Streetwise (in Paris)

June 23, 2026 by DickH Posted in Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Streetwise – (PIP #108)

By Louise Peloquin

Several “peeks into the past” have demonstrated how L’Etoile made use of the tiniest of column spaces. (1)

The following article could have been a dispatch provided by the Associated Press or by France’s oldest news agency, l’Agence Havas, founded in 1835. (2) The title of the text piqued our curiosity. Why would L’Etoile cover a story about a street in Paris? Whatever the answer may be, the intention to cast a benevolent light on city servants warms the reader’s heart.

L’Etoile – January 23, 1926

IN THE STREETS OF PARIS

Police officers are good people, according to an old song sung long ago at café-concerts.

Another refrain states that the officer may be stern but good-natured. He may be a respectable father as well, as we witnessed in this quite unusual scene.

At the corner of la rue des Martyrs, a woman was pushing a little cart filled with flowers. A gathering of potential customers formed. A police officer appeared and, with a severe tone of voice, said: “Come on let’s go my little lady, move along, move along.”

The woman then lifted a shawl to show a baby sleeping.

“My, how charming he is” the officer said amiably. How old is he?”

“Eight months” she responded.

“The same age as mine” he murmured with an air of tenderness. (3)

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Known for its caractère villageois, la rue des Martyrs stretches 2,903 feet from the 9th to the 18th arrondissements. It is the oldest road leading to Montmartre when this area was still a village outside of Paris. Its unusual name is linked to Saint Denis, the first bishop of Lutèce, the city to become Paris. According to the legend, Bishop Denis, along with companions Eleuthère and Rustique, set out to evangelize la Gaule during the time of the Romans. (4) Roman prefect Fesceninus arrested the three bearers of the Good News of the Kingdom of God and tortured them in different city locations. After traveling up present-day rue Montmartre and rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, the three prisoners finally took la rue des Martyrs to arrive at Montmartre where they were decapitated. Their martyrdom gave the street its name.

The legend also narrates how Bishop Denis, with head held in his hands, continued to walk through Lutèce to a nearby village. Bishop Denis became Saint Denis. He was buried in that village named Saint Denis after him.

Saint Denis – Notre Dame west facade

As L’Etoile reports, infants resting in the arms of Morpheus can warm the hearts of the sternest of individuals. Just picturing that scene motivated us to check this street out in search of benevolent police officers contemplating sleeping babies. So off we went.

Once on site, we found no police officers. However, there were quite a few people pushing prams with sleeping babies. Although France’s birth rate has been steadily declining, as it is in many European countries, the 9th arrondissement seems to attract a number of young, and less young parents, all patronizing the many shops and boutiques along la rue des Martyrs. Furthermore, tourists from everywhere gather there to eat, drink, spend and be merry, especially on a warm sunny day.

A century later, what is la rue des Martyrs like? Before taking a look, here’s a photo printed on a real estate agency postcard. Alas, it indicates neither photographer nor date and the real estate agent could provide no details. He did specify, however, that the postcard was most effective for advertising purposes in the increasingly gentrified, and therefore sought-after, 9th arrondissement.

Old postcard of la rue des Martyrs

Join us for a leisurely walk along la rue des Martyrs with serendipity as our guide. In order to maintain the special atmosphere of the glorious day when they were shot, our own photos are untouched by modern technological tweaks.

Dorure S/Bois. Sculpture

This antique shop specializing in repairing barometers is an Ali Baba cavern of gold-leaf painted objects. Its baroque-framed mirrors reflect the passers-by with benevolence. Its statues of saints and cherubs seem to emanate good vibes through the impeccably clean windows. One can purchase or sell one’s heirlooms by logging onto www.gillery.com as displayed on the front door.

La Chaise Longue

If you do not own a barometer and are not into antiques, this is the place for you. As the window display states – La vie est un cadeau. Life is a gift. Here’s a place to find some original ones.

Le carousel de la rue des Martyrs

When the Paris thermometer tickles the 90 degree mark, people grab a chair under a tree or a bench in the shade while toddlers giggle as the carousel takes them round and round. Although not a historical monument like the ones at the Tuileries Gardens or la Place de la Concorde, this carousel has a name, Le Lutin – The Elf, and has long been a neighborhood landmark. We were very tempted to buy a merry-go-round pass for ourselves but the image of L’Etoile‘s benevolent police officer inspired us to be content just by basking in the children’s joy.

Madame Arthur Cabaret

For more mature entertainment, la rue des Martyrs is the home of famous cabarets like Madame Arthur which dates back to the end of the 19th century. It features a variety of weekly shows and DJ sets.

Section of la rue des Martyrs

Meandering down the street will allow one to get exercise steps in while discovering the many typical shops which are part of what some call the French art de vivre.

Boucherie-Volailles- Charcuterie

This is not your ordinary butcher shop. It’s also a poulterer, a rôtisserie and a sidewalk lunch stop. Its daily homemade specialties make your taste buds dance with delight.

Bistrot Smiley

Who can resist people-watching at a sidewalk café table while chatting with a friend and sipping a glass of something cool?

Au Fond du Jardin

Several greengrocers line la rue des Martyrs. Their colorful fruit and vegetable stalls beckon the pedestrian.

Asparagus lineup.

Blanc ou vert? Que voulez-vous? White or green asparagus, which one will it be for you today?

Watermelon and strawberries

Different shades of red; different ways to quench thirst.

Cheese shop display

Brocciu is a smooth and supple Corsican cheese made with sheep or goat milk. It is referred to as “Corsica’s national cheese” despite the fact that the island is part of France. Le fromage is an integral part of the French diet. The most pungent is often the tastiest. In order to fully enjoy it, the cholesterol level must be disregarded.

Glaces Artisanales

Sesame, melon, hazelnut, pistachio, coffee, mango, raspberry ice creams made by artisans…. Have you got a cone craving?

Wall painting ads

La rue des Martryrs serves as an open-air art gallery with these famous wall ads rediscovered in 2012 during a renovation project. The Bénédictine and Ripolin paintings are now listed in the Monuments Historiques inventory as part of Paris history. They are not only advertisements but also artistic elements of the identity of a street where commerce has always thrived. Bénédictine is a liqueur concocted by a Benedictine monk at the beginning of the 16th century. Ripolin is an oil-based paint developed by a Dutch chemist in 1888.

Maurice Ravel plaque

Like most streets, la rue des Martyrs has banks, apparel boutiques, optometrists, pharmacies, salons de coiffure, coffee shops and all of the rest. Each shop is photogenic but we shall close this Martyrs photo album with a historical plaque of one of the famous individuals who resided there – French composer, pianist and conductor Maurice Ravel.

The plaque states:

Maurice Ravel, composer (1875-1937) lived here the five first years of his life. He lived in the 9th arrondissement until 1898 then from 1899 to 1901.

As was Claude Debussy, Ravel, was associated with impressionism and regarded as France’s greatest living composer in the 1920’s and 1930’s. His best-known work is probably the bewitching Boléro, composed in 1928.

Visitors of Paris usually include a climb up la Butte Montmartre in their itineraries. Without taking the pace of these Sunday-morning marathon runners whizzing by Le Lutin, tourists can embark on a scavenger hunt à la parisienne by meandering up and down la rue des Martyrs. That’s precisely why we didn’t list any exact addresses here. The fun is in the hunt, or rather, in the hike in this case. Who knows, perhaps they will encounter descendants of that 1920’s police officer?