Before this, the place was also widely used by bourgeois gentlemen of the 16th and 17th century to house their mistresses, then de rigueur accessories for anyone who was anyone. The women were dubbed “Les Lorettes” by the 19th century cartoonist Gavarni, after the Church of Notre-Dame de Lorette farther down the hill.

Conceived as a Roman-style basilica, in 1823 the Notre-Dame de Lorette church became the center of the trendiest parish of the time. Its bronze baptismal fonts have aged well and, although darkened by car pollution, the church is still an imposing sight.

In the center of the Place Saint Georges is a statue of Gavarni. At number 27 is the Fondation Dosne (formerly the Hôtel Dosne) where Thiers, President of the Third Republic, lived for over 40 years. Across the place is where Thérèse Lachman started her career, before she became the Marquise de Paiva and moved to more suitable quarters on the Champs-Elysées. This building is a delightful example of Troubadour architecture.

Today the St-Georges – Notre-Dame de Lorette quartier is a very quiet neighborhood, with nicely decorated buildings. A welcome relief from the brass of Pigalle.