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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The bakery located at 34 avenue de Choisy, in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, is a remarkable example of commercial architecture from the 2nd quarter of the 20th century. This monument, classified among the Historical Monuments, is distinguished by its front and interior decoration, protected by ministerial decree of 23 May 1984. These artistic elements reflect the Art Deco style, a major current of the inter-war period, marked by geometric lines and a modern and ornamental aesthetic.

Between 1927 and 1937, the Benoist and Fils workshop, as well as the decorator Albert Raybaud, collaborated to create the decorations of this bakery. Their work illustrates the importance attached to the beautification of Parisian shops during this period, when art crafts and industrial design combined to create functional and aesthetic spaces. The avenue de Choisy, located in a rapidly changing neighbourhood, then benefited from an urban dynamic conducive to this type of achievement.

The protection of this monument in 1984 underscores its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its testimony to the business and artistic practices of the 1930s. Today, this place embodies the memory of the decorative know-how of the time, while recalling the central role of bakeries in Parisian daily life. These establishments, well beyond their food function, were places of social and cultural transmission in the working-class neighbourhoods.

The location of this monument, although documented (34 avenue de Choisy), remains approximate according to available sources, with an accuracy assessed as "passible" (note of 5/10). This geolocalized uncertainty, however, does not alter the recognition of its historical and artistic interest, confirmed by its inscription as the Historical Monuments.

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