Rivoli Street – A walking tour of the street of two Napoleons

Rue de Rivoli, about 3 km long, is undoubtedly the beating heart of Paris and one of my favorite streets in the French capital. It is an east-west axis connecting Marais District And Concorde Square And along it you will find quite a few attractions, some more well-known and some a little less so. Today I want to help you discover the magic spread along this street.

To help you do this, I decided to create a sort of walking route (it's not exactly a route because all you have to do is walk straight 🙂 ) where you will discover all the interesting places scattered along the street. Also, since this is one of the most recommended areas to live in Paris, I will also give you some recommendations for apartments and hotels at the end of the article. But before we start with all that, let me tell you a few words about the history of this charming street.

The history of Rivoli Street

The street is named after the Battle of Rivoli, which took place between 14 and 15 January 1797, during which Napoleon defeated an Austrian army under the command of General József Alvinczi (1735-1810) who were trying to lift the French siege of the city of Mantua. This battle is considered one of the decisive battles during the Napoleonic campaign in northern Italy and was shortly followed by the Peace of Campo Formio, which brought significant territorial gains to France.

About three years after the Battle of Rivoli, Napoleon seized power in France and became First Consul. Four years later, he crowned himself Emperor Napoleon I. Napoleon devoted the first years of his reign, among other things, to the construction of Paris and the renewal of the urban fabric. One of the plans that Napoleon decided to implement was that of the architect Charles De Wailly (1730-1798), from 1789, to build a street that would lead from Place de la Concorde to Rue Saint Antoine, the main transportation artery of the Marais.

Napoleon turned to his favorite architects, Charles Percier (1764-1838) and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine (1762-1853), to design the western part of the street. The two architects decided to adopt the 1757 guidelines, which required a uniform facade for buildings built near the Place de la Concorde, and thus we were created with a covered street about a kilometer long, with a uniform facade of arches, which became the street's hallmark.

After the fall of Napoleon I and the return of the monarchy, Charles X (reigned 1-10) and Louis Philippe (reigned 1824-1830) continued the expansion of the street eastward, while maintaining the uniform facades. However, it was Napoleon III (reigned 1830-1848) who finished building the street, not only continuing the Rue de Rivoli to the junction with Rue Saint-Antoine, but also building the Palais-Royal Square (where the entrance to the Palais-Royal – Musée du Louvre metro station is located). However, unlike his predecessors, he did not maintain the uniform facades and arches, which is why the eastern part of the street is, in my opinion, less beautiful than the western part.

Over the years, Rivoli Street continued to be a major transportation artery, so it is not surprising that Metro Line 1 passes here, but since the days of Napoleon III, the street itself has not changed substantially.

Now that you know the history of Rue Rivoli, let's put on comfortable shoes and take a journey along it.

Walking route on Rivoli Street

Route map

Below you will find a map of Rivoli Street with the main attractions marked as well as hotels in the area (in case you want to stay there). If you would like more specific recommendations for hotels and apartments in the area, please scroll to the end of the article.

To open the map in full screen, click here.

We will start the trip outside the Hôtel de Ville and the easiest way to get there is by metro line number 1 (get off at the Hôtel de Ville station).

Have you arrived? Let's get going!

The magnificent Paris City Hall

We begin our trip at the plaza of the Hôtel de Ville, the super-municipality of Paris (Paris has twenty municipalities, one for each arrondissement).

Unfortunately, it is not possible to visit the Hôtel de Ville outside ofHeritage DaysHowever, if you would like to better understand the fascinating story of the building that was built, burned, and rebuilt, and of the square in front of it, where people were executed in all sorts of creative ways, you are invited to read the article. Hôtel de Ville – because the city of Paris also needs a palace.

View Paris from the sky

Address: Square de la Tour Saint-Jacques

Continue along Rue Rivoli until you reach a charming garden with an ancient tower in the center. This is the Saint-Jacques Tower, the only remaining remnant of the Église Saint Jacques de la Boucherie church that stood here until the end of the 18th century.

If you have masochistic tendencies or just fancy a view of Paris from above, you'll be happy to know that you can climb the tower (tickets can be purchased On this site). There are 300 steps that I managed to climb and I can attest that the view is definitely worth the effort (and along the way I may have managed to burn a quarter of a kilo of calories). croissant that I ate before).

One last thing before we move on, if you would like to learn more about the story of the Saint-Jacques Tower, I recommend reading Amiram Tzabari's article on the tower.

When modern artists take over a building

Address: 59 Rue de Rivoli

And now, as the immortal Monty Python crew said, something completely different. Keep walking west on Rue Rivoli until you reach building number 59. When you look at the facade you will immediately realize that, although it is a typical Haussmannian building, it is unlike any other building in Paris.

