Boulevard Raspail

Boulevard Raspail is a boulevard of Paris, in France.Its orientation is north-south, and joins boulevard Saint-Germain with place Denfert-Rochereau whilst traversing 7th, 6th and 14th arrondissements. The boulevard intersects major roadways: rue de Sèvres, rue de Rennes and boulevard Montparnasse.Its former name was boulevard d'Enfer, of which the passage d'Enfer is a vestigial relic.NamingThe boulevard was named after François-Vincent Raspail (1794–1878), French chemist, physician and politician.HistoryThe section between a point approximately 80 m beyond the rue de Varenne and rue de Sèvres was dug in 1869. The 90 m section from rue Stanislas was opened up by MM. Bernard frères.The section between boulevard Edgar-Quinet and place Denfert-Rochereau had incorporated the old boulevard d'Enfer and the external boulevard (part of boulevard de Montrouge) into a single road by the law of 16 June 1859. Its width was 70 m before the decree of 14 September 1892.