Boulevard Paris 13

The Boulevard Vincent-Auriol stretches 1,410 meters through Paris's 13th arrondissement, linking the Place d'Italie with the Pont de Bercy. Named after the French statesman and president of the Fourth Republic, Vincent Auriol, the street has its origins in the history of the Paris city wall. It follows the course of the former Mur des Fermiers généraux, which was moved south in 1818 to bring the then village of Austerlitz into the city. After the tax wall was abolished in 1860, the road took on its present form and was first called Boulevard de la Gare, before receiving its current name in 1976. The route climbs gently uphill, and in its middle stretch it is crossed by the elevated tracks of Line 6, which runs above ground here before plunging underground into the Place d'Italie station.

On this boulevard, you'll find a mix of historical significance and modern urban development. While the low houses and small shops of the past were replaced by large apartment complexes in the 1960s and 1970s, a few places still bear witness to the area's industrial past, such as the Square de la Raffinerie-Say, which recalls what was once the world's largest sugar refinery. The Lutheran Church of the Trinity, built in 1888, also shapes the streetscape. An important memorial site lies in the neighboring James Joyce Garden, which commemorates the tragic apartment fire of 2005 that claimed 17 lives. The boulevard is also known for its extensive collection of large-scale urban art adorning the building facades. Via the Avenue de France and the Avenue Pierre-Mendès-France, it also provides access to other cultural districts such as the Quartier des Grandes Photographes.