Place Vendome
Originally called Place des Conquetes (Square of Conquests) it was later renamed Place Louis le Grand (Square of Louis the Great). This stunningly elegant square was laid out in 1702 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and forms the starting point of the chic rue de la Paix. The chamfered corners give the square a slightly octagonal feel, while the whole space is remarkable for the sheer strictness of its symmetrically. Originally entered on a larger-than0life equestrian statue of Louis XIV, this was destroyed, as were so many others, during the Revolution, Napoleon then erected the Vendome column at the centre to celebrate his victory at Austerlitz.
Modelled after Trajan's Column, 425 bas-reliefs spiral their way up the shaft. Supposedly made out of cannon confiscated from defeated enemies, the shaft's magnificent sculptures were designed by Pierre-Nolasque Bergeret and executed by a large team of craftsmen. Originally topped by a statue of Napoleon, this was pulled down after the Bourbon restoration, its metal being used to recast the statue of Henri IV on the Point Neuf. A replacement statue of Napoleon was later put back in place at the top of the column by King Louis-Philipe. The column was torn down during the Commune of 1871 but subsequently re-erected and still forms the square's main focal point today. The original plan of the square was to house academies and embassies, however, it was bankers and tax farmers who seemed better able to afford the opulent homes.
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The square is remarkably intact and is still home to bankers, as well as upmarket jewellers and the famous Ritz Hotel, established here at No. 15 by the renowned hotelier Cesar Ritz at the beginning of the 20th century.
Did you know? Frederic Chopin died at No. 12 Place Vendome in 1848.
Originally called Place des Conquetes (Square of Conquests) it was later renamed Place Louis le Grand (Square of Louis the Great). This stunningly elegant square was laid out in 1702 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and forms the starting point of the chic rue de la Paix. The chamfered corners give the square a slightly octagonal feel, while the whole space is remarkable for the sheer strictness of its symmetrically. Originally entered on a larger-than0life equestrian statue of Louis XIV, this was destroyed, as were so many others, during the Revolution, Napoleon then erected the Vendome column at the centre to celebrate his victory at Austerlitz.
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The square is remarkably intact and is still home to bankers, as well as upmarket jewellers and the famous Ritz Hotel, established here at No. 15 by the renowned hotelier Cesar Ritz at the beginning of the 20th century.
Did you know? Frederic Chopin died at No. 12 Place Vendome in 1848.
Quai Voltaire
This beautiful stretch of riverfront was originally part of Quai Malaquais, it then became known as the Quai des Theatins before settling on the name it has today. Now home to some of the most important antique dealers in the city, it is equally famous for some of its illustrious past residents.
The sculptor James Pradier lived at No. 1. Not so well known today, even though his work is beautiful, he was highly praised and very popular in the 19th century. He is perhaps more famous now as the husband of the woman said to have swum naked across the Seine. Louise de Keroualle also lived here, at Nos. 3-5. She was a spy for Louis XIV and was granted the title Duchess of Portsmouth by Charles II of England, who was besotted with her. No. 19 was home to composers Richard Wagner and Jean Sibelius, as well as the novelist Charles Baudelaire and an exiled Oscar Wilde. Voltaire died at the Hotel de la Vilette, No. 27.
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Did you know? When Voltaire died, the local church refused to bury him on the grounds that he had been an atheist. His body had to be rushed out of the city to avoid being buried in a pauper's grave.
This beautiful stretch of riverfront was originally part of Quai Malaquais, it then became known as the Quai des Theatins before settling on the name it has today. Now home to some of the most important antique dealers in the city, it is equally famous for some of its illustrious past residents.
The sculptor James Pradier lived at No. 1. Not so well known today, even though his work is beautiful, he was highly praised and very popular in the 19th century. He is perhaps more famous now as the husband of the woman said to have swum naked across the Seine. Louise de Keroualle also lived here, at Nos. 3-5. She was a spy for Louis XIV and was granted the title Duchess of Portsmouth by Charles II of England, who was besotted with her. No. 19 was home to composers Richard Wagner and Jean Sibelius, as well as the novelist Charles Baudelaire and an exiled Oscar Wilde. Voltaire died at the Hotel de la Vilette, No. 27.
Did you know? When Voltaire died, the local church refused to bury him on the grounds that he had been an atheist. His body had to be rushed out of the city to avoid being buried in a pauper's grave.
