Auteuil

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2026-02-10 Diary Coverage: Paris years

Overview

Auteuil is a neighborhood in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, located near the Bois de Boulogne. In Marie Bashkirtseff's time, Auteuil was a fashionable residential area known for its villas, gardens, and the Auteuil racecourse (Hippodrome d'Auteuil, opened 1873), which hosted steeplechase racing and was a major social venue.

Historical Context (1870s-1880s)

• Location: Western Paris, adjacent to the Bois de Boulogne
• Character: A semi-rural, elegant residential area with large villas and gardens
• Auteuil racecourse: Opened 1873, specializing in steeplechase (jump racing)
• Literary connections: Auteuil had been home to Moliere, Boileau, and other literary figures
• Social life: The racecourse drew fashionable society

Significance for Marie

• Parisian geography: Part of the fashionable western Paris Marie inhabited
• Racing and social life: The Auteuil races were social events
• Proximity to the Bois: Adjacent to Marie's daily promenade territory

Related Entries

• #Paris - The city
• #Bois_de_Boulogne - The adjacent park
• #Longchamp - Another racecourse in the area