the new Lycée Jules Ferry( high school) extension of the building on the other side of the avenue. N ° 30: Old coolers or ice houses in the area of Satory ,exploited until 1879 by the Society of Glacières of Paris. No. 37: Land purchased by the Soeurs de l’Espérance (Sisters of Hope) in 1854; they built a chapel, which is now closed, and whose entrance is on the street. Then, a Retirement home in 1990. No. 39: former house of Jean Chavignat, first surgeon of the queen and his wife born Simonet of Tournelles, maid of the queen.
The city of Versailles on Quartier Saint Louis or neighborhood: https://www.versailles.fr/65/decouvrir-versailles.htm
The Versailles tourist office on the Quartier Saint Louis or neighborhood : https://www.versailles-tourisme.com/quartier-saint-louis.html
There you go folks, a hugely wonderful gorgeous city very popular indeed, all worth it, The monuments are awesome and the street walks are sublime. Again, hope you enjoy this post on more streets of my Versailles as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health ,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 