In September 2022, I stayed in Udi’s apartment on Rue Royale, and in May 2023 I “returned to the scene of the crime.” There were quite a few reasons I did that (you can read all of them in my article about that apartment), but I’d like to focus on one reason that drew me back: history.
Anyone who knows me knows that my love for Paris started with my love for its history. So there’s no greater pleasure for someone like me than living on a street or in a neighborhood where famous people once lived, grand institutions once stood, and historical events unfolded that became legend.
Rue Royale is exactly that kind of street. It’s fairly wide but not especially long, and yet almost every building on it has a story to tell. So today, let me take you on a short walk, less than 300 meters long, down the street, and tell you its secrets.
The History of Rue Royale
Before we head out for our walk down the street, a few words about its history.
At the northern end of the street, where it meets Rue Saint-Honoré, once stood the Porte Saint-Honoré, the western entrance to medieval Paris. This is the famous gate near which Joan of Arc (c. 1412-1431) was wounded during her siege of Paris, which at the time was occupied by the English and their allies.
During the 18th century, it was decided to build a square in honor of Louis XV (r. 1715-1774) near the western edge of the Tuileries Garden. This square would later become Place de la Concorde, and to let traffic flow into it from the north, the remains of the gate and the wall were torn down and a new street was built. Since the square was initially called Place Louis XV, it was decided to name the street “the Royal Street.”
And indeed, anyone standing on the street can certainly feel how royal it is, thanks to its elegant buildings, whose facades were designed by the famous architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel (1698-1782). But the street did not stay royal for very long.
In 1789 the French Revolution broke out, and in 1792 the street changed its name to “Rue de la Révolution.” It became part of the tragic last journey of those condemned to death, who were led to the guillotine set up in Place Louis XV, by then renamed Place de la Révolution.
The street kept changing names as the government changed. It became Rue Royale Saint-Honoré, then in 1795, Rue de la Concorde, and only in 1814 did it get back its original name: Rue Royale.
Speaking of kings, in 1843, during the reign of France‘s last king, Louis-Philippe (r. 1830-1848), an astonishing event took place on the street. On August 12, tens of thousands of butterflies descended on the street and its surroundings, causing traffic chaos (it’s said that the columns of the Madeleine Church were completely covered in butterflies). What caused it? Even nearly 200 years later, scientists still have no explanation.
Speaking of chaos, in 1871, during the Paris Commune, the street became one of the bloodiest battlegrounds between the Communards, who set up barricades there, and the soldiers of the Third Republic. But as far as I know, that was the last time so much blood was spilled on the street. Once the Commune ended, the Belle Époque began, and the street became one of the most glamorous in Paris, thanks to several historic establishments (some of which still exist today), which we’ll talk about now.
A Walking Tour of Rue Royale
Now that we know a bit about the history of Rue Royale, it’s time to walk down it. We’ll start our walk at Place de la Concorde, which, as mentioned, began its career as “Place Louis XV.” This square has a long, bloody and fascinating history, and you can read about it in my article Place de la Concorde: Fire, Blood and Beauty in One of Paris’s Central Squares.
Once you’ve finished enjoying the beauty of this impressive square, head north, and let’s begin our walk.
A note about the map: under the heading of each stop you’ll find its address, and every address is a link. Click it, and the location will open right away in Google Maps.
Hôtel de la Marine
Address: 2 rue Royale
This magnificent mansion, whose facade faces Place de la Concorde, though one of its main entrances is at 2 rue Royale, opened to the public in 2021.
This mansion once belonged to the official in charge of the royal furniture, and later became the main base of the French Navy, hence its name (marine, meaning “naval”). This mansion also has a fascinating history, and if you’d like to learn more, I recommend reading Ronen Sass’s article Hôtel de la Marine: The New Flagship of Paris’s Museums.
If you’d like to visit (and I highly recommend it), you can buy tickets through the following links:
- Ticket to Hôtel de la Marine
- Ticket to Hôtel de la Marine (including the apartments of the keeper of the royal furniture)
- Combined ticket for Hôtel de la Marine and the Fondation Louis Vuitton
- Combined ticket for Hôtel de la Marine and Musée Marmottan Monet
Maxim’s
Address: 3 rue Royale
If there’s a restaurant whose name alone says splendor and wealth, it’s Maxim’s. The place actually started out quite modestly.
