Photo courtesy of MSchuermann
Photo courtesy of Marcin Bialek via Wikimedia Commons

Île Saint-Louis

Type: Attractions, City, Editor's Picks, Free Attractions, Historic Sites, Local Picks, Outdoor Activities, Public Spaces, Romantic, Uniquely Here

10Best Says

There are actually two islands in the river Seine in the center of Paris: the Île de la Cité, the one that everybody knows about: home of the hunchback of Notre Dame and the Parisian police; And the Île Saint-Louis, the one which is attached by yet another bridge that tourists seem to seek out on their quest for quaint streets, charming shops and romantic French cafés. The Île Saint-Louis has done well for itself the past 400 years in the shadow of its more illustrious neighbor, the Île de la Cité, as its splendid architecture and its large number of exceptional 17th century mansions can attest. It is also one of the oldest sites of the city and home to the vestiges of the one of the city's first tennis courts, a jeu de paume, built by Louis XIII, who was a fan of the sport.

Address:

Paris
75001 Paris,

Phone:

n/a

EXPERT TIPS BY: Paige Donner
Former Contributor

Historic Sites: "For centuries, the island has been the preferred address for the Parisian upper-crust. Residents included Georges Pompidou, second President of the Republic, and the Rothschilds who used to own the Hotel Lambert at the easternmost tip of the island until they sold the building to the Emir of Qatar."

Best for Historic Sites Because: The island is less than half a mile long, so a walk around its full length is accessible for most ages and degrees of fitness.