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This Parisian boulevard is the only one named after a woman

undefined undefined 28 novembre 2025 undefined 07h30

undefined undefined 4 décembre 2025 undefined 15h19

The Editor

© Wikimedia Commons

In Paris, every street, square, or avenue name carries a story — quite unknown to the residents of the City of Light, by the way. It's often about men, sometimes battles, occasionally countries of the world, and rarely, too rarely, about women. However, one of them has the honor of being the only one to have her name on a boulevard. But who could it be?

It’s one of the most iconic boulevards in the northern part of the capital. Spanning 730 meters, it encircles a part of the Butte Montmartre, connecting boulevard de Clichy and boulevard Barbès. For those who haven’t guessed it yet, we’re talking about the boulevard Marguerite de Rochechouart, a relatively short road that is rich in stories and anecdotes. But let’s take a step back to understand who it is named after.


An emblematic figure of 18th century Paris

In 1133, Louis VI le Gros and his wife Adélaïde de Savoie establish the royal abbey of Montmartre, which quickly becomes a significant Benedictine monastery for women, occupying a large part of the namesake hill. It was in 1713 that its history intersects with that of Marguerite de Rochechouart de Montpipeau, as this one...black is appointed abbess of the place.

Hailing from a powerful noble family, known for its culture, intelligence, and appreciation of the arts, she quickly embarked on a grand restoration of the abbey to bring back its original splendor, which had been slightly neglected. Surrounded by artists and scholars, she provided the community with spiritual, financial, and cultural stability, becoming a key figure in the abbey and, more broadly, in Parisian society of the time.


A gentle breeze of change

Since its naming in 1864, the boulevard pays tribute to this remarkable religious woman, but unfortunately it remains an exception in the long list of Parisian thoroughfares. According to the latest studies, currently, only 15% of avenues, squares, and other streets in P...Paris has names of women. Fortunately, in recent years, the City of Paris has tried to do a rebalancing of its toponymy by naming new streets after strong female figures.

Even though the journey is still long, we appreciate the effort. And while we're waiting for a perfect equality, we don't hesitate to take a stroll down Rochechouart Boulevard to admire its remarkable monuments, like number 23, the birthplace of Jean Gabin, the former location of the famous cabaret Le Chat Noir at 84, or La Cigale, to enjoy some music vibes at number 120.