Rue de Turenne is one of the longest streets in the Marais (second, in my opinion, only to Rue de Temple). Despite having quite a few interesting spots along it, most visitors don’t really know it, except maybe a few foodies who come to visit the famous shop of Jacques Janin.
That’s a real shame, because you’ll find here not just a few important food shops, but also a church with a painting by Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), several interesting buildings, a hidden garden just off the street, and a few more hidden gems.
In November 2023 I lived right near the end of this street (in a friend’s apartment on Rue Beranger), and that gave me plenty of chances to walk its length. On almost every walk I discovered another hidden gem or historic building that I had somehow missed before.
I’ve put the spots I find most interesting into a single walking route that runs along Rue de Turenne and combines history, food and art.
Before we start the route, I want to tell you who this Turenne was, the man the street we’ll be walking today is named after.
Who was Rue de Turenne named after?
Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne (1611-1675), was one of the greatest French military commanders, admired by many, Napoleon included.
Henri came from quite an impressive lineage. On his father’s side, he was a descendant of the La Tour d’Auvergne family, to which Catherine de’ Medici also belonged (her mother came from this family). On his mother’s side, he was from the House of Orange-Nassau and was the grandson of William “the Silent” (1533-1584), the Protestant nobleman who led the revolt against Spain and whose family would later go on to rule the Netherlands.
Although Henri would become one of the finest field commanders in French history, he grew up as a sickly, weak child. His desire for a military career pushed him to spend many hours on physical training so he could enlist. And indeed, in 1626, Henri joined the army of the Low Countries, under the command of his uncle, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange (1584-1647), who was fighting against the Spanish.
After several years fighting alongside the Prince of Orange, Henri decided to fight in the army of the king of France, where he won one of his first great victories by capturing the fortress of Breisach in 1638. Following the victories he achieved, Turenne was made a marshal in 1643 and was one of those responsible, alongside the Prince de Condé (Louis II de Bourbon, 1621-1686), for France’s victory in the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648).
But, a bit like what often happens closer to home, once the war with the outside ended, an internal war began, and France found itself in a civil war known as the Fronde, named after the sling used by the rebels to smash windows.
This war had two parts: the Fronde of the Parlement and later the Fronde of the Nobles. While Turenne initially supported the rebels, he later switched sides when Spain tried to take advantage of the French civil war to gain control of the country, and he defeated Condé at the Battle of Faubourg Saint-Antoine, fought just east of where Place de la Bastille stands today (about a 15-minute walk from the start of Rue de Turenne).
Following his victories in the Fronde, Turenne was given the rank of Marshal General by Louis XIV, which is in fact the highest rank an officer can receive in the French army. Throughout history, only a handful of officers have ever received this honor. Turenne continued to fight for the king of France in the years that followed, and even invaded the Low Countries, where he had begun his military career.
In 1675, after a series of brilliant victories against the forces of the Holy Roman Empire in the region of Alsace, Turenne was killed by a cannonball during the Battle of Salzbach. That was how a brilliant military career came to an end. If you’d like to lay a wreath on his grave, you’ll find it at Les Invalides, where he’s buried next to Napoleon, who admired him so greatly.
The street we’re about to walk existed long before Turenne was born, and it started out as a sewer that ran along the street’s path. Since the smell bothered King Charles VI (r. 1380-1422), it was decided to cover the sewer, and that’s how the layout of the street we know today began to take shape.
Turenne himself lived in a mansion located at numbers 66-70, which sadly no longer exists. This is the main reason the street was named after the decorated officer, though it wasn’t Louis XIV who decided on it, but rather Napoleon III, who named the street after the commander on October 6, 1865.
Walking Route Along Rue de Turenne
I recommend doing this walk on a day without rain. We’ll actually start at the end of the street and work our way back to the beginning, and there’s a reason for that, which you’ll understand later.
If you’re staying in Udi’s apartment on Rue Béranger, all you need to do is head to 134 Rue de Turenne, where our walk begins. If you’re staying somewhere else, you’re welcome to get to the République metro station (lines 3, 5, 8, 9 or 11). From the square, walk along Boulevard du Temple until you reach the corner where it crosses Rue Charlot. Walk down the street until you reach our starting point (134 Rue de Turenne).
Made it? Let’s get going!
Instead of a map: under the heading of each stop you’ll find its address, and every address is a link. Click it, and the location opens right up in Google Maps.
Tout Autour du Pain and the Boucherat Fountain
An army marches on its stomach, so there’s no reason we shouldn’t do the same. That’s why we’re starting our walk at the boulangerie Tout Autour du Pain, which won first place in a baguette competition and whose owner, Benjamin Turquier, also won France’s best croissant competition.
Beyond the croissants and baguettes, you’ll find a whole row of other pastries here. Fans of the chausson aux pommes are ready to swear this is the best place in Paris to find that particular treat.