Cour de Rohan
Turn left onto rue l'Ancienne-Comedie and the restaurant Le Procope will be on your right at No. 13. Founded by a Sicilian called Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli in 1686, this is reputed to be the world's oldest coffee house. It was popular with Paris' political and literary elite, including the philosopher Voltaire, who is supposed to have drunk 40 cups of his favourite mixture of coffee and hot chocolate every day. The young Napoleon also used t come here, and would leave his hat as security while he went to search for money to pay his bill.
The warren of ancient lane-ways behind rue l'Ancienne-Comedie contain a number of interesting old courtyards. Cour du Comerce St Andre is a charming vestige of medieval Paris, although No. 9 has a gruesome association as it was here that Dr Guillotin perfected his 'philanthropic decapitating machine', the guillotine.
Boulevard St-Michel
The main thoroughfare through the Latin Quarter - it was created by Baron Haussmann in 1869, and runs 1.4 kilometres southwards from the Pont St-Michel, from which it gets its name. Cutting through the medieval fabric of this part of the city, the boulevard runs all the way to Place Camille Jullian, and parallel to the old Roman road now known as rue St0Jacques. This traditionally formed the north-south axis of the city. Famed for its literary cafes, these have largely been replaced by cheap shops and fast-food restaurants.
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Affectionately known as Boul'Mich, it has a long history of student activism, particularly the students riots that erupted in 1968. Place St-Michel contains the Fontaine St-Michel. Constructed by Gabriel Davioud between 1855 and 1860, the fountain's original statue was supposed to depict Napoleon, but public opposition caused it to be replaced by the less controversial figure of the archangel St Michel. The saint is depicted with two dragons - spouting water rather than breathing fire - and four figures representing the classical virtues of justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude.
Place St-Michel also contains a marble plaque commemorating the students who died fighting the German occupation here in 1944.
Rue Mouffetard
'La Mouffe', as it is known to the locals, is famous for its open-air markets, particularly those on Place Maudbert, Place Monge and the rue Daubenton (which is a side street and home to a lively African market). This roadway has been in use since Roman times, which makes it one of the oldest in the city, and still retains a somewhat medieval air. It is possible to catch a glimpse of what life must have been like back then, with markets, shops and churches all huddled together along a winding, sloping street. Some of the smaller shops even still sport ancient-looking painted signs advertising their wares.
In the 17th and 18th centuries the street was known as the Grande Rue du Faubourg St-Marcel and a number of the buildings date from this time. No. 125 has a restored Louis XIII facade, while the front of No. 134 is worth watching for because its remarkable decoration featuring wild animals, plants and flowers.
The Passage des Postes is an ancient alleyway that was opened onto rue Mouffetard in 1830, while the Pot de Fer is one of 14 fountains Marie de Medicis had built on the Left Bank in 1624 to provide water for her Palais du Luxembourg. The fountain was rebuilt in 1671. Place de la Contrescarpe was laid out in 1852 and used to lie outside the old city walls. It got its name from the moat that ran along these walls, built by King Philipp-Auguste at the beginning of the 13th century.
This area has been long home to festivals and is still extremely lively, especially on weekends. There is a famous Bastille Day Ball held here each year. No. 1 Place de la Contrescarpe has a plaque commemorating the 'Pinecone Club' immortalised by Rabelais, and was where a group of writers called La Pleiade (The Pleiades - after the constellation) used to meet in the 16th century.
Val-de-Grace
This is regarded as one of the most beautiful churches in Paris. It was built for Anne of Austria (wife of Louis XIII) in thanks to the Blessed Virgin for having given birth to a son after 23 years of childless marriage. The son went on to become King Louis XIV, the Sun King. The seven-year-old Louis is said to have laid the church's foundation stone in 1645.
Design by Francois Mansart and Jacques Lemercier, Val-de-Grace is a magnificent example of Baroque architecture. Completed in 1667, the church's beautiful lead-and-gilt dome is 41 metres high and 19 metres in diameter. The interior of the dome is painted with over 200 triple-life-size figures by Pierre Mignard. The six twisting marble columns that frame the high altar are modelled on Bernini's in St Peter's Rome. 26 members of the French royal family are buried here, including both the Bourbon and the Orleans branches. Unlike many churches in the city, this one survived the Revolution intact, mainly because of the Benedictine nuns who were providing medical care to injured revolutionaries. The tradition of care is continued here today, as the church is part of a military hospital complex.
