Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche: The Paris Curiosity
Tomas k - Senior News Editor 
Welcome to the 20 Streets of Paris Series - Episode #9
Many tourists stroll along Rue de la Huchette without even noticing Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche. This little passageway is tucked away between the hustle and bustle of Rue de la Huchette and the River Seine, in Paris’s 5th arrondissement.
Tourist guides often describe Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche as Paris's narrowest street. That’s so true: at its narrowest point, the street is just 1.8 metres wide, just enough for two people to pass without bumping into one another.
Where does the name come from?
But beyond its remarkable narrowness, this little street also has a distinctive, interesting feature: its name. Yes, its name is rather unusual, especially in a city like Paris.
Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche means ‘the street of the fishing cat’.
The street dates back to around 1540, and its name is said to be linked to the shop sign from years ago. A local legend is that a student and his black cat. The cat was apparently so skilled that it could catch fish from the Seine with a single swipe of its paw. Whether this story is true or not, the incongruous name has certainly made the street famous.
Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche is situated between Quai Saint-Michel and Rue de la Huchette, close to the bustling streets of the Latin Quarter, making the contrast all the more striking. On one side, you’re immersed in a world of cafés, restaurants, tourist shops and crowded footpaths, whilst on the other, you find yourself in the tranquillity of a very narrow little passageway.
What’s more, the street is very short, unassuming, and easy to miss, but that is part of its charm, and better still, it offers a glimpse of how Paris was before the construction of the grand boulevards.
When I walk down Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche, I feel I’m brushing against the city’s playful imagination, where myth and reality meet. It is Paris at its most intimate: narrow, mysterious, and endlessly charming.
If you’re walking along the Seine or exploring the Latin Quarter, don’t miss Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche. Yes, there’s nothing much to see, but its narrowness makes it well worth a detour!
What to Notice on Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche
The narrowest street in Paris is only 1.8 metres wide.
This unusual name means “the street of the fishing cat”.
The street dates back to around 1540, and its name is likely said to be linked to the sign of an old shop.
Found between the busy Rue de la Huchette and the Seine.
Here you’ll get a glimpse of how Paris was before construction of the grand boulevards.
Have you ever almost walked straight past Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche? Or is this tiny Paris street already one of your favourites?
Introducing Contributor, Pierre Guernier:
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