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Origin and history

The buildings at number 2 to 14 of rue François-Miron and 17 of rue des Barres in the 4th arrondissement of Paris were built during the 2nd quarter of the 18th century. Their construction was decided in 1732 by the churchmen of the parish of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais to replace houses threatening to ruin. The works were divided between two architects: Jacques Vinage took over the buildings of Nos. 2 to 12, while Jacques Gabriel designed No. 14 and the report building adjacent to 17 rue des Barres. The whole was completed in 1739.

During the French Revolution, these goods were sold as national goods, before being bought by the city of Paris in the 19th century. A major restoration campaign was carried out between 1942 and 1946 under the direction of architect Albert Laprade, allowing to preserve their characteristic facades and roofs. Today, these buildings are protected under the Historical Monuments, with an inscription by decree of 8 July 2003 covering their external elements and the stairway of n°14.

The ensemble illustrates the evolution of Parisian urban planning in the Enlightenment century, marked by a desire to rationalise and embellish urban spaces. Their location close to the church of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais, the historic heart of the Marais, underscores their anchoring in a neighbourhood then in the midst of a transformation, where bourgeois habitat, artisanal activities and parish life were mixed.

The facades, typical of the classic French style, reflect the influence of the great architects of the time, like Gabriel, who also worked for the crown. Their preservation bears witness to the importance attached to this civil heritage, less mediated than religious or aristocratic monuments, but equally representative of the social and architectural history of Paris.

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