Pourquoi les plaques de rue parisiennes sont-elles bleues avec une typographie unique ?

The famous Parisian street signs, recognizable by their blue background bordered in green and their white typography in capital letters, have become a symbol of the French capital. But this familiar design wasn't always the norm. Before the 19th century, street names were sometimes painted directly onto the walls, engraved in stone, or indicated on very varied metal signs.

C’est sous le Second Empire, avec les grands travaux de transformation de Paris menés par le baron Haussmann, que l’on uniformise le mobilier urbain. Les plaques de rue sont alors normalisées : émaillées, bleues à bord vert, fixées à une hauteur précise, et utilisant une typographie pensée pour la lisibilité. Le bleu profond permet un bon contraste avec les lettres blanches, et la forme en demi-lune est choisie pour des raisons esthétiques autant que pratiques : elle s’intègre harmonieusement aux angles des bâtiments haussmanniens.

La police de caractères utilisée, inspirée des fontes Didot, a été spécialement conçue pour rester lisible même à distance ou sur des murs irréguliers. Chaque détail compte : l’élégance du "A", la rondeur du "O", ou la forme ouverte du "R" participent à cette signature visuelle unique.

Aujourd’hui, Paris compte plus de 6 000 plaques de ce type, dont certaines sont devenues de véritables objets de collection. Elles sont parfois détournées dans des œuvres d’art, vendues dans les brocantes ou photographiées par des touristes fascinés. Un élément du quotidien devenu icône graphique, entre patrimoine et poésie urbaine.

Why are Parisian street signs blue with unique typography?

The famous Parisian street signs, recognizable by their blue background bordered in green and their white typography in capital letters, have become a symbol of the French capital. But this familiar design wasn't always the norm. Before the 19th century, street names were sometimes painted directly onto the walls, engraved in stone, or indicated on very varied metal signs.

It was during the Second Empire, with the major transformation of Paris carried out by Baron Haussmann, that street furniture was standardized. Street signs were standardized: enameled, blue with a green border, fixed at a precise height, and using a typography designed for legibility. The deep blue provides a good contrast with the white letters, and the half-moon shape was chosen for both aesthetic and practical reasons: it blends harmoniously into the corners of Haussmannian buildings.

The typeface used, inspired by Didot fonts, was specially designed to remain legible even from a distance or on uneven walls. Every detail counts: the elegance of the "A," the roundness of the "O," or the open shape of the "R" contribute to this unique visual signature.

Today, Paris has more than 6,000 such plaques, some of which have become true collector's items. They are sometimes repurposed into works of art, sold at flea markets, or photographed by fascinated tourists. An everyday element that has become a graphic icon, somewhere between heritage and urban poetry.