Faidherbe - Chaligny (Paris Métro)

Infobox Paris metro
Name=Faidherbe - Chaligny
Day=5 May
Year=1931
Access=
Municipality=the 11th arrondissement of Paris
Zone=1
Next=
X=187
Y=94

Faidherbe - Chaligny is a station of the Paris Métro, named after the streets "Faidherbe" and "Chaligny". General Louis Faidherbe (1818-1889) was Governor of Senegal between 1854 and 1861 and between 1863 and 1865. During this period France conquered most of Senegal. During the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) he commanded the Army "of the North" and resisted the Prussians valiantly. The "Chalignys" were a famous family of metal-founders from Lorraine. One of them, Antoine Chaligny (died in 1666), created an equestrian statue of the Duke of Lorraine (Charles III) in Nancy.

History

The royal wallpaper factory, the "Folie Titon", directed by Jean-Baptiste Réveillon, was located here. It helped the Montgolfier brothers build hot-air balloons. On 19 October 1783, the first hot-air balloon took off here carrying humans: the physicist Pilâtre de Rozier, Giroud de Villette and Réveillon flew on separate trips. These flights were teathered to the ground, unlike the flight of 21 November 1783 from the Château de la Muette, in western Paris, near La Muette station. The balloon was built by Réveillon, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier.

On 28 April 1789, more than 300 employees at the "Folie Titon" were involved in the "Affaire Réveillon" or "Réveillon riot", which was a harbinger of the French Revolution. The riot was sparked by a law drafted by Réveillon (in his role as a legislator) that doubled the taxes on factory workers and lasted for three days. Many workers in the factories and workshops in the surrounding suburb of Faubourg Saint-Antoine took part in the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789.

Places of interest

*Nearby is the Fountain of Montreuil, created in 1719, which was used at that time to supply water to the butcheries in neighbouring Faubourg Saint-Antoine.
*The district preserved artisanal trades, particularly ironwork and cabinet-making.
*The principal entry to the Saint-Antoine Hospital is between the two metro entrances.
*Many small restaurants surround the station.
*The "Palace of Woman", a reception centre for single women, is at the end of the Rue de Faidherbe.