Place de Clichy

On this spot, Marshal Moncey defended the Barrière de Clichy in March 1814 with inexperienced volunteers—including students from École polytechnique and École vétérinaire—holding off Russian troops during the Battle of Paris. Around that time, this was one of the few places where four Parisian arrondissements meet: the 8th, 9th, 17th, and 18th.

Later, in 1864, a monument honoring Moncey was commissioned and erected in 1870. The bronze sculpture shows Moncey brandishing freedom, while at the pedestal a Polytechnique student is depicted sacrificing himself. The surrounding square was landscaped and took its present shape. Thanks to its location at the intersection of major boulevards – Clichy, des Batignolles, de l’Arcade, and d’Amsterdam – Place de Clichy evolved into a lively meeting point.

Cafés, restaurants, and the iconic Brasserie Wepler line its edges. The area's varied façades reflect its layered history as a city gate, market square, and urban plaza. Today the square bustles day and night: from people enjoying terrace lunches to the art‑nouveau metro entrances, from locals to night owls.