Rue Campagne-Premiere
This street has some interesting Art Nouveau buildings, particularly the row of artists' studios on the left at No. 31. Overlooking the small park these were built in 1911 and the building's facade decorated by the ceramicist Paul Bigot. Between World Wars I and II many famous artists lived and worked here, including Picasso, Joan Miro and Kandinsky. Modigliani, ravaged by opium and tuberculosis, spent the last years of his life at No. 3.
Turn left onto rue l'Ancienne-Comedie and the restaurant Le Procope will be on your right at No. 13. Founded by a Sicilian called Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli in 1686, this is reputed to be the world's oldest coffee house. It was popular with Paris' political and literary elite, including the philosopher Voltaire, who is supposed to have drunk 40 cups of his favourite mixture of coffee and hot chocolate every day. The young Napoleon also used t come here, and would leave his hat as security while he went to search for money to pay his bill.
The warren of ancient lane-ways behind rue l'Ancienne-Comedie contain a number of interesting old courtyards. Cour du Comerce St Andre is a charming vestige of medieval Paris, although No. 9 has a gruesome association as it was here that Dr Guillotin perfected his 'philanthropic decapitating machine', the guillotine.
Boulevard St-Michel
The main thoroughfare through the Latin Quarter - it was created by Baron Haussmann in 1869, and runs 1.4 kilometres southwards from the Pont St-Michel, from which it gets its name. Cutting through the medieval fabric of this part of the city, the boulevard runs all the way to Place Camille Jullian, and parallel to the old Roman road now known as rue St0Jacques. This traditionally formed the north-south axis of the city. Famed for its literary cafes, these have largely been replaced by cheap shops and fast-food restaurants.
Affectionately known as Boul'Mich, it has a long history of student activism, particularly the students riots that erupted in 1968. Place St-Michel contains the Fontaine St-Michel. Constructed by Gabriel Davioud between 1855 and 1860, the fountain's original statue was supposed to depict Napoleon, but public opposition caused it to be replaced by the less controversial figure of the archangel St Michel. The saint is depicted with two dragons - spouting water rather than breathing fire - and four figures representing the classical virtues of justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude.
Place St-Michel also contains a marble plaque commemorating the students who died fighting the German occupation here in 1944.
Rue Mouffetard
'La Mouffe', as it is known to the locals, is famous for its open-air markets, particularly those on Place Maudbert, Place Monge and the rue Daubenton (which is a side street and home to a lively African market). This roadway has been in use since Roman times, which makes it one of the oldest in the city, and still retains a somewhat medieval air. It is possible to catch a glimpse of what life must have been like back then, with markets, shops and churches all huddled together along a winding, sloping street. Some of the smaller shops even still sport ancient-looking painted signs advertising their wares.
In the 17th and 18th centuries the street was known as the Grande Rue du Faubourg St-Marcel and a number of the buildings date from this time. No. 125 has a restored Louis XIII facade, while the front of No. 134 is worth watching for because its remarkable decoration featuring wild animals, plants and flowers.
The Passage des Postes is an ancient alleyway that was opened onto rue Mouffetard in 1830, while the Pot de Fer is one of 14 fountains Marie de Medicis had built on the Left Bank in 1624 to provide water for her Palais du Luxembourg. The fountain was rebuilt in 1671. Place de la Contrescarpe was laid out in 1852 and used to lie outside the old city walls. It got its name from the moat that ran along these walls, built by King Philipp-Auguste at the beginning of the 13th century.
This area has been long home to festivals and is still extremely lively, especially on weekends. There is a famous Bastille Day Ball held here each year. No. 1 Place de la Contrescarpe has a plaque commemorating the 'Pinecone Club' immortalised by Rabelais, and was where a group of writers called La Pleiade (The Pleiades - after the constellation) used to meet in the 16th century.
Val-de-Grace
This is regarded as one of the most beautiful churches in Paris. It was built for Anne of Austria (wife of Louis XIII) in thanks to the Blessed Virgin for having given birth to a son after 23 years of childless marriage. The son went on to become King Louis XIV, the Sun King. The seven-year-old Louis is said to have laid the church's foundation stone in 1645.
