The French Revolution – A virtual tour of Paris in 1789

Who among us hasn't dreamed of a time machine that would allow him to return to different periods in history and see firsthand the buildings that no longer exist and the historical figures? And there is no place that "needs" a time machine more than the City of Lights, which underwent enormous changes during the 19th century, when Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann forever changed the appearance of the city, destroying quite a few buildings and streets and replacing them with the famous Parisian boulevards.

Unfortunately, no one has yet invented a time machine, but fortunately, computer game technology provides me with a good substitute. In 2014, the computer game Assassin's Creed Unity, which takes place entirely during the French Revolution and allows me to give you a “guided tour of Paris” so you can see what the city once looked like, what remains, what has changed, and what has disappeared completely. Sounds interesting? All you have to do is set aside a little time to watch
In the videos I made, and go on a journey through time with me among the attractions of old Paris.

Guided tour of Paris during the French Revolution

The Marais

Surprisingly, the Marais of today is similar to the Marais of the 18th century and in my opinion is even more beautiful. The reason why the Marais did not change substantially during the reconstruction of Paris is that Baron Haussmann preferred to concentrate on other areas of Paris, such as the Ile de la Cité and the Latin Quarter, and did not have time to touch this magical district. So why, in my opinion, is the Marais of today even more beautiful than it used to be?

Because during the 18th century, the period in which the game takes place, the district deteriorated until, which became a slum at the end of the 19th century and was even a candidate for demolition in the 20th century. Thanks to André Malraux, the district was saved and renovated and today the palaces are more beautiful than ever and the streets are bustling with life. And speaking of the Marais, how can we forget the Place des Vosges , the charming square built by Henri IV in the early 17th century? And here we come to our first video, so let me invite you on a virtual tour of this charming square, and as you will see, not much has changed there…

This is what Place de Vosges once looked like

So far we have talked about the magical streets in the Marais, but what did the palaces look like from the inside? Today you can enter some of them and see (try the Carnaval or the Hôtel de Sauvage , for example ), but most of them are closed to the general public. One of them is the Hôtel de Soleil , which houses the Office of Historical Monuments. Therefore, if you want to know what this palace looks like from the inside, you should wait for the Heritage Days ( Journees de Patrimoine ) or watch the following video:

This is what Hôtel de Soleil once looked like

Want to continue hiking in the Marais? You are welcome to try this itinerary.

Bastille Fortress (La Bastille)

This is what the Bastille looked like

Pont Neuf and Place Dauphin

In the 18th century, the bridge created by Henri IV could still be called the “new bridge” mainly because there were still several old bridges in Paris, which had buildings on them. However, if we were to reach this bridge using a time machine, we would be able to recognize it without any problem because all that had changed since the 18th century were the small shops on the bridge that were closed and the “Samaritaine” pump, which no longer exists but had managed to give its name to the department store building located on the right bank of the Pont Neuf.

Place Dauphin, on the other hand, looks a little different today than the original square. During the 19th century, the square lost its eastern side and with it the triangular shape that characterized it. Many of the buildings built in the 17th century are also no longer with us. On the other hand, as you will see in the video below, today's square is much more romantic and peaceful than it was during the French Revolution ...

This is what the Fontainebleau and Dauphin Square looked like in the 18th century

The Conciergerie

The Conciergerie became a prison during the 17th century and for several centuries it was “hosted” by some of the most famous criminals, including Ravaillac, the murderer of King Henry IV, the Marquise de Brinvilliers who poisoned her family , and the criminal Cartouche. During the French Revolution, the Conciergerie was called “the corridor to death” because anyone imprisoned there could only go one way, to the guillotine … The Conciergerie’s most famous “resident” is of course Marie Antoinette, who was forced to spend the last months of her life here.

Today, of course, there are no longer any prisoners in the Conciergerie and it has become a museum. It is highly recommended to visit there and see the room where Marie Antoinette lived and to follow the route taken by those condemned to death from the cells in which they lived to the courtyard, where the cart that would take them to the guillotine awaited them. So what did all this look like in the 18th century? You are invited to watch the following video:

This is what the concierge looked like in the 18th century

Sainte Chapelle Church

The Sainte-Chapelle church was badly damaged during the French Revolution and parts of it were destroyed. The church was rebuilt during the 19th century using the original plans in order to make the renovation as authentic as possible. In the video below, you can get an impression of what the church looked like just before the French Revolution's campaign of destruction.

This is what Saint-Chapelle looked like in the 18th century

Notre Dame Church

One of the places that has changed a lot over the last 200 years is the Notre Dame Cathedral and the streets around it. During the reign of Napoleon III, the Île de la Cité underwent a total transformation. All the narrow streets and alleys were destroyed and in their place the Boulevard du Palais and a huge square were created that allows us to enjoy the beauty of the church.

Notre Dame itself also underwent enormous changes during the 19th century, when Villa Le Duc rebuilt it and tried to make it more medieval than it was before. Is what he created better than the original? Opinions differ on that, but what is certain is that the church we see today is completely different from what it was before the massive renovation. Want to see what Notre Dame once looked like? Watch the following video:

This is what Notre Dame looked like in the 18th century

Ile Saint Louis

Since the luxury neighborhood was built on it during the 17th century, the Île Saint-Louis has remained relatively similar to the original, except for a number of palaces that were demolished to make way for some of the bridges that cross the island. What the following video will show you in the second part (in the first part I am still “traveling” on the Île de la Cité) are two of the most beautiful houses on the island that you cannot enter every day: the Hotel de Lauzun and the Hotel de Lambert, which was bought by the Cathar noble family a few years ago and was partially destroyed following a fire that broke out on its roof.

