Place du Calvaire, Square and pedestrian zone in Clignancourt, Paris
Place du Calvaire is a small pedestrian square in the Clignancourt neighborhood of Paris's 18th arrondissement, roughly 33 feet (10 m) wide and 118 feet (36 m) long. The ground is paved with flat stones, and the square sits tucked between narrow streets lined with old buildings.
In 1805, a small religious shrine was placed near the Saint-Pierre church, giving the square its name. The building at no. 1 later belonged to painters Maurice Neumont and then Louis Icart, who became known in the 1920s for his paintings of women, particularly among American collectors.
The name Calvaire refers to a small religious marker that once stood near the Saint-Pierre church. The building at no. 1 features rounded windows and decorative details in the Art Nouveau style, giving the square a distinctive character.
The square is car-free and easy to reach on foot, sitting close to the famous Clignancourt flea markets, which makes it a handy stop along the way. Because it is very compact, it can be taken in quickly, and small cafés nearby are good for a break.
Louis Icart, the second painter who lived in the building on the square, produced paintings that were highly sought after in 1920s America but remained little known in France itself. His fame was in many ways a Parisian story told mostly on the other side of the Atlantic.
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