Ile de la Cité, Paris

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The Pont de l’Evêché is a rather low key metal bridge - apparently the narrowest in Paris - which links Ile de la Cite with the Rive Gauche (Left - or more accurately, South Bank of the Seine). However, over the last couple of years, this structure has been illictly adorned with 'love locks': padlocks decorated with the names or initials of couples and then attached onto the metal fencing as a sign of commitment (with the key presumably being discarded).

Apparently this phenomenon started in Paris on the Pont des Arts and soon spread to the Pont de l’Evêché. Personally I find it charming and fairly harmless, but then I'm not the municipal authority having to deal with literally thousands of the things springing up over a period of only a few years!

'Love locks' are a trend that started to sweep across Europe not long after the turn of the Millenium, and most countries now have a couple of examples. Reading the inscriptions is fascinating, because they seem to cover the whole gamut of relationships across racial and gender boundaries.

The cynic in me wonders what happens when the path of true love doesn't run smooth. There are certainly recorded cases where individuals have been charged with vandalism as they have tried to cut the lock with a hacksaw, damaging the bridge in the process. One would imagine that the thrifty - or those who only committed in a half hearted manner - would retain the key 'just in case', so that the lock could be removed and possible recycled (presumably once the previous inscription had been altered or removed) ...

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This little park at the western (downstream) tip of the Île de la Cité was named after the French King Henri IV (1553-1610), who was nicknamed “Le Vert-Galant” because of his many mistresses that he continued consorting with at a (relatively) advanced age. Actually he only lived to be 57, which does not seem amazingly old today but was no doubt a ripe old age by the standards of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

You have to go down some steps to get to the park, because it is seven meters lower than the rest of the island. In former times the entire Île de la Cité was this low, which must have made it very susceptible to flooding.

Originally there were three separate islands here, but in 1607 (during the reign of Henri IV) they were joined together for the purpose of building the Pont Neuf (New Bridge), which at that time was the newest but is now the oldest bridge in Paris.

The Pont Neuf is a very solid and sturdy stone bridge which has withstood all the floods and high waters since 1607 without sustaining any serious damage. For this reason there is an expression in French “se porter comme le Pont Neuf”, which means that a person is strong and in excellent health.

Second photo: In case anyone might be in doubt about who the Square du Vert-Galant is named after, there is a large equestrian statue of Henri IV on the street at the top of the stairs.

Third photo: The German writer Heinrich Mann (1871-1950) went into exile in southern France as soon as the Nazis came into power in Germany in 1933. While he was living in France, he researched and wrote two novels about the life of Henri IV. The first, Die Jugend des Königs Henri Quatre (later translated into English as Young Henry of Navarre) was published in 1935 and the second, Die Vollendung des Königs Henri Quatre (in English as Henry, King of France) followed in 1938. These are both very readable and thought-provoking books, dealing with all aspects of Henri’s life and times but especially with the nature and use of power, a subject which was very much on Heinrich Mann’s mind at the time.

I have also written about Henri IV (and mentioned Heinrich Mann) in one of my Louvre reviews, called Ruebens and Marie de' Medici in the Louvre.

Next review from January 2012: Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482

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You can start your visit to Paris from Ile de la Cite, a nice area that is under the attack of thousands tourists everyday :) There you can visit some famous spots:

Notre Dame(free entrance or 6euro for the tower).
In front of the cathedral it’s the zero point, all the distances in France start from here (pic 3)

Saint Chapelle(5,5e) the vitro windows at the first floor are amazing (pic 1), we spent most of the time looking at them, so beautiful...

Conciergerie(palace that became a prison after the revolution. (pic 5)

Then walk near the Seine or visit the Ile Saint Louis that is near. Its a peaceful area with rich flats and some nice small stores full of chocolates and some others with tasty small pieces of cheese. Pic 4 shows St Louis church.

Don't forget to take a pic of Notre Dame from bridge that connects the two areas (pic 2), one of my favorite views to look at the cathedral.

