Construction of building 1885 (≈ 1885)
Building built after the boulevard extension.
1902
Opening of the Chartier broth
Opening of the Chartier broth 1902 (≈ 1902)
Installation of restaurant on the ground floor.
1920
Resumed by Mr Vagenende
Resumed by Mr Vagenende 1920 (≈ 1920)
Change of ownership and name.
9 décembre 1983
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 9 décembre 1983 (≈ 1983)
Protection of the façade and decor.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Rougeot - Former owner
Get the broth back before 1920.
M. Vagenende - Owner in 1920
Give the brewery its name.
Origin and history
The Chez Chartier restaurant, located at 142 boulevard Saint-Germain in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, occupies the ground floor of a building built in 1885, shortly after the extension of this emblematic boulevard. This place, initially a Chartier broth, opened its doors in 1902 under this sign, before being taken over by Rougeot, then ceded in 1920 to M. Vagenende, who gave him his current name as Brasserie Vagenende. Its interior, marked by an original Art Nouveau decor, bears witness to the golden age of Parisian broths, these popular restaurants offering affordable cuisine in an elegant setting.
The building and its restaurant are recognized for their heritage quality, with a facade and rooms classified by order of 9 December 1983 as Historic Monuments. This protection specifically concerns the interior decor, characteristic of the establishments of this time, where art and utility blended to create a unique atmosphere. The brewery thus embodies a part of the social and culinary history of Paris, at a time when broths played a central role in the daily life of Parisians.
The period of construction of the building (1st quarter of the 20th century for the restaurant) coincides with a period of major urban transformations in Paris, marked by the rise of large boulevards and accessible dining places. Boulevard Saint-Germain, extended to connect the central districts, became a symbol of this modernity, attracting a varied clientele, from the workers to the bourgeois. The Art Nouveau decor of the brewery, with its fluid lines and organic motifs, reflects this desire to combine aesthetics and functionality, typical of the 1900s.
Today, the Brasserie Vagenende (formerly Chartier) remains a living testimony of this heritage, although its exact location is considered "passable" (note 5/10) in the geographical databases. Its official address, registered in the Mérimée base, confirms its anchoring in the 6th arrondissement, a neighbourhood rich in history and architecture. The protected elements, including the façade and the rooms, perpetuate the memory of the broths, places where all layers of Paris society crossed at the turn of the century.
