Well here I am nostalgic again, and even if had mentioned in other posts briefly, feel needed to have a post of its own for old times ‘sake! This is an update of an older post for you and me, I like to tell you a bit more on it .Therefore, here is my take on the Rue Tronchet of Paris !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
My very first job in the city of Paris took me from Versailles rive droite train station to the St Lazare train station of Paris. Ok cars was not convenient because in France when you work in big towns the cost of public transport is rembourse 50/50 by your employer ! and you get to use in my case my Navigo card pass even on weekends so the price was very cheap. In going there, I have told you took the metro line 12 to Concorde and then my job in Rue Castiglione of the Intercontinental Paris Hotel (see post), today the Westin Paris Vendôme.Hotel. However, after finding the trip so difficult , yes cramped metro wagon, technical problems cancellations, and a total of 18 minutes which of course counted the walks in underground halls; someone at work gave me the idea of walking; ho ho ho sublime walking in Paris!!
It became a family past time to walk in Paris after getting in with our car on private visits and walking from Gare St Lazare train station to rue Castiglione job. It took me by the grand department stores of you know who , (see posts), and passing by the Church of the Madeleine (see post), and getting around some fancy streets such as Rue St Honoré. Before all that passed by nice quant Rue Tronchet, which became my favorite spot and breakfast or lunch or dinner over the more than 2 yrs worked around here. And this finally…., is the reason of this post.
The Rue Tronchet is located in the 8éme arrondissements of Paris. Starting at Place de la Madeleine and ending on Boulevard Haussmann, it links the Madeleine and Europe quartiers or neighborhoods. Very commercial, this street houses a small shopping mall at no 11 as well as many offices. The street also receives the large flea market of the 8éme arrondissement in June.
Some of my nostalgic spots walking by here every day for more than 2 years were the Café Madeleine , hôtel Massena (where met friends for breakfast!) , Paul (aux Tortues), 35 Rue Tronchet ,and Guerlain parfums store next door. And of course, coming and around the Church de la Madeleine ! (see posts),
Remarkable buildings here that I like passing by for long periods are/were : No 1: formerly Madeleine-Palace Hôtel, where Jean Cocteau lived at the end of 1934.No. 2: Aimé Picquet du Boisguy, a French military officer and Chouan general during the French revolution, lived and died here on October 25, 1839. Lucien Kraëmer established his antique dealership here No. 4: François Roguet, Count and general of the French revolution and the Empire who commanded the Middle Guard division at Waterloo, died here on December 4, 1846; No 5: back from Mallorca and Nohant, Frédéric Chopin lived on the first floor from October 1839 to November 1841. Dinah Félix, last sister of the illustrious tragedian Rachel, died there 1909, No 7: Pourtalès hotel. Built in 1838-1839 for Count James-Alexandre de Pourtalès, in a style inspired by the Italian Renaissance, and modified in 1865-1866 then 1869-1870 The facade and the interior courtyard with arcades are reminiscent of Tuscan palaces. A monumental staircase leads to the first floor where the apartments and the collection of works of art by Count de Pourtalès were located. The interior decor, including the gallery where the sponsor’s famous collections were displayed, was destroyed. These collections were sold for public sale in February 1865, according to the wishes of their owner. On the latter’s death, the hotel passed to his son, Count Edmond de Pourtalès-Gorgier and his wife, née Mélanie de Bussière, the embodiment of elegance and the air of the great world during the Second Empire and the beginnings of the Third Republic. The hotel was the subject of a restoration campaign in 2006-2008. No 9 Alfred de Musset / Aimée d´Alton , a small place rented by Alfred de Musset, where he had an affair with Aimée d´Alton in 1837, No 11: is part of the Art Deco real estate complex called “Palacio de la Madeleine”, located at 25-29, place de la Madeleine, 11, rue Tronchet, and 9, rue de Castellane. It housed various departments of the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI) including the National Directorate of State Interventions (DNID) and the commission of fiscal offenses were transferred to this building in 1974, Before, this passage, this market and the surrounding office buildings are part of the “Palacio de la Madeleine”. This set of buildings was built in 1930 on the site of one of the busiest markets in Paris destroyed in 1920. With a surface area of 4600 meters, it had three entrances: Place de la Madeleine, Rue Tronchet and rue de Castellane. No. 29: Henri-Catherine-Balthazard Vincent, Baron, general of the French revolution and the Empire, died here on December 24, 1844; Apollinaire Lebas, a graduate of the École Polytechnique and naval engineer, tasked with bringing back and erecting the Luxor obelisk in the Place de la Concorde, died here on January 12, 1873.
A bit of history tell us that it received its name in memory of François Denis Tronchet , who was one of the defenders of king Louis XVI during his trial under the French revolution. He,also, participated in the drafting of the Civil Code. The Rue Tronchet occupies the site of the grounds of the convent of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce on the rue de la Ville-l’Évêque, occupied by the Benedictines then suppressed in 1791,during the French revolution, and of the farm of the Mathurins. It was extended in 1858 to Boulevard Haussmann by removing a section of the old rue de la Ferme-des-Mathurins, to take into account the decision to build the new Paris-Saint-Lazare train station, not in place de la Madeleine, as it had initially been envisaged but further north. In the block formed by Rue Tronchet, Rue de l’Arcade, Rue de Castellane, and Rue Chauveau-Lagarde, the “Madeleine Market” was located from the 18C until 1900. From 1830 onward, it was surrounded by houses built along the new streets. At that time, it became a covered market where shops were housed in arcades. The Art Deco-style shopping arcade at no 11 preserves its memory.
The Paris tourist office on the 8éme arrondissement de Paris : https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/explore-paris-s-8th-arrondissement-a826
There you go folks, another dandy spot in my eternal Paris. So many memorable spots that will keep me busy now telling you all about it, and then some as will return to the City, eventually. When you walk these streets then you will understand why many said Paris is the most beautiful city in the world!! A mouvable feast indeed!! Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Rue Tronchet of Paris !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 