This is what the Île Saint-Louis looked like in the 18th century

Sorbonne University (La Sorbonne)

The Sorbonne University in Paris was founded in the Latin Quarter in the Middle Ages (the quarter received its name from the Latin language used by students and lecturers, who were mainly engaged in religious studies). The main building of the Sorbonne was destroyed and rebuilt by Cardinal Richelieu, who, while being the prime minister of the King of France , was also the dean of the Sorbonne. In the following video, we will take a look at that building, which you cannot just enter, and along the way we will discover why no one knows the paving stones in Paris and how all this is related to the students of the Sorbonne.

This is what the Sorbonne looked like in the 18th century

Luxembourg Gardens and the Palace

While the Luxembourg Palace remains relatively similar to what it was when it was built in the 17th century, the Luxembourg Gardens underwent a major transformation during the 19th century. As you can see in the video, until the 19th century the Luxembourg Gardens were very “French” in nature (i.e. very orderly and with clear geometric shapes), the Luxembourg Gardens we know today are much more reminiscent in style of the English gardens, which were very popular during the reign of Napoleon III (as can be seen in Parc Monceau , Butte de Chaumont and others).

And by the way, if you are interested in the history of the Luxembourg Gardens, you are more than welcome to read this post . In the following video, you will get to see the original gardens and at the same time visit the palace, which is currently used by the Senate and therefore cannot be visited outside of heritage days.

This is what the Luxembourg Palace and Luxembourg Gardens looked like in the 18th century

Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Who doesn't know the Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Prés for its many famous cafes where Sartre, de Beauvoir and others used to sit? Would you be surprised to know that this entire boulevard, which seems as if it has always been there, is the product of Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann? In the video below, we will discover together what Paris looked like before this boulevard was created, what the Abbey of Saint-Germain looked like, only its church has survived to our time, and where the charming Place Fürstenberg was located.

This is what Saint-Germain-des-Prés looked like in the 18th century

Hotel des Invalides

As you can see in the video below, if you were to go back to the 18th century, you would definitely recognize the Palais des Invalides , which Louis XIV built in 1670 to house the wounded from his wars. What you probably wouldn’t recognize is the surroundings in which the building is located, since at that time the palace was surrounded by fields, farms, and small villages. And of course, there was nothing to talk about the Pont Alexandre III either…

This is what the Hôtel des Invalides looked like in the 18th century

Place de la Concorde

The Place de la Concorde is a square that has changed quite a few names during its existence. It started as the Place Louis XV, while during the French Revolution, where the game takes place, the square became the “Place de la Revolution.” This square was home to the famous guillotine that beheaded Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Madame du Barry , and many others. We can see it in action in the following video (and excuse the Parisians’ yelling in the background. That’s how it is when the French get angry )…

This is what the Place de la Concorde looked like in the 18th century

The Louvre Museum and the Tuileries Gardens

There is no guided tour of Paris without a visit to the Louvre Museum , right? If we had visited the Louvre during the 18th century, we would have discovered, on the one hand, a palace that we had never known, and on the other hand, we would not have found parts of the Louvre that we know. The unknown palace I am talking about is the Tuileries Palace, which was burned down by the Commune in 1871. On the other hand, if we had looked north, we would not have seen the northern wing of the Louvre, because it was built by Napoleon III, and in its place we would have seen a multitude of houses that no longer exist today. Oh, and of course, there was nothing to talk about the pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre then…

This is what the Louvre and the Tuileries looked like in the 18th century

Place Vendome

Can you imagine Place Vendôme without its famous column ? If not, then you are invited to watch the film below and discover what the square looked like a few years before Napoleon Bonaparte erected his famous column there after the Battle of Austerlitz. And if all that is not enough, you are invited to take a peek inside and see the building that would later house the famous Ritz Hotel.

This is what Place Vendôme looked like in the 18th century

Palais Royal

The Palais Royal played an important role during the French Revolution. The Duke of Orléans lived here, who supported the French Revolution and even voted for the execution of Louis XVI (all this did not help him and he also lost his head a few months later). Therefore, if we were to go back in time to the 18th century, we would discover a particularly lively place, a kind of city within a city, where you could find everything from gambling and prostitutes to dentures. In the following video, we will get a taste of what the Palais Royal had to offer in the 18th century and at the same time we will be able to visit the palace itself, which is usually not possible.

This is what the Palais Royal looked like in the 18th century

Les Halles

And we have reached the last stop on the guided tour of 18th-century Paris. Le Halle , the wholesale market of Paris, no longer exists because it was moved to Rungis during the 20th century. Along with it, the vegetable stalls, the colorful characters who sold all kinds of vegetables, fruits, meat and French cheeses, disappeared. We are left with Montreuil Street with its many culinary attractions and with one ugly mall under construction that replaced another ugly mall that was demolished a few years ago.

Planning a trip to modern-day Paris?

I really hope you enjoyed the journey through time. If you decide to travel to modern-day Paris, let me recommend the page Paris for Travelers . There you will find a guide that contains all the information you need to plan a trip to Paris (flights, hotels, information on attractions and monuments, itineraries, and more). In short, everything you need to plan a perfect trip to the City of Lights :).

More on the subject

• The 19th arrondissement of Paris: Butte Chaumont, La Villette and the Science Line
• Vincennes Forest in Paris – a hiking trail and attractions for the whole family
• Shopping in Paris: The Complete Guide to Shopping in the City of Lights