The place has been used as an artists' commune since 1999 and is a vibrant creative center that houses about 30 artists from around the world. The building is spread over six floors (caution: there is no elevator) and contains artists' workshops (ateliers) that are open to the general public.

The place is open to the public free of charge every day from 13:00 PM to 20:00 PM and if you are a fan of avant-garde art you must visit there. Here is a short video that will show you what awaits you inside:

The statue commemorating the Great Massacre of Paris

Address: Rue de Rivoli 156

We continue further west and on the way we cross the road. When you reach number 156 you will find a statue in memory of Gaspard de Coligny, who came to mark one of the darkest chapters in French history.

In 1572, it offers Catherine de Medici, the Queen Mother of France, Henry, the Protestant leader, will marry her daughter Marguerite of Valois And thus the civil war between Catholics and Protestants would come to an end. Almost all the Protestant leaders gathered in Paris to celebrate this marriage, unaware that they were walking into a trap.

Initially, the queen only wanted to kill Gaspar de Coligny, whom she saw as a dangerous man who could cause war with the Spanish, so she sent an assassin to him. However, the assassination attempt failed and Gaspar de Coligny was slightly wounded. While everyone was looking for the assassin, and it was clear to the queen that the trail would lead her, she decided to massacre the Protestants and try to eliminate this problem once and for all.

The signal for the massacre to begin was given on August 24, when the bell of the church of Saint Germain l'Auxerois rang three times. The Catholics, who had previously marked the houses where the Protestants lived, attacked them and massacred them brutally.

One of the first people to be murdered was Gaspard de Coligny. He was thrown from the window of his house and fell into the courtyard. As he was dying, he was beheaded by the Duke of Guise. Coligny's head was sent to Queen Catherine de Medici, who, in turn, sent it to the Pope, so proud was she of the murder. The massacre of St. Bartholomew lasted in Paris for about 3 days and spread to the rest of France There he continued to claim victims until October. There is debate about how many Protestants were murdered, with the number ranging from 5000 to 30,000, but there is no doubt that this was one of the darkest chapters in French history, alongside the Reign of Terror or the Bloody Week of 1871.

The reason Coligny's statue is here is that the church in whose courtyard the statue is located (the entrance to it is from Rue Sainte-Honoré) is a church that became Protestant and they are the ones who decided to erect the statue in Coligny's memory in the 19th century. It is not so easy to enter this church because it is closed most of the time, but you are more than welcome to deviate from the route for a moment and visit the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, one of the most beautiful churches in Paris (in my opinion), which is a very short walk from where you are.

If you visit the church, you might notice a small garden right at the entrance. It's a brand new garden, which Ruth Shimoni told me about, and it's dedicated to the victims of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

And after we told you about the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre and the terrible death of Coligny, if you think he was a martyr, I would recommend you read Yigal Lieberant's article about him And maybe you'll suddenly see him in a completely different light.

Palais Royal

Address: Place du Palais Royal

Continue on until you reach Place du Palais Royal. To the south you will find the Louvre Museum, which I will write about in a moment, but to your right you will find the Palais Royal.

The Palais Royal was built by Cardinal Richelieu and later became the official residence of the Duke of Orléans, brother of Louis XIV, and his descendants. This palace has a long and fascinating history, so I cannot write it all here. However, if you are interested in getting to know it and/or visiting the place, you are welcome to enter the article Palais Royal: A Visitor's Guide to the Colorful History of the Palace and Garden.

The Louvre Museum

We stay in the same square and look south. What you see here is the north wing of the Louvre Museum, which was built by Emperor Napoleon III.

Just as in the case of the Palais Royal, here too, time would be short to write about this important museum, so if you have decided to visit it, or are simply interested in learning about its fascinating history, you are welcome to visit the page The Louvre Museum.

The Square of the Pyramids and the Tragic Story of the Model for the Statue of Joan of Arc

Address: Place des Pyramides

Continue west while skipping the tourist shops that will try to sell you miniature models of the Eiffel Tower and other nonsense, and arrive at the “Place des Pyramides”.

This square was built by Napoleon I and opened to the public in 1801. Initially, it was called Place de Rivoli, but in 1932 it was decided to change its name to Place des Pyramides, after the Battle of the Pyramids that took place on July 21, 1798. During this battle, Napoleon's army, numbering between 20 and 30 men, defeated a Mamluk army of about 40,000 soldiers. This was one of Napoleon's decisive victories, during which the French army suffered only about 40 deaths, while the Mamluks suffered about 10,000 deaths. After this battle, Napoleon entered Cairo and later set out on a journey to Israel, but that is another story.

Before we continue, I must tell you that in truth, this battle was not fought at the foot of the pyramids, as one might think, but in Embabeh near the Nile River. However, the "Battle of Embabeh" sounds less sexy than the Battle of the Pyramids, so Napoleon decided to name the battle after the tombs of the pharaohs, which could be seen from the battlefield.

