Rue de Montmorency


The rue de Montmorency is a street in the historic Le Marais quarter of Paris, part of the city's 3rd arrondissement. It runs from the rue du Temple to the rue Saint-Martin.

History

Named in 1768 after the Montmorency family, prominent residents of Le Marais during the Renaissance period. The Montmorency family is one of the oldest and most distinguished families in France, derived from the city of Montmorency, now in the Val-d'Oise département, about 9 miles northwest of Paris. As the Montmorency was a noble family, the street lost its name at the French Revolution. Therefore, it was known between the end of the French Revolution and 1806 as the rue de la Réunion.

Buildings of note

Rue de Montmorency is fairly representative of the ancient streets of the heart of Paris.
The house of Nicolas Flamel, at No. 52, which was built in 1407 by Nicolas Flamel himself still stands, the oldest stone house in Paris, at 51 rue de Montmorency; the ground floor, always a tavern, currently houses the Auberge Nicolas Flamel. Nicolas Flamel, a scrivener and manuscript-seller who developed a reputation as an alchemist, claimed that he made the Philosopher's Stone which turns lead into gold, and that he and his wife Pernelle achieved immortality. Engraved images were discovered during recent works on this house.
On the facade of the building you can still read this inscription: "Nous homes et femes laboureurs demourans ou porche de ceste maison qui fut faite en l'an de grâce mil quatre cens et sept somes tenus chascun en droit soy dire tous les jours une paternostre et un ave maria en priant Dieu que sa grâce face pardon aus povres pescheurs trespasses Amen".
This religious foundation included a gable wall that has since disappeared. The first two floors and still retain their original decoration: the famous Gothic inscription mentioned above, as well as the pillars of the base moldings and decorations of angels and columns. On the second and fifth pillars are engraved with the initials N and F in homage to the founder of the place. This decoration appears to be the work of a Tombia cemetery near Saint-Nicolas des Champs.
This house has been the subject of new restorations in June 2007 and is now a restaurant.

Geographic situation

The street is close to the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers housed in the medieval priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs. It is also located very close to the Centre Georges Pompidou. Numerous modern art galleries can be found on Rue de Montmorency.

Trivia

The novel Rhum from the French writer Blaise Cendrars takes place in a brick foundry located at 14 rue de Montmorency.

Places and monuments