Square Jehan-Rictus in Paris
The Square Jehan-Rictus is located at the Place des Abbesses in the Montmartre area of Paris, which was originally the location of the Montmartre town hall and is now home to Le Mur des Je t’Aime or I love You Wall.
About the Square Jehan-Rictus
The Place des Abbesses is at the heart of the Montmartre area and the Square Jehan-Rictus, which is a small garden area, is located right here behind this place and it was first constructed in 1936.
The Square Jehan-Rictus was named in honour of the French poet who had died three years earlier, called Gabriel Randon, but he changed his name to Gabriel Randon de Saint-Amand, yet always went under the pseudonym or pen name of Jehan-Rictus for his poems.
This square in Paris was originally home to the building that housed the town hall of Montmartre before being relocated to another building, and covering an area of approximately 2000 metres squared, this was completely renovated in 1994.
And within the square you can discover fruit trees, bushes, laurels, sycamore trees, hornbeam hedges, even a variety of roses and a small garden of medicinal plants with a pergola and a fountain to enjoy.
Yet you will find that people now come to the Square Jehan-Rictus because of a new monument in Paris called the Le Mur des Je t’Aime, which is where you will often find couples declaring their love to each other while on honeymoon or a romantic holiday in Paris.
And in fact, it is since the year 2000, that this new monument Le Mur des Je t’Aime, or in English the I Love You Wall, is where you will discover over 300 different languages and dialects from all over the world that depict the most romantic of sayings, I Love You, which was originally inspired by Frederic Baron and produced by the calligraphy artist Claire Kito.
But do not forget about the Place des Abbesses while you are here to admire the ornate original Metro station entrance or discover the cobbled streets and quaint shops through to chic boutiques that surround this area of Paris.
Access to the Square Jehan-Rictus
Located in the 18th Arrondissement of Paris it is close to the Paroisse Saint Jean de Montmartre church, but if you fancy a steep climb and lots of steps, then this is often the starting point for visiting the Place du Tertre and the Sacre Coeur Basilica on top of the Montmartre hill.
Now as with most parks and gardens in Paris, the Square Jehan-Rictus and its garden is completely free to enter and is also open all year round, although during the summer, it is even more ideal for a romantic stroll or to sit and relax on one the park benches available.
And access to the Square Jehan-Rictus is via the Place des Abbesses and the Metro Station called the Abbesses stop serving line 12, via the Rue de Vieuville.
Alternatively you could utilise the Montmartrobus, which are the smaller buses used just within the Montmartre area in Paris, due to the narrow winding streets that the normal Buses in Paris are too large for.
