- Walk along the Seine: from Pont Neuf to Pont d’Austerlitz
- Walk Mansions in the Marais
- Walk along the Ile
Walk along the Seine:
from Pont Neuf to Pont d’Austerlitz
This walk takes you through the 1st, 4th and 5th arrondissements
Start: Metro Pont Neuf
End: Metro Gare d’Austerlitz
Duration: 1.5-2 hours
Walk along the Seine: from Pont Neuf to Pont d’Austerlitz view on a larger map.
1. Walk from the metro station along the quai de la Mégisserie to the place du Châtelet.
On the quai de la Mégisserie you will find many pet shops (dogs, cats, geese, weasels) and shops with garden supplies. The place du Châtelet was built on the site of the fort du Châtelet that guarded the entrance to Paris until 1802. Hausmann redesigned this area around 1860, wiping out a characteristic and medieval part of Paris. There are two theaters on the square, the Théâtre du Châtelet and the Théâtre de la Ville, both built by Davioud. Sarah Bernhardt played her leading roles here. Behind the square is the Tour Saint-Jacques, which is currently being renovated.
2. Cross the Pont au Change to the Ile de la Cité.
On the right is the quai de l’Horloge with the Conciergerie. This was once the residence of the French kings and from the 14th century to the 19th century a prison where many famous players from French history were held. During the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, 2800 people were imprisoned here who would all die by guillotine, including Marie-Antoinette.
3. Turn left onto the quai de la Corse, past the flower market, pass the Pont Notre-Dame and cross the Seine via the Pont d’Arcole.
You will come across the Paris city hall, the Hôtel de Ville, with the enormous place de l’Hôtel de Ville in front of it. This square was once called place de Grève, the place where boats used to dock to load and unload their merchandise. The name of this square refers to the French word for strike: ‘grève’, because many protest meetings were held here in the past. The city hall has been rebuilt several times, the last time in 1882 after a fire destroyed the building. The mayor has his office on the side of the Seine.
4. From the square, turn left onto the quai de l’Hotel de Ville and cross the Seine via the Pont Louis Philippe to the Ile Saint-Louis. Turn left onto the quai de Bourbon and go straight on to the quai d’Anjou.
On the relatively quiet Ile Saint-Louis you will find beautiful mansions from the 17th century, including on the quai de Bourbon (no. 19, hôtel de Jassaud, no. 41-53, built by architect Le Vau) and the quai d’Anjou (no. 1, hôtel Lambert, no. 3, hôtel Le Vau, no. 17 hôtel de Lauzun).
5. At the end of the quai d’Anjoude, cross Boulevard Henri IV. At the very tip of the island is the square Barye.
On the square Barye there is a monument in memory of Antoine-Louis Barye, a sculptor and painter from the 19th century. His statue used to be on top, but it was melted down by the Germans during the Second World War. From here you have a beautiful view of the Seine to the east and of the Bibliothèque nationale François Mitterrand. If you go down to the Seine here, you will come to a beautiful picnic area.
6. Cross the Pont de Sully to the left bank.
Diagonally to the left you will see the modern building of the Institut du Monde Arabe, designed by Jean Nouvel in 1987. It houses a collection of Arab-Islamic art. The building is made of glass and aluminium with 240 geometric panels in the south façade that work like photo slats: they open when it is dark and close further as it gets lighter.
7. Cross the street in front of the Institut and take the stairs to the Seine quay.
Here you will find the Jardin Tino Rossi, a long and narrow park with sculptures by Brancusi and Zadkine, among others. Here you can rest and watch the Seine. On summer evenings there is dancing. On the other side lies the Quai Henri IV. Behind this quay lies a former island, the Ile Louviers, which was connected to the shore in 1843.
8. Leave the park to the east. At the Pont d’Austerlitz, turn right onto the Boulevard de l’Hôpital until you reach the Gare d’Austerlitz metro station.
Walk Mansions in the Marais
This walk takes you through the 3rd and 4th arrondissements
start: place des Vosges
end: place des Vosges
duration: 2.5 hours (4 km)
Walk Mansions in the Marais view on a larger map.
