The "Belly of Paris", as Émile Zola called it, was the nerve center of commercial activity right up to the 20th century, with its huge halls, its vendors, its livestock, its smells, its craftsmen and its criers. All of which inevitably attracted debauchery and crime! It was also the district of justice, prison and executions.
Today, business is as dynamic as ever. Culture and relaxation are not forgotten, with the **théâtre de la Ville and the théâtre du Châtelet, the Rives de Seine park, and the Nelson Mandela garden. Strolling around Châtelet with family or friends has never been so much fun! Rediscover this district as you've never seen it before, with a mix of history, shopping, culture and strolling. Departure point, Place du Châtelet.
Le saviez-vous ? Avant le déménagement des halles à Rungis, Châtelet était l’antre des bouchers. En témoignent des rues aux noms évocateurs aujourd’hui disparues telles la rue de la Grande Boucherie, la rue de la Tuerie, la rue au Lard ou encore la rue du Pied de Bœuf. L’église dont faisait autrefois partie la tour Saint-Jacques n’était autre que l’église Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie.
Did you know ? Before the halles moved to Rungis, Châtelet was a butchers' den. This is borne out by streets with evocative names that no longer exist, such as rue de la Grande Boucherie, rue de la Tuerie, rue au Lard and rue du Pied de Bœuf. The church to which the Saint-Jacques tower once belonged was none other than Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie.
The effervescent place du Châtelet framed by the théâtre la Ville and the théâtre du Châtelet with its beautiful 19th-century colonnaded facades overlooks the Seine. At its center stands the imposing fontaine du Palmier, commemorating the victories of Napoleon I, which in 1808 brought free drinking water to Parisians. Its name derives from the palm leaves that adorn the fountain's column.
Did you know? Place du Châtelet wasn't always so welcoming. Before it was built in 1858, there was a small medieval château of the same name, which housed a morgue, the headquarters of the Paris police and the capital's most notorious thugs in its gaols. It was destroyed due to its insalubrious condition.
Place du Châtelet, Paris 1er et 4e
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Théâtre du Châtelet – 2 rue Edouard Colonne, Paris 1er
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Théâtre de la Ville – 2 place du Châtelet, Paris 1er
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Take to the banks of the river to enjoy the parc Rives de Seine, located on the site of the former George Pompidou Way. It's a haven of peace in the heart of the hustle and bustle. 2.3 km long, the park extends over 10 hectares from the Pont de l'Alma to the Pont des Arts on the left bank, and from the Pont Neuf to the Port de l'Arsenal on the right bank. You can explore it on foot, scooter or bike. Relaxing in the sun, pétanque, vias ferratas for children, sports facilities: alone, with family or friends, you can let off steam and have a good time!
Parc Rives de Seine - rive gauche : from Pont d'Iéna to Pont des Arts. Rive droite : from Pont Neuf to Port de l'Arsenal.
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A quelques pas du Théâtre de la Ville se dresse la tour Saint-Jacques qui n’est vraiment pas un édifice comme les autres ! Auparavant rattachée à l’église Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, c’est un clocher de style gothique flamboyant datant du 16e siècle. Ses gargouilles, ses statues et ses bas-reliefs n’ont rien à envier à sa grande sœur Notre-Dame. Elle fut longtemps un lieu de rassemblement sur la route de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle, Blaise Pascal y fit l’expérience de la pesanteur au 17e siècle et elle accueille depuis le 19e une petite station météorologique à son sommet.
Just a stone's throw from the Théâtre de la Ville stands the Tour Saint-Jacques, a building unlike any other! Formerly attached to the Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie church, it is a 16th-century bell tower in the Flamboyant Gothic style. Its gargoyles, statues and bas-reliefs are a match for its big sister Notre-Dame. For many years, it was a meeting place on the route to Santiago de Compostela, where Blaise Pascal experimented with gravity in the 17th century. Since the 19th century, it has housed a small meteorological station at its summit.
Tour Saint-Jacques – square de la tour Saint-Jacques - 39 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1er
Guided tours and tower climbs only available in summer.
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Located at the crossroads of Châtelet and Marais, the rues Saint-Martin, de la Verrerie and Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie are an opportunity to shop off the beaten track, away from the big-name stores of Rue de Rivoli. Apart from a few souvenir stores, the start of Rue Saint-Martin offers a wide range of clothing and accessories stores. After crossing rue du Renard, fans of second-hand clothes will be well served by Kilo Shop and Free'p'Star rue de la Verrerie. For design and decor, head to rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie to visit Fleux: a colorful brand with no less than three stores in one location!
