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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The square René-Le Gall, also known as the Gobelins Garden, is a vast green space of 32 213 m2 located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, in the district of Croulebarbe. Built between 1936 and 1938 by architect Jean-Charles Moreux, it replaces the former island of Les Singes, bounded by two arms of the Bièvre, now disappeared. This land, formerly unsanitary and occupied by tanneries, guinguettes and worker gardens linked to the Gobelins factory, was sanitized after the river was covered in 1912. The square was inaugurated in 1938 in a neoclassical form, with aisles of poplars (replaced later by charms) and rock decorations signed by sculptor Maurice Garnier.

The square's name pays tribute to René Le Gall, the 13th arrondissement's communist municipal councillor, arrested in 1939 by the French police and then shot in 1942 by the Nazi authorities in retaliation for attacks. The garden was enlarged in 1981 and 1993, incorporating an artificial stream evoking the ancient Bièvre, and since 2011 hosts a shared garden run by a local association. Ranked a historic monument in 1997, it also houses a remarkable Indian chestnut tree, planted in 1893-1894, and offers a variety of facilities: playgrounds, sports grounds, and relaxation areas.

The square is divided into three parts: a regular garden, a "undergrowth" in groves (populated with sycomores, ash and blue cedars), and a sports area. His obelisk surrounded by trellis and rock decorations representing the four seasons and birds, the work of Maurice Garnier, makes him a notable example of the Parisian landscape heritage of the 20th century. Labeled Ecojardin, it combines industrial history, memory of the Resistance and ecological function, while remaining a place of daily life for the inhabitants of the neighborhood.

Originally, the island of the Monkeys was a popular and lively neighbourhood, where Flemish workers from the Gobelins factory, tanners working on the banks of the Bièvre, and customers of the guinguettes lived. The name of the island could come from monkeys left at liberty by batters entertaining the clientele, or from an argotic expression designating the bosses. After the remediation of the site in the 1930s, the square became a symbol of urban modernization, mixing artisanal heritage and landscape innovation.

The square is served by Corvisart metro stations (line 6) and Les Gobelins (line 7), and opens onto several squares and streets, including the Place en Homage-aux-Femmes-Victimes-de-Violences. Its entrances accessible to people with reduced mobility (street of Cordelières and rue Corvisart) reflect a desire for inclusion. Since its renovation in 2011, it combines historical heritage, biodiversity (with its Ecojardin label) and public services, such as a baby relay or a drink.

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