[An illustration of a ship, symbolizing the symbol of Paris]

Histoire de Paris

Rue du Ponceau
Un petit pont sur la rue Saint-Denis, au-dessus dun égout à ciel ouvert, a valu son nom à la rue du Ponceau. L’égout du Ponceau rejoignait en effet vers la rue des Petites-Ecuries le Grand Egout qui, par las rues de Provence, La Boétie et Marbeuf, se jetait dans la Seine un peu à l’ouest de la place de l’Alma. En 1605, ce cloaque qui empuantissait les environs fut couvert aux frais du prévôt des marchands, François Mirón, entre les rues Saint-Martin et Saint-Denis; cela permit de créer la rue de l’égout-du-Ponceau, devenue rue du Ponceau A l’intersection de l’égout et de la rue Saint-Denis s’élevait la fontaine du Ponceau, refaite en 1642; déplacée, elle se trouve maintenant adossée à la maison du 142 de la rue Saint-Denis.

[illustration of the street]

One of the series of signs describing historical places in Paris. The signs were placed starting in 1992 and are also called sucettes Starck (Starck’s Lollipops) after Philippe Starck who designed them.

The sign depicts Ponceau Street, a street that actually existed since 1331. In 1605, it got its name from a small bridge that went over a sewer, when the street was built over the covered sewer.

The street was photographed on the same day Click for a larger image Click for a larger image

The illustration in the center of the sign is shown here at magnification Click for a larger image

Translation of the text on the sign:
[An illustration of a ship, symbolizing the symbol of Paris]

History of Paris

Ponceau Street
A small bridge on rue Saint-Denis, above an open sewer, gave rue du Ponceau its name. The Ponceau sewer in fact joined towards the Rue des Petites-Ecuries the Grand Egout which, via the Rues de Provence, La Boétie and Marbeuf, flowed into the Seine a little to the west of the Place de l’Alma. In 1605, this cesspool which was stinking up the surrounding area was covered at the expense of the provost of merchants, François Mirón, between the streets of Saint-Martin and Saint-Denis; this made it possible to create the rue de l’enseignement-du-Ponceau, which became rue du Ponceau. At the intersection of the sewer and rue Saint-Denis stood the Ponceau fountain, rebuilt in 1642; moved, it is now attached to the house at 142 rue Saint-Denis.

[illustration of the street]