Place Émile-Goudeau, Square and pedestrian zone in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France
Place Émile-Goudeau is a small cobblestone square and pedestrian zone in the heart of Montmartre, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. Several trees shade the space, a Wallace fountain stands at its center, and the building known as the Bateau-Lavoir occupies one side.
The square was originally called Place Ravignan and was officially renamed in 1911 in honor of the poet Émile Goudeau. Before that, the area had been home to a well-known tavern with a giant pear tree, the Poirier-sans-Pareil, which closed around 1830 when nearby quarry work made the ground unsafe.
The square is named after Émile Goudeau, a poet and songwriter who was active in Montmartre in the late 1800s and founded the literary club Les Hydropathes. Today, visitors can still see people sitting on benches, chatting under the trees, much as locals have done for generations.
The closest metro station is Abbesses on line 12, and from there you can walk up Rue Ravignan, which leads directly to the square. The square is open at all times and works well as a starting point for exploring the surrounding streets on foot.
The old tavern that once stood near the square had a giant pear tree with a table built into its branches where twelve people could sit together. That tree was known as the Poirier-sans-Pareil, which translates roughly as 'the pear tree without equal'.
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