Place Valhubert square in Paris
Named after a military general during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte I, this square is located close to many tourist attractions in Paris including the fabulous Jardin des Plantes and the River Seine.
About Place Valhubert
By a formal decree made by Napoleon Bonaparte I on the 14th February 1806, this square in Paris was named the Place du General Valhubert and was dedicated to a military general called General Jean-Marie Valhubert who died a few months earlier during the Battle of Austerlitz.
However, even the plaque at the square itself shows the shortened version of the official name as Place Valhubert, yet finished the same year as it was named, it is located right by the Pont d’Austerlitz bridge.
Two years after the inauguration of the square, a large marble statue of General Valhubert was produced by the sculptor Pierre Cartelier upon the orders of Napoleon to acknowledge his commitment, as even though severely wounded he stayed at his post, yet died of his injuries.
However, there are no specific records to show whether or not this was ever erected in the Place Valhubert, but in 1828 King Charles X gave this large statue to the town of Avranches in the Normandy region, which is where Jean-Marie was born, and inaugurated there in 1832, it still remain in place for all to admire.
And today, you can also see another reference in recognition of General Jean-marie Valhubert, as his is one of the names listed on the Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris, located on the east pillar.
But from this very unassuming and bland square that has become a busy intersection for buses and other transport in Paris, you can not only see the bridge in one direction, but the Gare d’Austerlitz train station in another.
Yet it is probably most well known for the fact that it has the entrance to the historical Jardin des Plantes and its museums right by the statue of Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck, but it is also right by the Jardin Tino-Rossi garden in Paris that has open air amphitheatres for impromptu performances.
Visiting Place Valhubert
The Place Valhubert is actually located on the borders of the 5th and the 13th Arrondissements, which does mean that there are often conflicting address details, and even the official city sites mention both areas.
But due to its location right by the River Seine and close to numerous different tourist attractions in Paris, the Place Vaubert is easily reached via public transport, and the nearest Metro stop is at the Gare d’Austerlitz train station via lines 5 or 10, plus this station also serves the RER line C.
You will also find that the buses numbered 24, 57, 61, 63, 89, 91 along with the Noctilien night buses numbered N01, N02 and N131 stop close to the square. Plus the bus tours in Paris called l’Open Tour, and the Vogueo, water transport system also stop nearby.
