Paris to have street named after David Bowie (even though UK does not)

A street in Paris is to be formally renamed after iconic British artist David Bowie next week, meaning that France will have a street honouring the singer while his home country of the UK does not.

The street will be in the 13th arrondissement of the capital, and will be officially named on Monday, January 8.

The plan to name a street after the singer was first revealed in 2020, when arrondissement mayor Jérôme Coumet - a fan of the star - said he was planning the move.

Read more: David Bowie's French fans welcome Paris street plan

Rather than rename an existing street, ‘rue David Bowie’ will be a new road near Austerlitz train station.

Mr Coumet said that the singer “had a strong link with the city of lights”.

The mairie is set to hold an inauguration party at its Salle des Fetes on January 8 to celebrate the street’s unveiling, and relevant photographs and paintings will be exhibited in the Galerie Athéna until January 14 in homage to the star.

David Bowie was English, but he recorded music in France, including at the legendary Miraval studio - which is located inside a chateau in the south of the country, now owned by US actor Brad Pitt.

Not even Bowie’s birthplace, Brixton, has a road named after him, though there is a famous mural of the star on the side of a department store in the district. It was painted by Australian artist James Cochran shortly after the singer’s death.

Born as David Robert Jones in 1947, David Bowie rose to fame in the 1960s. Some of his biggest hits included Space Oddity, and Heroes; and the 1986 Jim Henson film Labyrinth. He was known for his capacity for reinvention; acting, singing, and songwriting; and his alter ego Ziggy Stardust.

Often hailed as one of the most influential artists of all time, he died in 2016 from cancer, after selling more than 100 million records over his lifetime.

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