Rues Saint-Martin, from the Verrerie and Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie, Paris 4e
You're in the heart of the Beaubourg district. It's impossible to miss the imposing Centre Pompidou! Opened in 1977, this temple of modern Parisian art owes its zany architecture of color and transparency, piping and monumental air vents to Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. The highlight of the building is an escalator that climbs up the façade, resembling a caterpillar! Jugglers, dancers, musicians and comedians enliven the forecourt with lively, colorful street performances. Just a stone's throw from Saint-Merri church, the Stravinsky Fountain or Automata Fountain, designed by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, enlivens the square with its rainbow of colors and fascinates passers-by with its colourful sculptures. Look up! Jef Aérosol's huge street art piece Chuuuttt doesn't go unnoticed. The artist M.Chat, meanwhile, has placed his work a little further away on the roller shutters of BHV Homme, 36 rue de la Verrerie.
Centre Pompidou – place George Pompidou, Paris 4e
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Fontaine Stravinsky – place Igor Stravinsky, Paris 4e
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Not far from Rambuteau station, at 51 rue de Montmorency, you'll find the oldest house in Paris. It's a small stone building wedged between two blocks of flats, built in 1407. Its first owner was none other than Nicolas Flamel, a wealthy Parisian bourgeois whose myth has it that he found a way to turn metals into gold using the philosopher's stone...
Maison de Nicolas Flamel - 51 rue de Montmorency, Paris 3e
Walk up rue Saint-Martin to passage de l'Ancre. The calm, the beauty of the old stores, the luxuriance of the flower pots lining the buildings... this cobbled alleyway has all the makings of an enchantment... Located between 221 rue Saint-Martin and 30 rue de Turbigo, it is difficult to see from the street. But it's also a place marked by war: all its inhabitants were deported during the Vel-d'Hiv round-up in July 1942.
Passage de l’Ancre, Paris 3e
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Continue your stroll in the Place Joachim du Bellay, where you'll find the Fountain of the Innocents, dating from the time of Henri IV (1550). It was built to replace the cemetery of the Innocents, whose bones were moved to the Catacombs in 1786. A stone's throw from the fountain, rue Berger leads to the Forum des Halles. This shopping center, built in the 70s, replaces the Halles Baltard, once Paris's largest wholesale market. Let yourself be tempted by a shopping spree and admire the gigantic canopy above the forum. The nearby Nelson Mandela garden offers games for children and dedicated areas for soccer, basketball and table tennis.
Fontaine des Innocents - place Joachim du Bellay, Paris 1er
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Westfield Forum des Halles – 101 Porte rue Berger, Paris 1er
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Jardin Nelson Mandela – 32 rue Berger, Paris 1er
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A deux pas des Halles, rue de Viarmes, on trouve une construction étonnant par sa géométrie : la Bourse de Commerce, dont l’histoire se confond avec celle du quartier. Cette ancienne halle aux blés construite au 18e siècle conserve un seul vestige du bâtiment initial : la colonne Médicis (16e siècle). Transformé en bourse du commerce en 1889, cet édifice circulaire à coupole est aujourd’hui entièrement restauré et reconvertit en musée d’art contemporain grâce à l’architecte Tadao Ando. On peut y découvrir l’immense collection de l’homme d’affaire François Pinault via des expositions monographiques et des accrochages thématiques.
Just a stone's throw from Les Halles, on rue de Viarmes, you'll find a building of astonishing geometry: the Bourse de Commerce, whose history is intertwined with that of the neighborhood. Built in the 18th century, this former corn exchange retains just one vestige of the original building: the Médicis column (16th century). Transformed into a stock exchange in 1889, this circular domed building has now been completely restored and converted into a museum of contemporary art by architect Tadao Ando. Visitors can discover businessman François Pinault's immense collection through monographic and thematic exhibitions.
Bourse du Commerce – Pinault Collection – 2 rue Viarmes, Paris 1er
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Continue along rue du Louvre, rue Coquillière and rue du Jour to reach the church of Saint-Eustache.
