THE TRADE ROUTE DIVIDES INTO SEGMENTS

EACH REVEALS THE PAST 

The first segment, which dates from the 13th century) goes up to the church whose steeple you glimpse (look very carefully).

#  #  #

When the rampart built toward 1200 made the fortress obsolete, it became the prison, Tribunal, police headquarters and morgue. 

 Le Grand Châtelet vu de la rue Saint-Denis by T.G.H. Hoffbauer / zoom, drawing based on the archives

   

This map from 1750 shows why rue Saint-Denis starts at a distance from the river.

The Châtelet quarter, 1750 / zoom

In the 1850's Paris underwent a giant transformation — more later —  and this open space replaced the Grand Châtelet.

 

La fountain des Victories, built in 1808 to celebrate Napoleon's victories, was moved here (in 1854).

 Rue Saint-Denis begins at the east-west trade route:  

 Paris in the 11th Century / zoom (please scroll down)

The yellow arrow shows a location, the red one our route. 

 

*   *   *

Next,

Touristy shops and fast-foods at the trade route's start