In 1891, Maxime Gaillard, a Parisian waiter, bought a bankrupt ice cream shop that stood on the spot and decided to turn it into a bistro. How could an ice cream shop in one of the best locations in Paris go bankrupt, you ask? Simple! A year earlier, the shop’s owner had decided to fly the German flag, of all days, on July 14 (quite the timing). In response, the Parisian crowd stormed the place, and not to buy vanilla ice cream: whatever wasn’t destroyed was confiscated.
But Gaillard’s bistro didn’t really succeed either, and he was forced to sell it. His successor didn’t do much better in business and had to sell the place to Max Lebaudy. Under Max, things finally started going right.
What made the place a success was its Art Nouveau interior design, and the fact that the owner managed to bring in not only high society (including the Prince of Wales), but also some of the most beautiful women of the era, whom he seated by the windows to tempt wealthy passersby strolling down the street to come inside.
And so, over the course of the twentieth century, Maxim’s became a pilgrimage site for the cream of Paris society, and according to the composer Franz Lehár, everyone came there accompanied by their mistresses, but never by their lawful wives.
Speaking of Franz Lehár, he was so taken with the place and its atmosphere that he decided to set the third act of his operetta, “The Merry Widow,” inside the restaurant.
Maxim’s kept thriving even as it changed hands, and its success didn’t slow down during the German occupation, when the restaurant became a favorite of senior military and SS officers. After the war ended, the success continued, and Maxim’s owners opened restaurants around the world and moved into catering for airports and airplanes (yes, there was a time when airplane food didn’t taste like plastic).
But over the years, the name Maxim’s became something of a touristy cliché, a symbol of bygone days. The place, now owned by Pierre Cardin, hasn’t served food worthy of the refined palates of the elite for a long time. On the other hand, chances are that if you show up without a tie, no snobby headwaiter will throw you out, and that’s something.
Restaurant hours
Tuesday–Saturday, 10:30–19:00.
The Home of Madame de Staël
Address: 6 rue Royale
Madame de Staël (Germaine de Staël, 1766-1817) was the daughter of Louis XVI’s finance minister, a society figure and writer. She lived most of her life at this address, where she held her famous literary salon. Madame de Staël, who initially admired Napoleon, eventually became one of his greatest enemies, and as a result was forced to leave Paris. In those days, people said that three mighty powers fought against Napoleon: England, Russia, and Madame de Staël…
When Napoleon’s rule finally collapsed after the Battle of Waterloo, Madame de Staël returned to Paris, but not to this address. She spent her final years at 40 rue des Mathurins, about a 10-minute walk from here.
Today, if you step inside, you’ll find an antiques shop called Steinitz, selling 18th and 19th century furniture, so who knows, maybe you’ll find the very chair or armchair Madame de Staël once sat in herself :).
Udi’s Apartment
Address: 7 rue Royale
As far as I know, the only historical figure who ever lived here is the Francophile himself :-). But you too can stay in this charming apartment.
If you liked the video above, feel free to check out this article to read more about the apartment.
The Home of the Architect Gabriel
Address: 8 rue Royale
This house was home to the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel, who was responsible not only for the street and Place de la Concorde, but also for a series of other famous buildings, including the Petit Trianon and the opera house at Versailles, and the École Militaire, located not far from the Eiffel Tower, among others.
Today it’s a standard residential building, but if the gate happens to be open, it’s definitely worth peeking into the small courtyard and enjoying a bit of the genius of the architect who once lived there.
Christofle’s Jewelry Shop
Address: Rue Royale 9
If Maxim’s became the restaurant that, more than any other, symbolizes the wealth of the “beautiful people” of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, then the Christofle shop is without a doubt where they bought their knives and forks.
It all began when Charles Christofle, who worked in kitchenware manufacturing, learned a technique that let him create gold-plated (or silver-plated) knives and forks. Louis-Philippe, France‘s last king, greatly admired his work and made him the royal supplier. Christofle and his successors continued to thrive during the era of Napoleon III and the Third Republic, becoming synonymous with luxury.
Their shop arrived at its current address shortly before World War I, and although the war wiped out “the world of yesterday,” Christofle survived into our own time. Today you’ll find various kitchen items there (for your wife or husband), jewelry (for your mistress or lover), and even silver menorahs!
Opening hours
Tuesday–Saturday, 10:30–19:00.
