Passage Briare, thoroughfare in Paris, France
Passage Briare is a narrow pedestrian corridor in Paris's 9th arrondissement, measuring just under 2 meters (1.8 m) wide and extending for about 120 meters (394 ft). It connects rue Marguerite-de-Rochechouart to rue de Maubeuge and is lined with old brick buildings that show the mark of time.
The passageway was created at the end of the 18th century, originally called Cul-de-sac Sifflet, then renamed Impasse Briare. When rue de Maubeuge was built in 1867, part of its original path was altered, creating the layout it has today.
The name comes from M. Briare, owner of the land on which the passage was opened. Under the Revolution the lane was renamed impasse Brutus, a reference to the Roman republican; the earlier name, cul-de-sac Sifflet, survives only in archives. The passage now runs from 7 rue Marguerite-de-Rochechouart to 24 rue de Maubeuge.
The passageway is strictly for pedestrians and serves as a quick shortcut between two streets. The narrow alley drains well even in rain, and it allows you to navigate the neighborhood while avoiding heavier traffic on main roads.
The name changed with the political weather: under the Revolution the lane was renamed impasse Brutus, after the Roman who killed Caesar. Before that it was the cul-de-sac Sifflet, and it kept the name Briare from the landowner on whose ground it was opened.
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