Built in the 16th century, Saint-Eustache replaced a small chapel to accommodate the growing population. Inside, the Gothic nave is breathtaking, and numerous stained glass windows can be seen in the transept. Eglise Saint-Eustache has hosted the baptisms of many famous figures, including Molière, Richelieu and Madame de Pompadour. It is a popular venue for organ and contemporary music concerts.
Eglise Saint-Eustache – 2 impasse Saint-Eustache, Paris 1er
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Vous voilà à quelques pas de la rue Montorgueil. Impossible de passer à côté de cette voie si pleine de caractère ! On y trouve, parmi les plus vieilles boutiques de la ville, la pâtisserie Stohrer, datant de 1730. Ne manquez pas la sublime façade du Rocher de Cancale, un bar-restaurant aux parures de bois bleu ciel et or autrefois fréquenté par Honoré de Balzac. Pour une promenade encore plus littéraire, rendez-vous à l’Escargot, un des établissements préférés de Marcel Proust.
You're just a stone's throw from rue Montorgueil. It's impossible to miss this thoroughfare, so full of character! Among the city's oldest stores is the pâtisserie Stohrer, dating from 1730. Don't miss the sublime façade of the Rocher de Cancale, a bar-restaurant adorned in sky-blue and gold wood and once frequented by Honoré de Balzac. For an even more literary stroll, head to l'Escargot, one of Marcel Proust's favorite establishments.
Rue Montorgueil, Paris 1er
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Then take a detour to rue Etienne Marcel to admire the tour Jean-sans-Peur. A vestige of the 15th-century Hôtel des Ducs de Bourgogne, today the tallest medieval tower in Paris.
Tour Jean-sans-Peur – 20 rue Etienne Marcel, Paris 2e
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Retrace your steps along Rue du Louvre, Rue de Rivoli and Rue de l'Arbre Sec. Number 23 is home to the musée en Herbe, which introduces the very young to art. The program includes artists' exhibitions, guided tours, workshops and numerous events for all ages. A great opportunity to introduce children to culture.
Musée en Herbe - 23 rue de l’Arbre Sec, Paris 1er
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Take the time to linger around the Louvre to admire the église Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois with its Merovingian foundations and Renaissance architecture. A magnificent edifice tragically associated with the night of Saint-Bathélemy. Its bells are said to have sounded the alarm on August 23, 1572, triggering the massacre of Protestants. Due to the fire at Notre-Dame on April 15, 2019, this is the venue for the canonical services previously held in the cathedral.
Eglise Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois – 2 place du Louvre, Paris 1er
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Don't miss [La Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf] ](https://parisjetaime.com/eng/shopping/samaritaine-paris-pont-neuf-p3774) next to the église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois.
Known for its Art Nouveau and Art Deco style, the building was created in 1870 by Ernest Cognacq and Marie-Louise Jaÿ, whose art collections can be seen today in the museum that bears their name. With a surface area of 48,000 m², the Samaritaine is one of the capital's largest department stores. Slowly declining in popularity from the 1970s onwards, the store closed its doors in 2005. Today owned by the LVMH group, it is due to reopen in 2021, with a luxury hotel and numerous shops.
La Samaritaine – 19 rue de la Monnaie, Paris 1er
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At the junction of the Quai du Louvre and Rue de la Monnaie, you can see the Pont Neuf. Built at the end of the 16th century, it's the oldest bridge in Paris still standing. But if it's so old, why is it called the Pont Neuf? Because it was a novelty at the time! It was one of the first bridges to have sidewalks to protect pedestrians from mud and horses, and one of the only ones not to be topped by houses.
Pont Neuf - Quai de la Mégisserie, Paris 1er
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Take a stroll along Quai de la Mégisserie, where you can browse antique books, posters and engravings. Finally, join the Pont au Change.
It offers an ideal view of the center of the capital: the Ile de la Cité, the Pont Neuf, the Conciergerie, the Place du Châtelet and even the Eiffel Tower! Built of wood in the 19th century, the Pont au Change has been destroyed many times by flooding on the Seine. Its current appearance dates from the second half of the 19th century, as evidenced by the initials of Napoleon III flanking each of its pillars. As for its name, it owes it to its original function: foreigners had to barter their currencies with the moneychangers on the bridge before entering Paris!
Pont au Change - 2 quai de la Mégisserie , Paris 1er
Discover the incomparable charm of the Montmartre district and its museums, vineyards,windmills, Sacré-Cœur…!
