Fake façades in Paris. Nobody lives in these buildings

Paris is famous for its Haussmann-style townhouses with their distinctive façades, mansard roofs, ornate balconies and regular rows of windows. Some of them harbour a surprising secret: behind their elegant façades, there are no flats, offices or stairwells. Instead of typical interiors, the ‘façades factices’ conceal ventilation shafts, energy-related equipment and even infrastructure for underground roads or the metro.

‘Façades factices’ that mimic townhouses

There are over a dozen such structures in Paris. The French refer to them as ‘façades factices’, or false façades. Most were built as part of the expansion of the city’s transport and energy infrastructure. Rather than exposing unsightly steel structures, trusses or concrete shafts, it was decided to conceal them behind façades resembling the neighbouring buildings. Many such sites belong to the RATP, the company that manages Paris’s public transport system. These false façades conceal the large ventilation shafts serving the high-speed suburban rail tunnels. Their appearance has been designed to give passers-by the impression that they are walking past an ordinary terraced house. The true function of these buildings can be revealed by certain details, including the absence of letterboxes, curtains or standard door handles, as well as technical markings and no-parking signs.

145 Rue La Fayette

The best-known example of a ‘façade factice’ is 145 Rue La Fayette in the 10th arrondissement. The building was constructed around 1850 and was originally an ordinary residential tenement block. In the 1970s, the tenants were evicted, and whilst infrastructure was being built for the underground railway, the entire interior was demolished, leaving only the façade. Today, behind the five-storey wall lies a huge ventilation shaft. The façade still features stone detailing, regular windows with chandeliers, balconies and an entrance resembling a real staircase. In reality, it is a hollow shell. The building has also become a cultural curiosity. In 1988, Umberto Eco mentioned it in his novel *Foucault’s Pendulum*, and it later appeared in Philippe Vasset’s book *La Conjuration*.

174 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis

A similar hoax can be found at 174 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis, also in the 10th arrondissement. Behind the façade lies a ventilation shaft connected to Magenta station and the RER E line. The structure was built as part of the construction of the rapid underground rail system, and its design was inspired by the street’s surroundings. From the outside, 174 Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis does not stand out in any particular way. It is only when one realises what lies behind the façade that one’s perspective on the building changes.

44 Rue d’Aboukir

At 44 rue d’Aboukir in the 2nd arrondissement, the Paris transport authority has also concealed a ventilation shaft behind a façade resembling a townhouse. The building is most easily recognised by the details of its entrance. The door is not a standard door leading into a residential building. In this type of building, the RATP used metal doors coated with paint imitating wood. Nor are there any typical door handles or intercoms with access codes, which can be found on ordinary Parisian tenement blocks.

3 rue de l’Aqueduc

3 rue de l’Aqueduc is an exception to the rule. This is because you won’t find a completely empty tenement here. Only the lower part of the building is fake, relating to the ventilation system for the underground RER railway. The upper floors serve as normal premises. This is one of the more ‘deceptive’ examples of a façade factice. A passer-by might easily mistake the entire building for an ordinary tenement block. However, the ground floor and first floor house the technical installations, whilst the living spaces for residents only begin higher up.

29 rue Quincampoix

Even more unusual is the building at 29 rue Quincampoix in the 4th arrondissement. Here, the façade of the historic tenement block has not been preserved. Instead, there is a trompe-l’œil – a painted illusion imitating architecture. Just behind it, a ventilation shaft has been built to serve the underground route of Les Halles. The painted windows and other features are designed to create the illusion of a normal building. From the street, the structure does not look like a chimney at all, but rather resembles a continuation of the surrounding buildings. Here, the illusion has been taken to a whole new level.

Façades factices instead of an unsightly shaft

The five addresses described here are just a fraction of Paris’s ‘façades factices’. These false façades are an interesting example of how Paris has managed to develop its infrastructure without radically spoiling the appearance of its famous, elegant streets. Thanks to this clever trick, the ventilation shafts do not stand out amongst the 19th-century buildings. On your next stroll through Paris, it’s worth taking a closer look at the doors, windows and ground floors of the townhouses you pass. The absence of curtains, letterboxes or any signs of residents may indicate that you’ve just come across a ‘façade factice’.

Source: admagazine.fr, unjourdeplusaparis.com

See also:Architecture|Interesting facts | Paris | France|History|whiteMAD on Instagram