Rue François Miron – Historic Paris’ houses

Rue François Miron, one of the oldest streets in Paris

Rue François Miron is one of the oldest streets in Paris.

Rue Francois Miron - Maison du Faucheur and Maison du Mouton
Rue Francois Miron – Maison du Faucheur and Maison du Mouton

It indeed replaces a section of a road that the Romans built twenty centuries ago to connect Lutetia (ancient Paris) to the town of Melun, to the east. It begins behind the Church of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais, in the heart of the historic Marais district.

This picturesque enclave of the Quartier Saint-Gervais (neighbourhood) miraculously escaped demolition during the major renovations of Paris undertaken by Baron Haussmann in the mid-19th century.

Strolling along this street, you will discover several beautiful private mansions and listed houses, some of which are among the oldest in Paris.

Maison du Faucheur and Maison du Mouton

The Maison du Faucheur (House of the Reaper), at No. 11, and the Maison du Mouton (House of the Sheep), at No. 13, are two medieval half-timbered houses.

Rue Francois Miron - Maison du Faucheur and Maison du Mouton
Maison du Faucheur and Maison du Mouton

They started as inns and were named after the signs that hung above their entrances (Faucheur means reaper, and Mouton means sheep).

These houses, built in the 14th century, were long considered the oldest in Paris. However, as they were raised in the 16th century, and their upper floors modified over the centuries, they are now accounted ‘only’ among the oldest, although their ground floors remain original.

In accordance with old Parisian building standards, their half-timbered facades were initially covered with plaster to reduce the risk of fire. This plaster was removed in 1967 during their restoration, which was initiated by André Malraux, Minister of Culture. This initiative coincided with the designation of the Marais district as a “Protected Sector.”

The Maison du Mouton stands at the corner of Rue Francis Miron and the narrow Rue Cloche-Percé, a street created in the 13th century. These two houses are considered remarkable examples of medieval architecture and are listed as historical monuments.

Directions: 4th district – nos11-13 Rue Francois Miron
Metro: St-Paul or Hôtel-de-Ville on Line 1
Coordinates nos11-13 Rue Francois Miron: Lat 48.855794 – Long 2.356891

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