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Origin and history

The island of the White Queen derives its name from a 13th century mansion built by Marguerite de Provence, widow of Saint Louis, for his retreat along the Bièvre. This place, called the Reyne Blanche hostel, will also house his daughter Blanche from France. Destroyed in 1404 by order of Charles VI, it gave way to industrial activities related to the river, attracting dyers like the Gobelin and Canaya families as early as the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Gobelin, specialized in scarlet dyeing, rebuilt a house and workshops on the location of the former mansion. The site evolves with a large body of turret houses (1500–1535), two Flemish staircases, and cellars. Sold in 1572 to Michel Charpentier, then transformed into habitat in the 17th century by Jean L.

The buildings, partially destroyed during the Paris Commune (1871), were restored in identical ways. The recovery of the Bièvre in 1912 and the breakthrough of Gustave-Geffroy Street modified the site. Classified Historical Monuments between 1980 and 1995, the remains (caves, stairs, facades) are preserved after a major renovation (1999–2002), opening the island to the visit.

The islet preserves traces of the 13th century medieval enclosure (visible at 12 rue Berbier-du-Mets) and workshops of dyers, witnesses to the industrial history of Paris. His name perpetuates the legend of Queen White, linked to the mourning of widowed queens in white, although the original hotel has disappeared.

Today, the triangular ensemble between the streets of the Gobelins, Berbier-du-Mets and Gustave-Geffroy illustrates the superimposition of the eras: the Royal Middle Ages, the Artisanal Renaissance, and the Industrial Revolution, all anchored in the historical district of the Gobelins.

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