In the center of the square you will find the statue of Joan of Arc, sculpted by Emmanuel Frémiet (1824-1910) in 1874.

The statue was placed here because not far from here Joan of Arc was wounded while besieging the city of Paris. This statue has a tragic-ironic story. The name of the model for this statue was Aimée Girod (1856-1937) and like Joan of Arc she was born in the region Lorraine Not far from Domremy, the birthplace of the “Virgin of Orléans.” The resemblance did not end there and tragically, the model for the statue also died in a fire (she was not executed of course but burned to death as a result of a fire that broke out in her house).

However, the story of the statue did not end there. When the statue was presented to the general public, it was criticized for being too large for the horse and too small for Joan of Arc. Emmanuel Premier decided to go back to the drawing board and cast a new model of the statue, which was presented in the city of Nancy in the Lorraine region. After this statue received positive responses, he cast another statue and placed it in the square in 1899, and this is the statue that stands here today.

By the way, if you would like to learn more about the story of Joan of Arc, you are welcome to listen to Alon Klibanov's lecture. Joan of Arc Witch or Saint?.

My favorite bookstore in Paris

Address: 224 Rue de Rivoli

Keep going until you reach my favorite bookstore in Paris: Galignani!

This shop was founded by Giovanni Antonio Galignani (1757-1826), an average Englishman of Italian descent, who arrived in Paris in 1801 with the aim of selling books in English. At first glance, selling books in English in the French capital seemed like business suicide. But fortunately for him, a year later the Peace of Amiens broke out and legions of English tourists flooded the streets of Paris looking for a place to read a book or a newspaper, and Galignani was there to satisfy their needs.

Galliani and his sons continued to prosper after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, and they even founded a successful English-language newspaper that survived, in various incarnations, until 1904. This store is still run by his descendants today and offers a wealth of books in French (in the front of the store) and English (in the back).

There is not a single visit to Paris where I don't dedicate at least half an hour to this charming store, and if you are a bibliophile as much as you are a Francophile, I highly recommend you visit here.

The store is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 19:00 PM. The place is closed on Sunday.

The tea house that became a tourist cliché

Address: 226 Rue de Rivoli

Adjacent to the Galiniani bookstore is the famous Angelina Tea House, or is it called Rumpelmayer?

Yes, when the place opened in 1903, it was indeed named that way, after the owner, Anton Rumpelmayer (1832-1914), an Austrian confectioner who decided to emigrate to Paris and open a teahouse there. His business, which was later named after his daughter, quickly became a resounding success among the rich and famous of Paris (Coco Chanel She would sit there almost every day.

In 1963, the Rummelmeyer family sold the place and Angelina slowly declined in importance and became a kind of tourist cliché. The culture of Instagram and TikTok has meant that almost every time you go there you will see a long line of people and think that maybe they are giving away free gold. Unfortunately, this is not the case, the most you can find there is their famous Mont Blanc cake and mediocre chocolate, and all of this at exorbitant prices.

However, just like Eiffel TowerIf you have never been there, you will surely feel the need to visit the place at least once. In that case, you will be happy to know that the place is open every day from 08:00 to 19:00 (on weekends it is open until 19:30).

Le Meurice Hotel

Address: 228 Rue de Rivoli

Right next to Angelina you will find Le Meurice, one of Paris's most luxurious hotels. Like the Galliani store, which is not far away, this hotel was also built to cater to English tourism in France.

In 1771, Charles-Augustin Meurice opened a roadside inn in Calais to cater to wealthy Englishmen who were vacationing in France. After the final fall of Napoleon, in 1815, Meurice, then 77 years old, founded his first Parisian hotel.

Initially, the hotel was located on Rue Sainte-Honoré and in 1835 it moved to its current location. Over the years, the hotel has hosted a long line of famous people, including Queen Victoria, and even Ehud Barak, who, as Minister of Defense, rented a floor here for himself and his entourage during one of the Paris Air Shows (at your expense, of course).

During the German occupation, the military governor lived here and here, in 1944, a real drama took place. The governor, von Choltitz (Dietrich von Choltitz 1894-1966), received an order from Hitler to destroy Paris and began preparations for it. How did it all end? For that, you will have to read the article When Paris almost burned down.

If you have a penny in your pocket, you are more than welcome. To live here And if you're looking for a less expensive way to experience the place, you're welcome to try the place's famous breakfast, with patisserie by the famous pastry chef Cedric Grolla, which cost about 65 euros per person (last time I checked).

Hotel San Florentin

Address: 2 Rue Saint Florentin

Although the entrance to this palace is on Rue Saint-Florentin, the front of its living rooms faces Rue Rivoli, and there you will also find a sign stating that the Marshall Plan, which was responsible for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II, was signed in this palace on April 3, 1948.

