Rue Crémieux – The Most Colourful Street in Paris

Rue Crémieux - The Most Colourful Street in Paris

Rue Crémieux in the 12th arrondissement of Paris is one of the prettiest and most colourful streets in Paris and for everyone who loves coloured buildings, pots of greenery and cobbled streets, you'll love Rue Crémieux.

This delightful Parisian street has become so popular it's the subject of blog posts and loads of Instagram photos and because of its extreme popularity, this previously quiet residential street has gone from unknown to a highly sought after tourist location.  Because of this and in respect of the owners living in Rue Crémieux who are often inundated with over zealous photographers, come visit the street with me via my photos take some years earlier (before it was 'discovered') instead of adding to the pedestrian traffic in Rue Crémieux - the locals will thank you!

Where is  Rue Crémieux located? 

Located between Rue de Lyon and Rue de Bercy, Rue Crémieux is a cobblestone street bordered with houses that range in colour from pastel pink to pale blue, orange to lime green and just about every colour in between. I think the vibe is a little like the pastel homes in Notting Hill, London and the colourful town of Menton in the South of France.

The nearest metro stations to Rue Crémieux are Quai de la Râpée and Gare de Lyon.  

History of Rue Crémieux

Rue Crémieux is in the middle of Paris' 12th arrondissement and after wandering along boulevards and streets lined with Haussmannian architecture, stumbling into Rue Crémieux is a refreshing change. Homeowners are justifiably proud of their homes and they are well kept and often embellished with bicycles and other small ornaments, all of which certainly adds to its charm.

You cannot escape history in Paris, and to be honest, who wants to? For me the historical side of Paris is what makes The City of Light so special and of course, Rue Crémieux has its own story to tell.

The National Arena of Paris was located where the street now stands from 1851, when the arena was opened, to 1855 when it was destroyed. The following year, 1865, the street was built and called Avenue Millaud. It was named after the real estate promoter Moïse Polydore Millaud, who opened this and the surrounding housing estates. 

The street was then re-named Rue Crémieux giving homage to Adolphe Crémieux who was a lawyer and politician who lived between 1796-1880. He is notably known for being the power behind the 1870 decree to give the Jews of Algeria French nationality. Read more about the works of Adolphe Crémieux at the Jewish Virtual Library.

No. 8 Rue Crémieux and the Great Flood

When the Seine River flooded in 1910 the water level at Rue Crémieux reached 1.75 metres and at house No. 8 (photo above) there is a commemorative plaque noting this historical event. The Seine was at record flood height being eight metres above its normal level and the city was flooded for two months. 

While I don't recommend walking too close to No. 8 to see the plaque, it is interesting to know the plaque exists marking this historical moment. See our post 20 Amazing Historical Photos of Paris for photos of the 1910 flood, the Eiffel Tower being built, the metro construction and more.

When did Rue Crémieux become the most colourful street in Paris?

In 1993 the residents petitioned for their street to be entirely paved and pedestrianised and in return for these works being approved, the town hall asked the residents to renovate the front of their homes. 

So the home owners got together and each decided on a different colour for their facade, thereby creating the pastel rainbow that we see today and earning the street the description "the most colourful street in Paris".

The homes are similar in design and with around thirty homes, this adds to the consistent feel of the street. Interesting, the homes were originally built for wealthy workers. 

Etiquette on Visiting Rue Crémieux

Rue Crémieux has become a victim of its own beauty with singers filming video clips and Instagrammers getting too close to houses making noise and even standing in front doorways amongst the pot plants to take a photo. 

As always, when visiting any area that it not your own, its important to show respect whether that's for the structures, animals, people that live or occupy the area or even foliage.

Being a responsible traveller saves any site or area for future travellers to visit and so if you must see Rue Crémieux for yourself, then I recommend treating it as you would your own local street. A recent article by the French website Le Parisien, highlights the popularity of Rue Crémieux and how the residents and local council are dealing with its rise to fame.

I hope you enjoyed your trip down Rue Crémieux with me, it certainly is the most colourful street of Paris!

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