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Situated in the middle of the River Seine and the birthplace of Paris! It has been the topographical, spiritual and legislative centre for over 2,000 years! The Romans invaded the Parisii settlement in 53 BC and the built a palace, law court and a gods temple but over the centuries the island was replaced with different priorites according to needs of those in reign.

The focal point is Notre Dame de Paris (Under a separate tip entry); the Palais de la Cite complex which features the Conciergerie (Under a separate tip entry) and the Sainte-Chapelle which was built for Louis IX and the Palais de Justice (French Supreme Court). Exploring the Pont Neuf area at one end of the Island is worth exploring and learning a bit of French history including the Revolution.

Arriving at the Parvis Notre-Dame I had two possible visits with my Paris museum pass:
the towers of Notre-Dame or the Crypte archéologique.

As there was a long queue for the tower and as I wondered if I would be able to climb the 400 stairs like I did when I was twenty (long time ago) I decided to go downstairs at the archaeological crypt below the Parvis.

This large (118 x 12 m) underground space opened in 1980, to show elements of the buildings which followed one another on the site from Antiquity to the 19th century: Gallo-Roman rooms, enclosing wall of the beginning of 4th c., basement of the old chapel of the Hospital, medieval remainders.

From the Roman Empire remain sections of the quay and port of Lutetia/Lutèce capital of the Parisii a Celtic tribe settled here on the island since the 3rd c. B.C.
There are vestiges of a large urban house with a hypocaust (heating system that the Romans used in the thermal baths). It is at the foot of the rampart that a treasure was discovered in 1970: a ceramic jug contained more than 800 coins.

From the Middle Ages remain foundations of the Saint-Etienne basilica in front of the present Notre-Dame.

At the time of my visit there was a temporary exhibition on the building techniques in Lutetia/Lutèce during the roman period (1 - 4th c. A.D.) All the aspects of building and decorating were evoked, from rough materials to the vestiges of constructions discovered in the Parisian basement. Interesting for archaeologists.

Open: 10 - 18 h Closed: Monday and Feast days.
Price: 3,30 € Included in Paris museum pass.
14-26 years 1,60 €
Free until 13 years old.

PARIS MARKETS ARE FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER..
ONE THAT I FEEL THAT IS WELL WORTH A LOOK IS THE BIRD MARKET ON THE LOVELY LLE DE LA CITE.
CHANCES ARE THAT YOU WONT BE GOING TO THE MARKET TO BUY A NEW FEATHERED FRIEND BUT IT IS STILL A GREAT PLACE TO SPEND A WHILE LOOKING AT THE CAGES OF PARAKEETS..CANARIES AND LOADS OF OTHER SPECIES..
THIS WHOLE PLACE IS A MASS OF COLOUR... PLUS BEING IN THE SHADOW OF THE STUNNING NOTRE DAME WHY NOT TAKE IN BOTH THE MARKET AND THE GREAT PARIS ICON THAT IS NOTRE DAME...
ANY DAY IS SPECIAL ON LA CITE BUT SUNDAYS FOR ME HAVE THE EDGE..AND THE BIRD MARKET AND THE BELLS OF NOTRE DAME MAKE IT A PLACE NOT TO BE MISSED.
SUNDAY BIRD MARKET RUNS FROM 09.00-19.00

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Looking at the cathedral there is a big equestrian statue of Charlemagne at the right of the Parvis de Notre Dame. Charlemagne (742 or 747 – 814) was the King of the Franks who conquered Italy and took the Iron Crown of Lombardy and, on a visit to Rome in 800, was crowned imperator Romanorum ("Emperor of the Romans") by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day, presaging the revival of the Roman imperial tradition in the West in the form of the Holy Roman Empire. By his foreign conquests and internal reforms, Charlemagne helped define Western Europe and the Middle Ages.

Today regarded as the founding father of both France and Germany and sometimes as the Father of Europe, as he was the first ruler of a united Western Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire.

