Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche

Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche
Construction
Seen from quai Saint-Michel

Length	29 m (95 ft)
Width	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Arrondissement	5th
Quarter	Sorbonne
From	9 Quai Saint-Michel
To	Rue de la Huchette
Completion	1540

Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche is considered the narrowest street in Paris. It is only 1.80m (just under 5 feet, 11 inches) wide for the whole of its 29m length.

It is located in the 5th arrondissement, on the Rive Gauche of the Seine, and runs from Quai Saint-Michel to Rue de la Huchette,

History

Street art depicting a fishing cat on the Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche

Built in 1540, it then ended on the bank of the river Seine.

The status of "narrowest" street in Paris is also conferred on the sentier des Merisiers in the 12th arrondissement and the passage de la Duée in the 20e arrondissement.

Origin of the name

In English the name means "Street of the Fishing Cat". It was named after the picture on a shop sign.

There is the possibility of confusion with another word with the same spelling but a different accent which would translate as the sinning cat.

The original name was Rue des Étuves, and at various times it has also been known as Rue du Renard (not to be confused with the current Rue du Renard, in the 4e arr.) and Rue des Bouticles.

Access

___	Located near the Métro station: Saint-Michel.

Literature

Jolán Földes, a Hungarian author, lived on this street in 1930, and gave its name to one of her novels: A halászó macska uccája, which is the literal translation of the name in Hungarian.

References