Have you spotted our historically inspired replica 1950s Saigon street signs?
After the French withdrawal from Vietnam in 1954, all street names were changed from French to Vietnamese.
Interestingly, some of the French street names we see today were in fact named during Vietnam's post-independence period and was not inherited from the French. This included Alexandre de Rhodes Road (formerly Rue Colombert), named after the 17th century Jesuit missionary who helped introduce Christianity to Vietnam and developed the romanised Vietnamese alphabet
Pasteur Road is another prominent street, named after microbiologist Louis Pasteur. But during French rule, it was known as Rue Pellerin.
Many early post-independence street name signs included the former French names to help Saigonese with the transition, such as Tự Do (formerly Rue Catinat), now Dồng Khởi.
At Madame Nhu, we have manage to dig up some historical photos to recreate these early street signs at our Campbell St, Surry Hills venue. If you’re Vietnamese and have parents or grandparents who grew up in South Vietnam, bring them to Madame Nhu for a charming trip down memory lane!
Madame Nhu is a Vietnamese restaurant founded in 2007 and currently have branches in Surry Hills and Hornsby.
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