Description
The Place des Vosges (pronounced: vózje) is one of the oldest and most beautiful squares in Paris, built by order of Henry IV in 1612. With its red brick and white limestone houses, arcades, and symmetrical design, it is also one of the most picturesque squares in the city. The 36 houses were constructed according to strict guidelines: the height of the facades is equal to their width, and the roofs are half the height of the facades. Only the Pavillon du Roi on the south side and the Pavillon de la Reine on the north side are taller. The square itself is a perfect 108-meter square.
At the center of the square is Square Louis XIII, featuring an equestrian statue of Louis XIII. Originally called Place Royale, the area where the garden is now was once a field used for festivities and tournaments. Napoleon renamed it Place des Vosges in gratitude to the Vosges department, which was the first to pay taxes in 1800.
Many famous French figures have lived here, including Descartes, Pascal, Alphonse Daudet, Richelieu, and Georges Simenon. At No. 6, Victor Hugo lived in the Hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée from 1832 to 1848, where he wrote part of Les Misérables. Today, it houses the Victor Hugo Museum. Under the arcades, you’ll find elegant boutiques, antique shops, and a few restaurants.
Route Information
1. Go to the southwest corner of the square, where you enter Hôtel de Sully through a door at number 7.
You will enter the beautiful French courtyard of Hôtel de Béthune-Sully, a mansion from 1624 with a late Renaissance facade, a paved courtyard, and a garden. The Duke of Sully, minister of Henri IV, purchased the building in 1634 and had it beautifully decorated. The garden and courtyard are open to visitors, as is the bookstore. The building itself is not accessible. It houses the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, an organization overseeing French monuments.
2. Walk through the courtyards to the main entrance of Hôtel de Sully on Rue Saint-Antoine and turn right. Take the first left onto Rue Saint-Paul.
Just past Rue Charlemagne on the right, there is a passage leading to Village Saint-Paul, which consists of five interconnected medieval courtyards. Here, you will find antique shops, boutiques, and cafes. The absence of traffic creates a peaceful atmosphere.
3. Exit Village Saint-Paul via Rue des Jardins de Saint-Paul and turn left.
You will see remnants of two towers and a section of the old city wall of Philippe Auguste from 1190.
4. Turn right onto Rue de l’Ave Maria.
On the left is the small Square Marie Trintignant, named after the French actress who passed away in 2003.
5. Cross Rue du Fauconnier and continue straight onto Rue du Figuier.
You will approach Hôtel de Sens, one of the few remaining medieval civilian buildings in Paris. Built between 1475 and 1519 for the Archbishop of Sens, it later housed Henri IV’s ex-wife Margot, who had a fig tree cut down to make way for her carriage. Now, three other fig trees stand in front of the building. The Bibliothèque Forney, a library specializing in the arts, is located here and is open from Tuesday to Saturday. Regular exhibitions are also held. Across the street, the Jardin Figuier Fauconnier is open to the public.
6. Continue down Rue du Figuier, turn left briefly, then right onto Rue de Fourcy.
At numbers 5-7, you will find the European Museum of Photography, housed in the restored Hôtel Hénault de Cantobre from 1706, with a modern landscaped front garden.
7. Turn left onto Rue François Miron.
Numbers 11 and 13 are medieval half-timbered houses from the 15th and 16th centuries. At number 68 stands Hôtel de Beauvais, built in 1655, where a young Mozart once stayed with his family. It has a stunning interior that can be visited.
8. Turn right onto Rue Tiron, then left onto Rue de Rivoli. Cross Rue de Rivoli and take the second right onto Rue Vieille du Temple. Cross Rue des Rosiers and continue to number 47.
This building is Hôtel Amelot de Bisseuil, also known as Hôtel des Ambassadeurs de Hollande. No Dutch ambassador ever lived here, but in the 17th century, a chaplain from the Dutch embassy held Protestant services in this building. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, Protestant services were officially banned, except in embassies of Protestant countries. In 1776, writer and composer Beaumarchais rented the building and wrote The Marriage of Figaro here.