Because he often served as foreign minister, this palace became a center of diplomatic intrigue and hosted the rich and famous of Europe, including Tsar Alexander I. Here is what he wrote about the place: Victor Hugo:

In this palace, like a spider in a curio, he has lured and trapped one after another heroes, thinkers, conquerors, princes, emperors, Bonaparte, Says, Madame de Staël, Chateaubriand, Benjamin Constant, Alexander of Russia, Guillaume of Prussia, François of Austria, Louis XVIII, Louis Philippe, and all the gilded and glittering flies that have buzzed in the history of the last forty years. All this glittering swarm, mesmerized by the penetrating gaze of this man, passed in turn under this gloomy gate which bears on its architecture the inscription: Hôtel Talleyrand

Unfortunately, you can't visit it during the day, because the palace belongs to the American Consulate, but if you come to Paris during Heritage Days, you might get lucky, and if you stand in line long enough, you'll be able to peek inside.

Concorde Square

Address: Place de la Concorde

We arrived at Concorde Square, where the street ends and where our trip also ends.

This square has gone through quite a few upheavals since it opened as Place Louis XV in 15 and saw quite a bit of killing and blood before becoming the beautiful square we all know.

Since the history of this square is too long to include in this article, let me recommend that you go to the article about Place de la Concorde, where you will find not only historical information but also quite a bit of tourist information, including hiking trails that start there and can be a continuation of your trip today (if you haven't already fallen off your feet after all that walking).

Bonus 1: Hôtel de la Marine

Address: 2 Place de la Concorde

If you have already arrived at the Place de la Concorde, and have not visited the Louvre Museum, let me recommend what I call a “bis museum,” meaning a small museum that can be seen in an hour or even less (unlike the Louvre, which will require you to spend days or even weeks to really see everything it has to offer).

I am, of course, talking about the Hôtel de la Marine, one of the magnificent palaces overlooking the Place de la Concorde, which opened to the public at the end of the Corona period. It is a very fun museum, which combines not only period furniture and a view from the balcony of the Place de la Concorde, but also the use of advanced multimedia means, which make the visit especially enjoyable.

Since this is a very popular museum, it is highly recommended to book a ticket in advance, and this can be done. Using this link.

If you would like to learn more about the history of this palace, you are welcome to read Ronen Sass's article. Hôtel de la Marine – the new flagship of museums in Paris.

Bonus 2: Tuileries Gardens

Address: Place de la Concorde (but there are other entrances)

If you've already arrived at the Place de la Concorde and want to take a break from all that walking, why not head into the Tuileries Gardens, which you've probably seen while strolling along parts of Rue Rivoli?

Like the Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries Gardens, whose planting began in the 16th century, have a long and fascinating history. So how about finding yourself a bench, sitting comfortably, and reading the article? Tuileries Gardens, Paris' first public garden?

Accommodation on Rivoli Street and the surrounding area

As mentioned, the fact that Rivoli is one of the main streets in Paris makes it a great area to live (especially if this is your first time in the City of Lights). If you decide to live in the area, here are some of my recommendations:

Recommended hotels in Rue de Rivoli

There are quite a few hotels located on or very close to Rivoli Street, and you can find them on the route map at the beginning of the article. However, if I may, I would be happy to recommend two hotels that I particularly like:

Nice Hotel

This hotel is not far from where this route begins and I particularly like it. The reasons for this are the location, the great service, its unique vintage look and the price, relative to the location, which is more than reasonable. So if there are rooms available there and you are not looking for a hotel with a modern look, but rather like the feeling of time travel, this is absolutely the hotel for you.

Hotel Brighton

If you are looking for a more luxurious hotel, let me recommend the Brighton Hotel, which overlooks the Tuileries Gardens and is located at the western end of Rue Rivoli. I have lived there before and enjoyed every moment. I recommend the hotel for its excellent location, the relatively large room I was in (it is recommended to try to get a room with a view of the Tuileries, as these are usually the larger rooms), and for the service. The breakfast, however, was quite mediocre, so I would consider skipping it and eating elsewhere.

Recommended apartments not far from Rivoli Street

If you would like to live in an apartment not far from Rue Rivoli, let me recommend Audi's apartments. These are luxurious and well-equipped apartments, owned by an Israeli, with simply excellent concierge service. In recent years, I have been staying in his apartments every time I come to Paris and I am never disappointed.

For Audi there are several apartments very close to Rivoli Street:

• 3 apartments on Simon Le Franc Street and an apartment on Beaubourg Street, which are not far from the Pompidou Center but also a few minutes' walk from Rivoli Street itself.
  
• Two apartments on Rue Saint Croix de la Bretonnerie, which are also a very short distance from Rue Rivoli
  
• Luxurious apartment on Rue Royale, a few steps from Place de la Concorde and Rue de Rivoli

You can find information about each of the apartments I mentioned inAudi's apartment website.