Since I used to live not far from here, I can personally vouch that the breads, which I used to buy every morning, are genuinely excellent. So if you’ve made it this far, I highly recommend buying a pastry or a sandwich here. Don’t worry, I have a great spot for you to eat it all a little later (the place is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., so I’m sure it’ll be open whenever you visit the area).
After leaving the boulangerie, you’ll probably notice a lovely fountain across the street, on the corner of Rue de Turenne and Rue Charlot. This is the Fontaine Boucherat, named after Louis Boucherat (1616-1699), who served as the chancellor of France between 1685 and 1699.
The fountain’s inscription tells us that its purpose, beyond supplying water to the neighborhood’s residents, was to commemorate the Peace of Ryswick of 1697. To the great disappointment of the Europeans, that peace didn’t hold for long, and about three years later the War of the Spanish Succession broke out, bringing Louis XIV’s long reign to a jarring end.
Jacques Genin
Right next to the fountain, at 133 Rue de Turenne, you’ll find the legendary chocolate shop of Jacques Genin.
For those who don’t know him, Jacques is self-taught. He started his career working in a slaughterhouse and slowly climbed the ranks of chocolatiers until he reached the very top, which eventually made him the main sweets supplier for luxury hotels such as Le Meurice.
In 2008, Jacques Genin opened his shop in the Marais, and he’s considered a legend among dessert lovers everywhere. In the shop you can buy pralines, and on weekends also cakes. Personally, I love his fruit jellies (pâte de fruits) the most, which bear no resemblance at all to what we’re usually sold back home. Taste them and you’ll understand.
Either way, whether you love chocolate or fruit jellies, if you’ve made it this far I highly recommend treating yourself to something, even though the prices aren’t low. Not every day do you come across a shop at the level of La Chocolaterie de Jacques Genin. Put what you bought in your bag, along with the pastries or sandwiches you bought earlier, and let’s keep going.
The Statue of Turenne
Continue along the same side of the street until you reach number 111 (at the corner of Rue de Normandie). There you’ll find a statue of a boy holding a sword in his hand, his leg resting on a cannon.
This is none other than Turenne, for whom the street is named. The statue was created by Lucien Benoit Hercule (1846-1913), a French sculptor who created several works for the City of Paris.
I find something truly charming and surprising about this statue. Unlike statues of France’s heroes, which are usually placed in the middle of a square or garden, this one sits right on the sidewalk, close to the passerby walking the street, which gives it a certain intimacy. Also, the simple fact that Turenne isn’t shown here as a grown man, but as a boy with his whole future ahead of him, gives it a very strong human dimension, at least in my eyes.
Galerie Perrotin
Cross the street and continue to number 76. You’ll find a private mansion (hôtel particulier) there, its gate facing the street wide open. Step inside, and this is the sight that greets you.
This is Galerie Perrotin, opened by Emmanuel Perrotin inside an 18th-century mansion. You’ll find rotating exhibitions of various modern artists, whose works Emmanuel sells. Personally, I wasn’t particularly drawn to what I saw inside, but I really loved the staircase, the statue with the lamps, and the two beautiful reliefs on the wall.
Église Saint Denys du Saint Sacrement
Right next to the gallery, at number 70, you’ll find the church of Saint Denys du Saint Sacrement. This is the second, lesser known church named after Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris, who had his head cut off in Montmartre and reportedly kept walking and preaching, carrying his severed head (the more famous church is of course the Basilica of Saint-Denis, which, truth be told, isn’t actually in Paris itself but in one of its suburbs).
This church was built between 1826 and 1835 by the architect Étienne-Hippolyte Godde (1781-1869), on land once occupied by a 17th-century convent.
The church’s facade is fairly plain, and as a result quite a few people walk right past it without ever glancing inside, which is a shame. You, of course, won’t make that mistake, and you’ll step inside to enjoy the beautiful frescoes above the altar.
But the real showstopper is hiding to your right (assuming you’re standing with your back to the entrance). There you’ll find, no less, an original painting by Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), depicting the deposition of Christ from the cross.
This painting was completed in just 17 days in 1844, and the great poet Baudelaire wrote of it that it was “a masterpiece that leaves a deep crack of melancholy in the mind.” Is that what you felt too? I’d love to hear from you.
And one last thing before we move on: I recall that every so often, the Portuguese community here holds a kind of charity food fair. If you happen to catch one, don’t miss the fried salt cod, one of Portugal’s most famous dishes.
The House of La Bruyère and a Magical, Hidden Garden
After you’ve finished visiting the church, head to number 68, right next door. There’s no particularly special architecture here, but this is where Jean de La Bruyère (1645-1696) once lived.
Jean de La Bruyère, who served Prince de Condé as a librarian and later worked at the king’s court, was a very introverted man with an extremely sharp eye.
His only book, Les Caractères, deals with life at the French royal court, dissecting its various figures with a surgeon’s precision. The characters are never named directly, but the people at court quickly figured out who was who, and the book became one of the most successful books of the 17th century (during the author’s lifetime, 9 editions of the book were published, each one bigger and more thorough than the last).