9. Walk back slightly on Rue Vieille du Temple and turn left onto Rue des Rosiers.
This street is the heart of the Jewish quarter, featuring Jewish bookstores, delis, and kosher restaurants. However, many Jewish businesses have been replaced by trendy fashion stores. The famous Jo Goldenberg restaurant has closed. The street is lively, especially on Sundays, and offers excellent Jewish cuisine such as falafel and pickled lemons. The name “Rosiers” comes from an old rose garden along the city wall of Philippe Auguste.
10. Turn left onto Rue Pavée.
This was the first street in Paris to be paved in the 15th century. At number 10 stands the synagogue designed by Art Nouveau architect Guimard in 1913 for Eastern European Jewish immigrants.
At number 24 is Hôtel de Lamoignon, built in 1584 for Diane de France, the illegitimate daughter of Henri II. Later, it was named after the first president of the French Parliament. Diane was fond of hunting, as seen in the decorative elements on the facade. On the corner with Rue des Francs-Bourgeois is a beautiful square turret. Today, the building houses the Historical Library of Paris.
11. Turn right onto Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, then left onto Rue de Sévigné.
At numbers 23-29 stands the Musée Carnavalet, the historical museum of Paris. The museum occupies two buildings: Hôtel Carnavalet (1560), a fine example of Renaissance architecture, and Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau. The two buildings are connected by a passage on the first floor. The garden is a classic French courtyard.
12. Turn left onto Rue du Parc-Royal.
This street is lined with beautiful, well-restored mansions. Two small parks remain from the vast Parc Royal of the 15th century: Square Léopold Achille (at number 5) and Square Georges Cain (behind it, entrance on Rue Payenne). At number 11 on Rue Payenne is the Swedish Cultural Center, which has a cafe serving Swedish food and drinks.
13. Continue on Rue du Parc-Royal and turn right at Place de Thorigny onto Rue de Thorigny.
At number 5 is the Musée Picasso, housed in Hôtel Salé (1656). Originally home to a tax collector for salt, the museum’s garden is partially accessible via Rue des Coutures.
14. Return to Place de Thorigny, turn right onto Rue de la Perle.
At the corner of Rue Vieille du Temple, you will find the complex that housed the French National Archives until 2013. It includes Hôtel de Soubise, Hôtel de Rohan, and four other mansions.
15. Continue on Rue de la Perle, which becomes Rue des Quatre Fils.
At number 60 on Rue des Archives is the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, housed in the beautiful Hôtel Guénégaud des Brosses (1655), designed by François Mansart.
16. Turn left onto Rue des Archives, then left onto Rue des Francs-Bourgeois.
This street features several stunning mansions, including Hôtel de Soubise, Hôtel de Jaucourt, and Hôtel de Coulanges, among others.
17. Continue on Rue des Francs-Bourgeois and turn right onto Rue de Sévigné until you reach Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine on your left.
This charming pedestrian square is a peaceful retreat with benches and cafes. It was once the site of the Sainte-Catherine Church, demolished in 1783.
18. Walk past the square, turn left onto Rue d’Ormesson, then left onto Rue de Turenne, and right onto Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, leading back to Place des Vosges.
Walk on the Ile de la Cité
This walk takes you through the 1st and 4th arrondissements
Start: Metro Pont-Neuf
End: Metro Maubert-Mutualité
Duration: 1-1.5 hours
Walk on the Ile de la Cité view a larger map.
1. From the metro station, walk towards the Seine and cross the first part of the Pont Neuf.
The Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge in Paris, built in 1603. You are now on the Ile de la Cité, where the people of the Parisii built the first settlements of Paris more than 2000 years ago. On the right of the square du Vert Galant is a statue of King Henri IV (1553-1610). ‘Vert galant’ means something like womanizer, and the king was given that nickname because of his extramarital affairs that often got him into trouble.
To the right of the statue is a small park with weeping willows and benches that offers a beautiful view of the Seine on two sides.
