Avenue d'Italie
The avenue d'Italie is one of the main communication axe of the 13th arrondissement of Paris. It goes from Place d'Italie to Porte d'Italie, crossing the Rue de Tolbiac. Line 7 of the Paris metro has 4 stations along the avenue.
Description
The avenue has a length of 1 294 m and a width of 70 m. It takes its name from the destination of the travellers who used to continue straight after porte d'Italie : it is indeed there that starts Nationale 7, a road linking Paris to the Italian border.
The avenue d'Italie is part of the Maison-Blanche district, and separates two very different parts of the 13th arrondissement : the Butte-aux-Cailles district, on one side, and the Chinese district on the other.
History
Until the middle of the nineteenth century, the avenue only contained a few houses and guinguettes. Prices were cheaper than in Paris, because it was outside of the wall of the Ferme Générale.
The avenue d'Italie got its current name on May 23, 1863, after Haussmann decision to extend Paris limits, in 1860.