Essential Paris: Walking Tour with Ile de la Cite

Pyramids at a Princely Palace: The Napoleon Courtyard at the Louvre Stand in the elegant embrace of the mighty arms of the Louvre, the principal residence of France’s kings for more than 2 centuries. Majestic Baroque façades watch over the courtyard, where visitors queue for the museum, local business people enjoy a glass of champagne in the sun, and children frolic and cavort among the fountains. Scattered across the grand courtyard are the glass and steel pyramids designed be world-renowned Chinese American architect I.M. Pei, reminding us of the need to be solidly rooted to the past while inspiring us to venture ever more boldly into the future. The Arc of the Carrousel – a testament to the ambitions Napoleon Bonaparte – serves as a gateway to the rolling lawns and gravel paths of the Tuileries Gardens. Once part of the royal estate, these spectacular Renaissance gardens were designed for Queen Catherine de Medici in the 16th century. Age-Old Traditions and Modern Glamor in the Marshes of Le Marais Originally developed by monastic orders in the 12th century on what were then the swampy outskirts of town, Le Marais quarter in the early 1600s was the place to see and be seen. Le Marais is where Paris’ spectacular Hôtel de Ville, or City Hall, is located. The magnificent façade reflects the grand ideals of the French Renaissance, embellished by architectural elements of France’s Classical period. Not far away is a testament to the city’s playful side: the Centre Pompidou. Formally named after the French president who envisioned and commissioned this beacon of artistic experimentation, locals more commonly call it Beaubourg, after the surrounding neighborhood. In constant evolution, the Centre Pompidou never fails to inspire and delight. More recently, Le Marais has established itself as the fashionable haven of the City of Lights’ LGBTQ+ communities. Slick clubs, trendy bars, chic cafés, and dining experiences that range from très sophistiqué to the bit-and-run street food provide all the stylishly social needs of Gay Paris’ bourgeois Bohemians. No visit to Medieval Paris could possibly be considered complete without a few moments in the ethereal air of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. The sound of her bells has engendered legends, the sight of her towers has brought men to their knees. The Île de la Cité: the Medieval Marvels of the Conciergerie, the Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame A short stroll along the banks of the River Seine brings you to the bridge you will cross to the Île de la Cité. It is here that the ancient Romans erected their garrison town, and it is here that, in the 6th century, the Frankish kings established their residence. Part of the Medieval Palais de la Cité still stands today in the Conciergerie, whose turreted towers and cone-capped bastions stood guard as bards regaled the royal household with epic tales of heroic knights and daring damsels who risked it all for love and honor nearly a millennium ago.