2. Opposite the square du Vert Galant, go into the rue H. Robert and continue until you reach the place Dauphine.
This is a quiet 17th century square in a triangular shape with chestnut trees and benches in the middle. The chestnut trees were cut down in 2009 because they were affected by chestnut blight, but there are now 25 new red chestnuts. The square was built on the orders of Henri IV. There are still some original facades (nos. 14 and 26), the rest are of a later date.
3. Turn left into rue de Harlay and then right onto quai de l’Horloge.
Here you can see the medieval building of the Conciergerie along the Seine, part of the Palais de la Cité where the French kings lived until the 14th century. Later it became a famous prison where thousands of prisoners (including Robespierre and Marie-Antoinette) waited their turn for the guillotine during the French Revolution. The building has four towers, the tower on the corner is the Tour de l’Horloge, the first clock in Paris in 1370. The entrance to the Conciergerie is on the boulevard du Palais.
4. Turn right onto the boulevard du Palais.
Here, behind the beautiful gold-coloured gate, lies the Palais de Justice, the building complex of the French court of justice. This building was also part of the Palais de la Cité, but was transferred to the court of justice in 1431. The sessions are in principle free to visit.
Past the gold-coloured gate of the Palais de Justice, you come to the Sainte Chapelle. This is a beautiful Gothic chapel from 1248 with famous stained glass windows. From the street, the pointed tower protrudes just above the surrounding buildings, but in the past the chapel stood in a spacious courtyard.
5. Walk opposite the gold-coloured gate into the rue de Lutèce.
The Cité metro station on your left still has an original Art Nouveau entrance by Hector Guimard. Behind it is the flower market (bird market on Sundays) that continues onto the quai de la Corse.
6. Walk down the rue de Lutèce and turn right into the rue de la Cité. Continue until you reach the square.
You are now standing on the place du Parvis Notre Dame in front of the cathedral. On the left is a hospital, the Hotel Dieu, which was originally on the south side of the square but was moved to the north side in the 19th century. This created a beautiful square with a view of the Notre Dame de Paris, the most famous Gothic church in the world, built between 1163 and 1330. On the right of the square is a statue of Charlemagne on horseback. In the middle of the square is the zero point for the distances from Paris to other places in France. In the Crypte Archéologique you can still see Roman remains of the city.
7. Walk through the park to the right of the church.
From this side you can see the beautiful side of the cathedral with the buttresses that carry a large part of the weight of the church. At the same time you can look out over the Seine and the left bank.
Walk back to the place du Parvis Notre Dame and turn right into the rue d’Arcole. Take the first street on the right, the rue Chanoinesse, then the first on the left, the rue de la Colombe. Turn right into the rue des Ursins and left into the rue des Chantres, then right onto the quai des Fleurs.
These are the original medieval streets of the Ile de la Cité. The entire island used to consist of such streets, but in the 19th century many streets and houses were demolished to create space, among other things for the increasingly busy traffic.
8. Walk down the quai des Fleurs, which turns into the quai de l’Archevêché.
On your left, on the square de l’Ile de France, is the Mémorial de la Déportation, a monument commemorating the 200,000 French people who were deported to a concentration camp during the Second World War. It consists of an underground crypt with urns of the victims. The walls are decorated with 200,000 pieces of quartz.
9. Cross the Pont de l’Archevêché and turn right onto the quai de Montebello.
You will walk along the Pont au Double, a previous version of which was used as an extension to the Hôtel Dieu hospital, which was then on this side of the Ile de la Cité.
Just after the Pont au Double, on the left is a small park on the square René Viviani. From this old park you have a beautiful view of the south side of the Notre Dame. The church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre borders the park on the south side. On that side there is also a dilapidated acacia from 1601, one of the oldest trees in Paris. It is supported by concrete beams. In the middle of the park is a triangular bronze fountain from 1995 by Georges Jeanclos.
10. Leave the park via the rue Lagrange. Continue along this street until you reach the place Maubert and the Maubert-Mutualité metro station.