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| An area formed by the Rue de la Petite Truanderie and Rue de la Grande Truanderie |
Location: Begins at 55 Boulevard de Sébastopol and ends on Rue Mondétour
English translation
[This plaque has disappeared, and its text is not available. However, please refer to the background notes for some historical facts, which may shed light on what may have been featured on the plaque.]
Background notes
- The Rue de la Grande-Truanderie dates back to at least the 13th century, appearing in records as early as 1250. At that time, it was an important thoroughfare in what was then called the Quartier des Halles, near the bustling central marketplace of Paris. Historically, it was divided into two parts: the Grande-Truanderie and the Petite-Truanderie, reflecting the medieval organisation of this quarter of Paris.
- The street runs along the side of the Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles church (see plaque #9).
- There are at least two interpretations of the origins of its name:
- Some historians such as Sauval and Cenalis suggest it derives from "truant," an old term meaning "beggar" or "rogue," indicating the area's association with vagrants and fortune-tellers.
- Others like Jaillot believe it comes from "truage," meaning "taxes," as there was reportedly a bureau on the street where import duties were collected on goods entering Paris.
- The first interpretation is supported by its proximity to one of Paris's infamous "Cours des Miracles," areas where beggars feigned ailments to elicit alms and were "miraculously" cured upon returning home. Naming the street after a “truand” or beggar reflects its reputation as part of the city's seedier districts during the Middle Ages and early modern period.
- The association with the Cour des Miracles also highlights the stark contrast between wealth and poverty in Paris, where affluent areas were often situated near zones of destitution.
- In 1817, the street was 243 metres long, now only 34 metres long, reflecting Paris's extensive urban transformation. This included the development of Les Halles into a more modernised market and eventually into the current Forum des Halles (see plaque #11).