Lalique’s Shop
Address: 11 rue Royale
When René Lalique (1860-1945) moved here in 1936 from Rue de la Paix, near the Paris Opera, he was already a famous artist.
Lalique began his career as a jeweler, but in 1907 he also started producing perfume bottles, commissioned by François Coty (1874-1934). The success of his perfume bottles was immediate, and alongside his career as a jeweler, it led him to also become a celebrated glass artist.
As mentioned, Lalique’s shop has been here for nearly 90 years, and you’ll find figurines, bottles and other glass artworks that will cost you quite a bit of money.
Opening hours
Tuesday–Saturday, 10:30–19:00.
The House of the Man Who Censored The Barber of Seville
Address: 13 rue Royale
This house was home to Monsieur Souard, who served as one of the royal censors during the 1770s. His job was to review every play before its release and make sure it contained no subversive messages.
When Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732-1799) wrote The Barber of Seville in 1773, a comedy that deals, among other things, with relations between the upper class and their servants, it was Souard who made sure to censor parts of it. Despite that, the play became a huge success and later a famous opera, thanks to Rossini.
But with all due respect to The Barber of Seville, it was the second play in Beaumarchais’s trilogy, The Marriage of Figaro, that truly shook French society to its core, thanks to Figaro’s subversive line to Count Almaviva: “What did you do to earn all this wealth, my lord, other than being born?”
There’s no doubt that question echoed across all of France, and the play led, even if indirectly, to the French Revolution, whose bloody results you can encounter at Place de la Concorde, which, as mentioned, isn’t far from here.
Ladurée’s Pâtisserie
Address: 16 rue Royale
Like the Lachaume flower shop next door, this business is considered one of the great symbols of the street, and to this day it keeps the fanciful atmosphere of the Belle Époque alive.
The place was founded by Louis Ernest Ladurée in 1862, and although many branches have opened over the years, this is the original, first one. In 1871, the bakery burned down during the civil war between the Communards and government forces, and was rebuilt. During the renovation, little angels dressed as bakers were painted on the pâtisserie’s ceiling, and they became the symbol of the place.
For the next 60 years the place wasn’t especially famous, until the owner, Pierre Desfontaines, decided to revive an ancient pastry from the depths of history, one that was brought to France by none other than Queen Catherine de’ Medici (1519-1589): the macaron.
Ladurée’s macaron became a household name, and starting in the 1980s, the company began growing and opening more branches in Paris and around the world. I personally am not a big fan of macarons, but if you love this pastry, feel free to go in, try one, and tell me whether you think it’s better than the ones from Pierre Hermé, who once ran the place before starting his own famous pâtisserie chain.
Opening hours
Monday–Friday, 08:00–19:30.
Saturday, 09:00–19:30.
Sunday, 10:00–19:30.
Le Village Royal
Address: 25 rue Royale
This is a kind of passage (without a roof) connecting Rue Royale and Rue Boissy d’Anglas, a paradise for anyone looking for luxury brands.
You’ll find shops here from Christian Dior, Chanel, and quite a few other, lesser known luxury brands. There’s also a café serving a mediocre breakfast at an outrageous price, but hey, at least you get to sit at a little table and watch chic Parisians stroll through the passage. What’s wrong with that?
Lucas Carton
Address: 27 rue Royale
This upscale restaurant has existed since 1880 and still holds onto its status (no small feat, especially compared to the fate of Maxim’s, back at the start of the street). The place became legendary thanks to several great chefs who worked here, chief among them Alain Senderens, who ran the place from 1985 to 2013.
Here you’ll find a restaurant serving expensive, carefully prepared food, alongside a bistro called Le Petit Lucas, which serves delicious food that mere mortals can also afford (about €40 for lunch). All of this is served inside an elegant building from 1839. It’s definitely worth trying, at least once in your life.
Opening hours
Tuesday–Saturday, 12:30–14:00 and 19:30–21:30.
The Madeleine Church
We’ve reached the end of the street and the impressive Madeleine Church. This church has a fascinating history, and if you’d like to learn about it, I recommend reading my article The Madeleine Church: From an Ancient Synagogue to Napoleon’s Temple of Glory.
If you’d like to keep exploring, let me recommend a culinary walking route around the Madeleine Church. You can find it in my article The Madeleine Church: A Culinary Walking Route for Food Lovers.
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