I thought there were only three major half-timbered houses in Paris until this morning when I discovered a beautiful dwelling in the quiet Rue de Braque.
A Hidden Gem in the Rue de Braque
To my knowledge, they are three principal half-timbered dwellings in Paris, all of them situated in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements:
- Rue François Miron (numbers 11&13),
- Rue des Barres (number 12),
- and Rue Volta (number 3).
Yesterday morning I walked across the Marais to the Place des Vosges through the Rue de Braque.
The door of number 5 was opened, and I peeked inside just to discover a peaceful inner courtyard bordered by a beautiful half-timbered edifice. This corps de logis dates back to the 17th century and was quickly covered with plaster.
Builders did not respect the law which forbade them to raise timbered dwellings, and it was easy to dissimulate at the rear of a courtyard.
A recent restoration revealed the timber and the structure is, to my knowledge, one of the most impressive half-timbered houses in Paris.
There are probably a few other buildings of that kind in the Marais that are not accessible to the public. If you know any of them, please leave a message below!
