Montmartre in Paris in Département de Paris, Île-de-France, France — Western Europe

Louis Renault

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, April 11, 2025

1. Louis Renault Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Pour la première fois le 24 décembre 1898 une voiture a petrole, pilotée par Louis Renault, son constructeur atteignit la place du tertre marquant ainsi le depart de l'industrie automobile française

(English translation:)
For the first time on December 24, 1898, a petrol car, driven by Louis Renault, its manufacturer reached the Place du Tertre, thus marking the start of the French automobile industry.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is December 24, 1898.

Location. 48° 53.202′ N, 2° 20.437′ E. Marker is in Paris, Île-de-France, in Département de Paris. It is in Montmartre. It is at the intersection of Place du Tertre and Rue Norvins on Place du Tertre. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 21 Place du Tertre, Paris, Île-de-France 75018, France. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

Europe,

the European Union,

Atlantic Europe,

the Schengen Area,

Western Europe,

a coastal Mediterranean country,

and the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a French

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colony

and also the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bistro (a few steps from this marker); Gaston Couté (within shouting distance of this marker); Maurice Drouard (within shouting distance of this marker in Ile-de-France); Jehan Doulcet (within shouting distance of this marker); Suzanne Valadon and Maurice Utrillo (within shouting distance of this marker); Saint-Pierre de Montmartre (within shouting distance of this marker); Le Tire-Bouchon Cabaret (within shouting distance of this marker); Le Consulat (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Paris.

Also see . . . Louis Renault (industrialist) (Wikipedia). Excerpt:

Louis Renault (12 February 1877 – 24 October 1944) was a French industrialist, one of the founders of Renault, and a pioneer of the automobile industry.

He built his first car in 1898, hiring a pair of workmen to modify a used 3⁄4 hp (560 W) De Dion-Bouton cycle which featured a revolutionary universally jointed driveshaft and a three-speed gearbox with reverse, with the third gear
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, April 11, 2025

2. Louis Renault Marker - wide view
The marker is visible here on the corner of the buildings, about 4 meters off the ground.
in direct drive (which he patented a year later). Renault called his car the Voiturette. On 24 December 1898, he won a bet with his friends that his invention with an innovative crankshaft could beat a car with a bicycle-like chain drive up the slope of Rue Lepic in Montmartre. As well as winning the bet, Renault received 13 definite orders for the vehicle.

(Submitted on May 1, 2025.)

Additional keywords. plaque commémorative

Credits. This page was last revised on May 3, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 1, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 134 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 1, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.