When Charlemagne died in 814, he was buried in his own Cathedral at Aachen (in modern Germany). He was succeeded by his surviving son, Louis, who had been crowned the previous year. His empire lasted only another generation in its entirety; its division, according to custom, between Louis's own sons after their father's death laid the foundation for the modern states of France and Germany.

Mirando a la catedral hay una gran estatua ecuestre de Carlomagno a la derecha del Parvis de Notre Dame. Carlomagno (742 ó 747 - 814) fue el Rey de los Francos que conquistó Italia y se atribuyó la Corona Férrea de Lombardía y, visitando Roma en 800, fue coronado Imperator Romanorum ("Emperador de los Romanos") por el Papa León III el día de Navidad, presagiando la reedición de la tradición del Imperio Romano de Occidente en la forma del Sacro Imperio Romano. Carlomagno ayudó a definir Europa occidental y la Edad Media con sus conquistas extranjeras y reformas internas.

Hoy se ve su figura como el padre fundador de Francia y Alemania e incluso el padre de Europa, pues fue el primer mandatario en unir Europa occidental desde la caída del Imperio Romano.

Cuando Carlomagno murió en 814 fue enterrado en su propia catedral de Aquisgrán (en la actual Alemania). Fue sucedido por su hijo superviviente, Luis, que fue coronado el año anterior. Su imperio duró tan sólo una generación más. La división llevada a cabo según la tradición, entre los hijos del propio Luis tras la muerte de su padre abrió el camino a la fundación de los modernos estados de Francia y Alemania.

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The "parvis" is the square in front of the Notre Dame cathedral. In French the use the word parvis to name the squares in front of cathedrals and main churches because it comes from "paradise" and you're suppose to be closer to Heaven when you're next to the Cathedral.

This square was very narrow in the past, with a lot of houses, churches and the Hôtel Dieu (hospital). Haussmann designed an important remodelation, creating the big square we see nowadays demolishing all these buildings during the Napoleon Second Empire. Currently you can see the plan of how the square used to be thanks of the different colours of the floor. There are even inscriptions with the names of the old houses and churches. It's true they destroyed a lot of buildings but in fact we can admire the wonderful cathedral much better right now.

There are one more sign in the square and it's the Point 0 of French roads. It's a millestone in front of Notre Dame from which the distance from Paris and the other French cities are calculated. Tourists like to stand theirselfs in the center of the millestone ant turn around because it's suppose they'll return to Paris if they do this :-)

The square called Parvis de Notre Dame added the name of the Pope John Paul II in 2006 because he visited Paris several times, so the square is named Parvis de Notre Dame - Jean Paul II

El "parvis" es la plaza enfrente de la catedral de Notre Dame. En francés se usa la palabra parvis para nombrar las plazas enfrente de las catedrales e iglesias principales porque este nombre viene de "paraiso" y se supone que estamos más cerca del Cielo cuando se está cerca de la Catedral.

Esta plaza era muy estrecha en el pasado, con muchas casas, iglesias y el Hôtel Dieu (hospital). Haussmann diseñó una importante remodelación, creando la gran plaza que vemos en nuestros días demoliendo todos estos edificios durante el Segunfo Imperio de Napoleón. Actualmente se puede ver el plano de como era la plaza gracias a las baldosas de diferentes colores. Incluso hay inscripciones indicando el nombre de las diferentes casas e iglesias. Es cierto que se destruyeron muchos edificios, pero en realidad gracias a esto podemos admirar mejor la magnífica catedral.

Hay otra señal en la plaza y es el kilómetro 0 de las carreteras francesas. Es un hito kilométrico enfrente de Notre Dame desde el cual se mide la distancia entre París y otras ciudades francesas. A los turistas les gusta ponerse en el centro de la piedra y dar una vuelta porque se supone que gracias a esto se vuelve a París :-)

A la plaza, llamada Parvis de Notre Dame, se le añadió el nombre del Papa Juan Pablo II en 2006 porque él viistó París varias veces, así que la plaza se llama ahora Parvis de Notre Dame - Jean Paul II