Since I work not far from the Mobilier National and the Manufacture des Gobelins, where the Bièvre (a river that was covered over in 1912) once flowed, I had to visit this little-known, yet officially listed Historic Monument located nearby: the legendary Château de la Reine Blanche. Many 19th-century works dedicated to Paris mention this curious building and tell its history, which is colorful and often inaccurate.
As for the name of this “château,” it is now believed that no Queen Blanche—neither Blanche of Navarre, nor Blanche of Castile, nor Blanche of Burgundy—ever actually lived here. Regarding the origin of the name, here is what the history of Paris plaque, located in front of 17 rue des Gobelins, says: “A daughter of Saint Louis, Blanche had a small hôtel (townhouse) built nearby on Rue de la Reine-Blanche around 1300. Having disappeared during the 16th century, this townhouse survives only through its legend and its name, which was attributed to this former property of the Gobelin family“.
Originally, this townhouse was built for the Gobelin family, dyers from Flanders who were specialists in scarlet. The building consists of a main structure with turrets, which was demolished and then rebuilt during a 2002 restoration by the building’s co-owners, who restored the layout of the courtyards and buildings to how they were in the 17th century.
The tip is that free guided tours (about 30 minutes) are offered during the summer and during the Heritage Days in September by the owners of the premises. A very beautiful gift for lovers of Paris or visitors for a day in the neighborhood.
Château de la Reine Blanche Meet in front of the gate (no prior registration required) at 4 rue Gustave Geffroy 75013 Paris – Metro Les Gobelins line 7 2024 schedule: free guided tours from Tuesday to Sunday, from July 2 to 28, then from August 20 to September 8, 2024, at 11 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm, and 5 pm, every day
