Dive into the history of Paris with us with this Parisian almanac that chronicles the most significant events that have taken place in the capital through the centuries.
Let it be said that the month of September has not been without its trials for Parisians. Yet, despite a string of tragic events, the capital also hosted moments of joy, such as the proclamation of the Third Republic on the place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
Set off to discover these incredible but true stories.
What happened in September in Paris:
Éphéméride du 1er septembre à Paris : La fondation de la Sorbonne
On September 1, 1257, the Sorbonne is established by Robert de Sorbon, the chaplain and confessor to King Louis IX. Meant to aid disadvantaged students, the school quickly rose to become Europe's foremost cultural and scientific hub, famed for the depth and breadth of its teaching. [Read more]
On This Day in Paris, September 2: The September Massacres
On September 2, 1792, the sans-culottes stormed Parisian prisons and slaughtered about a thousand inmates suspected of opposing the Revolution and backing the restoration of the king. [Read more]
September 4 in Paris: Gambetta Proclaims the Third Republic
On September 4, 1870, the Third Republic was proclaimed by Léon Gambetta on the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, following the fall of the Second Empire triggered by Napoleon III's defeat at Sedan, and in the face of Paris's unyielding resolve. [Read more]
On This Day in Paris, September 7: The Requisitioning of Paris Taxis, the
On September 6 and 7, 1914, 1,300 Parisian taxis were requisitioned by the French army to ferry soldiers as reinforcements to the Marne front. The [Read more]
On This Day in Paris: A Tornado Hits the Heart of the City
September 10, 1896, a tornado forms right in the center of Paris, just a stone's throw from Saint-Sulpice. In mere minutes, the phenomenon sweeps through the capital, leaving devastation in its wake. [Read more]
On this day in Paris: Publicis drugstore attack in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
On September 15, 1974, a grenade exploded at the Saint-Germain drugstore, killing two people and wounding 34. The attack was attributed to revolutionary terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, known as Carlos. [Read more]
Paris Ephemeris for September 17: Bomb attack outside Tati on Rue de Rennes
On September 17, 1986, Paris once again faces a terrorist outrage on Rue de Rennes. For two weeks, assaults have been mounting across the capital, claimed by a pro-Iranian terrorist network acting on behalf of Hezbollah. The bomb, planted in front of the Tati store, killed seven people and injured 55, and brought this wave of violence to a close. [Read more]
Ephemeride of September 23 in Paris: The first ascent of the tethered balloon Le Neptune during the Siege of Paris
On September 23, 1870, while Paris is besieged by the Prussian army, the first tethered balloon lifts off from Place Saint-Pierre. Named Le Neptune, the airship ascends with 125 kilograms of official dispatches destined for government members sheltering in Tours. [Read more]
Paris on This Date: The Fire at Le Printemps
On the morning of September 28, 1921, forty years after a first blaze, the Le Printemps department store became the scene of a fire that gutted the interior of the second building under construction. [Read more]
