The rue La Boétie is a street in the 8th arrondissement of

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, running from rue d'Astorg to

avenue des Champs-Élysées Avenue or Avenues may refer to: Roads * Avenue (landscape), traditionally a straight path or road with a line of trees, in the shifted sense a tree line itself, or some of boulevards (also without trees) * Avenue Road, Bangalore * Avenue Road, Lo ...

. It is named in honour of

Étienne de La Boétie Étienne or Estienne de La Boétie (; oc, Esteve de La Boetiá; 1 November 1530 – 18 August 1563) was a French magistrate, classicist, writer, poet and political theorist, best remembered for his intense and intimate friendship with essayist ...

(1530–1563), friend of moralist

Michel de Montaigne Michel Eyquem, Sieur de Montaigne ( ; ; 28 February 1533 – 13 September 1592), also known as the Lord of Montaigne, was one of the most significant philosophers of the French Renaissance. He is known for popularizing the essay as a liter ...

History

From 1640, the space today found between the streets of the Colosseum and Berri, avenue des Champs-Élysées and the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré was occupied by the Royal nursery. This provided all the trees, shrubs and flowers for the Royal residences. Decommissioned under the Régence to make way for a subdivision planned by

John Law John Law may refer to: Arts and entertainment *John Law (artist) (born 1958), American artist *John Law (comics), comic-book character created by Will Eisner *John Law (film director), Hong Kong film director * John Law (musician) (born 1961), B ...

, the plan was eventually dropped. In 1755 the land became the property of the

Louis Phélypeaux, comte de Saint-Florentin Louis Phélypeaux (18 August 1705 – 27 February 1777) Count of Saint-Florentin, Marquis (1725) and Duke of La Vrillière (1770), was a French politician. Biography Son of Louis Phélypeaux, Marquis de La Vrillière, and Françoise de Mail ...

, who was then

Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi The Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi (french: Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi) was the secretary of state in France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration in charge of the Département de la Maison du Roi. The exact com ...

, who ceded it in 1764 to his mistress, Marie-Madeleine de Cusacque the Countess of

Langeac Langeac (; oc, Lanjac) is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France. It is located about 30 km west of Le Puy-en-Velay, and about 100 km southwest of Lyon. Population See also * Communes of the Haute-Loire de ...

(1725–1778). She then sold it in 1772 to the

Comte d'Artois Charles X (born Charles Philippe, Count of Artois; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother to reigning kings Louis XVI and Loui ...

, who later became

Charles X of France Charles X (born Charles Philippe, Count of Artois; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother to reigning kings Louis XVI and Lou ...

Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...

's younger brother. Planning approval via

Letters Patent Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...

was given on 29 November 1777, that allowed the Prince to break into the field from ''rue d'Angoulême'' with a width of , and to name it in honor of his eldest son

Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême Louis Antoine of France, Duke of Angoulême (6 August 1775 – 3 June 1844) was the elder son of Charles X of France and the last Dauphin of France from 1824 to 1830. He was disputedly King of France and Navarre for less than 20 minutes before ...

(1775–1844). New letters patent of 4 April 1778 approved the opening of the streets of Ponthieu, Neuve-de-Berri (current rue de Berri), new-de-Poitiers (current rue d'Artois) and Angoulême-Saint-Honoré. An alignment report was drawn up by the office of the City of Paris on 24 November 1778, allowing a ministerial decision to be taken on 27 December 1803 width set the width of the street to . During the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

and until 1815, the street bore the name ''rue de l'Union'' (Union Street). It then resumed its original name until 1830, when it became ''rue de la Charte'' (Street of the Charter). It then underwent a quick succession of names, becoming ''rue Lapeyrouse'', ''rue d'Angoulême'' once again (1852), ''rue de Morny'' (1863), ''rue de la Commune'' (1871), rue Mac-Mahon and finally ''rue Pierre-Charron'' in 1871. The area between the place Saint-Augustin and the place Chand-Goyon was called ''rue de la Pépinière'' until 1868, and then ''rue Abattucci''. The street took its current name in 1879, throughout its length, in honour of

(1530–1563), friend moralist of

Notable buildings

References

{{reflist Boetie