Design by Francois Mansart and Jacques Lemercier, Val-de-Grace is a magnificent example of Baroque architecture. Completed in 1667, the church's beautiful lead-and-gilt dome is 41 metres high and 19 metres in diameter. The interior of the dome is painted with over 200 triple-life-size figures by Pierre Mignard. The six twisting marble columns that frame the high altar are modelled on Bernini's in St Peter's Rome. 26 members of the French royal family are buried here, including both the Bourbon and the Orleans branches. Unlike many churches in the city, this one survived the Revolution intact, mainly because of the Benedictine nuns who were providing medical care to injured revolutionaries. The tradition of care is continued here today, as the church is part of a military hospital complex.
Rue Campagne-Premiere
This street has some interesting Art Nouveau buildings, particularly the row of artists' studios on the left at No. 31. Overlooking the small park these were built in 1911 and the building's facade decorated by the ceramicist Paul Bigot. Between World Wars I and II many famous artists lived and worked here, including Picasso, Joan Miro and Kandinsky. Modigliani, ravaged by opium and tuberculosis, spent the last years of his life at No. 3.
Hotel Matignon
This building is one of the most beautiful houses in Paris, and has a long and fascinating history. Since 1958 it has been the official residence of the prime ministers of France, it also has the largest private garden in the city. The building was built by architect Jean Courtonne in 1722 for a Marshal of France called Prince de Tigny, who wanted to create a country estate in this as yet undeveloped part of Paris. However, the building cost so much that the Prince was obliged to sell it and the Compte de Matignon bought it for his son.
The richly decorated interior by Michel Lange, Jean-Martin Pelletier and Jean Herpin was much admired, and the owners even allowed any 'well-dressed' person to come in and inspect it while they were away. In 1731 the wife of Jacques de Matignon, who was a Grimaldi, succeeded her father as head of the principality of Monaco. Her son then became Prince Honore III of Monaco in 1734. He was imprisoned during the REvolution but managed to keep his head, no doubt due to his well-known revolutionary sympathies. He was penniless when released in 1794, however, and the property was put under seal. His sons obtained its release and sold it in in 1802 to Anne Eleonore Franchi, a professional dancer. She was the mistress of, among others, the Duke of Wurttember and the Emperor Joseph II of Austria. Maria-Theresa had her banished from Austria as soon as she came to the throne, so Anne Eleonore found herself in the West Indies of all places, where she met the wealthy Scottish banker Quentin Crawford, and together they refurbished the house.
In 1808, it passed into the hands of politician Charles MAurice de Talleyrand-Perigord, who founded a salon. Financial misleading obliged him to sell the building and Napoleon bought it in 1811. After the bourbon restoration in 1814, Louis XVIII swapped the house for the Elysees Palace. The Duchesse de Bourbon who took it over established a community of nuns here, which her niece moved to the Rue de Picpus when she inherited the building, and rented it out. A wealthy American called Colonel Thorn used the mansion as his base for launching his children into European society - and they all made brilliant marriages - but the revolution of 1848 obliged the Colonel to return to New York.
The hotel was then sold to the Duke of Galleria (whose wife was a niece of the Princess of Monaco). They were one of the richest couples in Europe and 1870, the Duchess' suggestion, the Compte de Paris (the main Pretender to the French throne) moved into the ground floor. At a party given in 1886 to celebrate the Compte's daughter's marriage to Carols, heir to the Portuguese throne, so many monarchists descended on the capital that the government got nervous and passed a law within a week that exiled them from the city. The Duchess was displeased at this and also moved away. She willed the house to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor, who turned it into an embassy. But World War I saw France at war with Austria and the mansion was declared enemy property, only to become French property once again after prolonged negotiations in 1922. It was on the point of being divided up into flats when it was saved and turned in tot he headquarters of the President of the Council, the Third Republic's head of government, a title which changed to prime minister in 1958.
No. 29 Avenue Rapp - flickr images
Turn left onto Avenue de la Bourdonnais and where this avenue meets Avenue Rapp you will be able to see the remarkable Art Nouveau apartment building at No. 29. This is one of the most famous examples of Art Nouveau in the city. Designed by Jules Lavirotte, it won first prize at the Concours des Facades de la Ville de Paris in 1901.
Its ceramic tiles and brickwork are decorated with numerous undulating animal and flower motifs that intermingle with sultry female figures. Deliberately erotic, these were considered quite subversive in their day. Also worth a visit is another Lavirotte building that sits on nearby Square Rapp, which sports a watchtower.
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