Paris 10th District
Paris 10th District is commonly known as Quartier de l’Enclos St-Laurent.
It includes: Quartier Saint-Vincent de Paul, Quartier de L’Hôpital Saint-Louis, Quartier de la Porte Saint-Martin and Quartier de la Porte Saint-Denis.
Paris 10th district, one of the most densely populated in the capital, is best known for its intense commercial activity. Despite its urban character, it has managed to preserve a charming provincial charm, notably thanks to the rehabilitation of the Canal Saint-Martin.
Twenty centuries ago, the Romans upgraded the old north-south roads crossing the Right Bank, which was then marshy. These axes were transformed into lively streets such as the Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis, the Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Martin and the Rue du Faubourg-Poissonnière.
Between the 11th and 13th centuries, several monasteries were erected in the surrounding area. The Saint-Lazare monastery oversaw the Saint-Ladre leper colony, known as the Enclos Saint-Lazare. The fairs organised by the monasteries of Saint-Laurent and Saint Lazare became important commercial gatherings that drew large crowds. In the 17th century, Saint Vincent de Paul acquired the abandoned buildings of the Saint-Lazare Enclosure to found the Congregation of the Mission.
QUARTIER DE L’HÔPITAL SAINT-LOUIS: The Saint-Louis hospital ‘s size was increased fourfold to cope with the terrible plague epidemics of 1562, 1605 and 1606. This hospital was dedicated to Louis IX, known as Saint Louis, who succumbed to illness upon his return from the crusades. Saint-Louis Hospital is the oldest in Paris, and today it specialises in dermatology.
QUARTIER DE LA PORTE SAINT-MARTIN and QUARTIER DE LA PORTE SAINT-DENIS: In the 17th century, Louis XIV commissioned the demolition of the ramparts built under the reign of Louis XIII and their replacement with the Grands Boulevards, thus establishing an important east-west communication axis. These These “New Courses”, as they were then called, were wide avenues, without buildings and lined with trees, thus offering ideal promenades for Parisians. They have given way today to the Boulevards des Capucines, des Italiens, Montmartre, Bonne Nouvelle, Saint-Denis, Saint-Martin, du Temple and Beaumarchais. The bustling Grands Boulevards were the centre of cultural and artistic life until the outbreak of the Second World War.
To commemorate his triumphs and victories, Louis XIV also had two triumphal arches built, the Porte Saint-Martin and the Porte Saint-Denis.
The construction of the Mur des Fermiers Généraux (Wall of the Farmers General) also had a significant impact on Pars 10th district, attracting a working-class population and promoting trade and crafts near the toll gates. However, the district’s major transformation took place in the 19th century with the construction of the Saint-Martin canal, and the Gare de l’Est and Gare du Nord train stations. These infrastructure developments not only facilitated transport and trade but also generated social and cultural changes.
Today, Paris 10th district boasts a rich diversity, with a high concentration of immigrants of North African and Asian origin. The rehabilitation of the Saint-Martin Canal is also revitalising the district, making it one of the most sought-after areas of the capital.
Metro stations serving Paris 10th District
Line 2: Barbès-Rochechouart, La Chapelle, Stalingrad, Jaurès, Colonel Fabien, Belleville
Line 4: Barbès-Rochechouart, Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Château d’Eau, Strasbourg Saint-Denis
Line 5: Stalingrad, Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Jacques Bonsergent, République
Line 7: Stalingrad, Louis Blanc, Château Landon, Gare de l’Est
Line 7bis: Louis Blanc, Jaurès
Line 9: Bonne Nouvelle, Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, République
Line 11: République, Goncourt, Belleville
