Rue du Jeu de Paume

Jeu de paume (palm game) is a ball and court game played with bure hands ( the rackets were introduced later). Jeu de Paume was practiced under the ramparts until the end of the XVIII century.

This street goes along the most ancient part from the firth ramparts enclosure. The first houses in the village were gathered around the XI century in the part located between the feodal castle and the parish church on a space located to the north by the rock bar and to the south by primitive ramparts overlooking “Jeu de Paume” street.

The village tight in the ramparts and the population being more and more numerous, some houses on gantries were built above the street to overcome the lack of space. These houses gived to La Cadière its characteristic aspect of medieval and Provencal village.

During the Middle Ages, the village his enlarged to the south to a second ramparts enclosure which goes along old school street ( la rue des anciennes écoles), the ” Gabriel Péri” avenue and the “Marx Dormoy” street.

In the 1930’s, many ruined houses were destroyed allowing to enlarge the village.