Faubourg Saint-Antoine

The rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine is one of the oldest streets in Paris. It links the Place de la Bastille to the Place de la Nation. It takes its name from the old Saint-Antoine abbey which stood nearby until the 18th century. Since the Middle Ages, this artery has been teeming with trade. Many craftsmen from the neighbouring suburbs gathered here and the district became known for its concentration of cabinetmakers, who set up their workshops here from the 15th century onwards! Specialising in woodworking, they passed on their knowledge from father to son and at the beginning of the 20th century, the street was still lined with workshops, warehouses and furniture shops. Nowadays, those that are still open on the street are surrounded by numerous ready-to-wear shops, decoration shops, restaurants and bars. Still as lively as ever, the rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine is more popular than ever. Around it, in a maze of courtyards and passages with poetic names, lacquerers, gilders and upholsterers perpetuate the tradition. Among these courtyards and passages, let's mention the Chantier passage, the Etoile d'Or courtyard, the Shadocks courtyard, the Damoye courtyard, the Cheval Blanc passage, the Bel-Air courtyard and the Lhomme passage (some of these courtyards and passages can be protected by a door equipped with a digicode).