Ile de la Cite – A walking tour following history

After we visitedMarais District, it's time to walk the two islands of Paris and the Latin Quarter. Since this is a very long route, I decided to divide it into two. The first part contains the Île de la Cité and Saint Louis, while the In the second part of the trip We will stroll along Boulevard Saint-Germain in the Latin Quarter.

The Fontainebleau and Place Dauphin

Start the route on the right bank near theVon Nef (Pont Neuf). This bridge, despite its name (“New Bridge”), is actually the oldest bridge in the city and the first one on which no residential buildings were built. Cross the bridge slowly and take advantage of its strategic location to take pictures of the Seine, the bridges, the passing ships and the beautiful houses on both sides of the river. On the other side of the Seine you will see the statue of King Henry IV, which came there from the Place des Victories, after it was replaced by the statue of Louis XIV (In general, some of the statues and monuments in Paris have a tendency to wander and move from place to place in the city. I will talk about this in a future post).

King Henry IV was quite the womanizer and loved to wear green. It is therefore not surprising that the charming little garden, which is located on a peninsula behind him, is called Square Vert Galant (freely translated as The Green Knight). I highly recommend a leisurely stroll through the garden and while you are there try to forget that the place was once called Ile de Juif (Jews' Street) and that it was there that the last head of the Knights Templar was burned to death in 4…

After you finish visiting the garden, go back and enter Place Dauphine, one of the most charming squares in Paris in my opinion, which was built by Henry IV in 4 and named after his son, the heir to the throne, the Dauphin, the future Louis XIII.

This square was home to the famous actors Yves Montand and his wife Simone Signoret, and it has several nice cafes and restaurants, and is one of Paris' best-kept secrets. This is the Hotel Henri IV, which, given its incredible location, offers one of the cheapest prices in the city. Although it is no longer as cheap as it used to be, it is still very difficult to get a room there and you usually have to book several months in advance.

The Concierge and Sainte-Chapelle

After you've finished strolling around the square (and maybe having a cup of coffee), you're welcome to go out and walk along the Seine River eastward, taking in the towers along the way. The concierge (Conciergerie). The name of one of these towers is Bon Bec and can be translated as “the good mouth” because it was used as an interrogation room where prisoners opened their mouths following the torture they underwent. Continue until you reach the intersection with Boulevard du Palais and be impressed byThe first clock in ParisThe original clock was built in the 14th century, while the current one was built in 1585 in honor of King Henry III.

Now is the time to visit the Conciergerie. This is part of the first king's palace complex, which predates the The LouvreThe Concierge was one of the most important positions in the King's palace because he was the head of his cabinet. Over the years, the Concierge became a prison where many of the most famous prisoners were "hosted" (for example, the Marquise de Brinville). The Concierge reached the peak of its "fame" during French Revolution Where hundreds of prisoners spent their last days before being executed (no wonder it was called the “corridor of death” during this period). If you visit, you will get to see a 14th-century guardroom and the prisoners’ cells, including the cell of the most famous prisoner who spent her last days in the Conciergerie – Queen France, Marie Antoinette.

After you've finished visiting the Conciergerie, walk south on Boulevard du Palais and admire the courthouse, which was largely built during the reign of Napoleon III. Next to it you'll find the Sainte-Chapelle Church, which is a must-see for all lovers of Gothic stained glass art. The church was built by Louis IX to house Christ's crown of thorns, which he bought at a high price from a shady merchant. There is always a queue at the entrance, as the church is part of the court complex and visitors have to go through security checks. However, the wait is definitely worth it because once you enter the church and go up to the second floor, you will be able to witness the following spectacular sight:

Notre-Dame Church and its surroundings

Exit the Sainte-Chapelle church and continue towards theThe Hunchback of Notre DameOn the way you will pass by the oldest hospital in Paris that is still active today, which is called Hotel Dieu (House of God). For many years it was customary to put 3 patients in one bed there (which was still considered a luxury compared to other hospitals) and a grave saying from the Renaissance period said that in each bed there was one sick person, one dying and one dead (which indicates the quality of medical services of the period). After passing the hospital and walking east, you will eventually arrive at the square of Notre Dame Church.

About Notre Dame Church has a separate postHowever, what is interesting to know is that most of what you see was built in the 19th century, when Violet le Duc, who was responsible for the renovation of the church, decided that it was not enough to restore what was there, but that this would be an excellent opportunity to beautify the church and make it more authentic... Despite this, it is a charming church and it is recommended not only to visit it inside but also to walk around it and see its various wings.

After you have finished visiting the church, go to Cloitre Notre Dame Street, located on the northern part of the church, and admire the tourists waiting patiently to climb the church towers (if you are interested in doing this, try to arrive as early as possible in the morning because the number of people who can climb the church towers is limited and as a result the line moves very slowly). Ignore the tourist shops and continue east until you see Chanoinesse Street on your left. Enter the street where the canons, who ran the church, lived, which is why the street is named after them. It is a narrow street containing quite a few charming houses, as you can see on the map, and if you are lucky you can peek into the courtyards of the ancient houses.

Take a leisurely stroll down Chanoinesse Street and pay special attention to the beautiful restaurant Au Vieux Paris at number 24 (its photo adorns the beginning of the post) and the cupcake shop next to it.

Continue from there to rue de la Colombe. This is one of the oldest streets in Paris and you can find a restaurant here that dates back to the 13th century. This restaurant has a fascinating story that also involves Cartouche (1693-1721), the most famous criminal of the 18th century. The full story can be read HERE.

From there, continue to rue des Ursins and enjoy the old houses and romantic alleys. At the end of rue des Ursins, you will reach rue Chantiers, from where the spire of Notre Dame Church will suddenly appear to you in all its glory.

Ile Saint Louis itinerary

After you've finished visiting the Ile de la Cité, it's time to cross the bridge and visit the Ile Saint-Louis. Since there's quite a bit to see there and quite a few stories to tell, I decided to create a special itinerary for this district. So let me recommend you to go toThe itinerary on Ile Saint Louis And we'll see you there :-).