Continue toward number 60, where you’ll find the Hôtel d’Ecquevilly, better known as the Hôtel du Grand Veneur. This mansion was built for Boucherat, the same man who built the fountain we saw earlier, and during the 18th century it passed into the hands of the Duc d’Ecquevilly (Hennequin duc d’Ecquevilly), who served as the head of the royal hunt (vénerie), which is why the mansion is called Grand Veneur.
As a rule, you can’t go inside this mansion, but you can and should visit its garden, which is exactly what we’re about to do. Continue a bit further and turn left onto Rue Villehardouin. At the end of that street, turn left again onto Rue Hesse, and there you are!
The garden is called Saint Gilles-Grand Veneur, named after Rue Saint-Gilles and the mansion of the royal hunt master, whose back section you can see from here. If you’re visiting in spring, you’ll be treated to gorgeous roses, but the garden is well worth a visit in any season.
If you listened to my advice and bought yourself some treats at Tout Autour du Pain and Jacques Genin, this is the perfect spot to sit down and enjoy them. Bon appétit!
The Best Boeuf Bourguignon in Paris, and a Small, Charming Fountain
Once you’ve finished visiting the lovely garden, you’re welcome to retrace your steps back to Rue de Turenne and cross it to reach its odd-numbered side.
If you’re hungry, head to number 49, where you’ll find Café des Musées, a quite decent French restaurant serving traditional, carefully prepared French food. If you love boeuf bourguignon, you really have to order it here, since this place reportedly serves the best boeuf bourguignon in Paris.
I’ll admit I’m not a fan of this dish, so it was hard for me to judge whether it was really the best in Paris, but the people who ate it with me enjoyed it a great deal, and we both agreed that the mashed potatoes that came with it were simply excellent.
Whether you ate or not, you’re welcome to continue on to number 41, where you’ll find a charming fountain with a little boy standing on a shell at its center.
The fountain is called Fontaine de Joyeuse, and it was built in 1847. This fountain, created by the sculptor Isidore-Romain Boitel (1812-1860), replaced an older fountain from 1671, itself one of 15 fountains that Louis XIV had placed around the city to provide its residents with clean water.
The little boy represents the waters of the Ourcq river, which feed the fountain, but I like to imagine that it’s actually an even younger Turenne, and that one day, at the end of Rue de Turenne, someone will erect a statue of Turenne the conqueror.
What Does Place des Vosges Look Like from the Inside?
We’re starting to approach the end of our walk, but we still have two more stops to see. Continue south to number 23, where you’ll find the Hôtel de Colbert. This isn’t the mansion of the famous finance minister of Louis XIV (he lived north of the Palais-Royal).
This one belonged to Édouard Colbert de Villacerf (1628-1699), who built himself a mansion that stayed in the Colbert family until 1755, with this charming fountain at its center.
The fountain was restored in 2011, and unfortunately you can only see it through the gates (unless you’re lucky enough to find the gate open). And speaking of gates, cross to the other side of the street to number 14. There, through the railings, you can catch a glimpse of one of the inner courtyards of Place des Vosges.
The truth is that in 2011, that same year they restored the fountain I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I happened to be living in one of the apartments whose entrance opens onto this very courtyard.
It’s true, the location was absolutely perfect, and it was a joy to step into this small, magical garden whenever I wanted. But the apartment itself was dirty and so small that the showerhead was mounted right above the toilet, which you had to sit on to take a shower. Horrible!
That’s exactly why you won’t find that apartment on my list of recommended apartments.
And so, with this magical sight, we wrap up our walk along Rue de Turenne. I really hope you enjoyed exploring it as much as I enjoyed writing about it.
Want More Information About the Marais?
If you’ve also fallen in love with the Marais and want to live there or learn more about its history, I recommend reading the article The Marais: The Complete Traveler’s Guide.
If you’re looking for more walking routes in the Marais, here are a few solid options:
- A walking route through the Marais covering all the main attractions : if you only have time for one walking route, this is the one I’d recommend. It passes between the main attractions in the 3rd arrondissement and the 4th arrondissement and lets you experience a good deal of this neighborhood’s charm.
- A walking route through the northern Marais, following Nir Retzkovsky’s novel “Bat, Ahuvah” : this is an advanced historical tour that will let you discover lesser-known areas of the northern Marais and introduce you to the fascinating figure of Madame de Sévigné.
- The Western Marais: a walking route through the lesser-known part of my favorite Parisian neighborhood : the western part of the Marais, including the area around the Centre Pompidou, is less familiar to most tourists. So if you consider yourself an “advanced Francophile,” I’m sure you’ll really enjoy this walking route.
- A culinary tour of the Marais : once you’ve had your fill of the Marais’s history, it’s time to discover its great restaurants and other culinary gems. That’s exactly what this one delivers.
- Let Them Eat Éclairs: a pastry tour of the Marais : another culinary walking route through the Marais, this time with a focus on boulangeries and pâtisseries.
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