Île de la Cité, Paris

About the Île de la Cité

The Cité is one of two natural islands in the Seine in central Paris, alongside the neighbouring Île Saint-Louis, covering 22.5 hectares. It was most likely the settlement of the Gallic Parisii tribe, the Lutetia mentioned by Julius Caesar, and the city took its name from them. The island made a convenient river crossing and a hub of river trade.

In the 4th century a Roman governor lived at its western end, in 508 the Frankish king Clovis made Paris his capital, and the Capetian kings then built their Palais de la Cité here. Even after the kings moved to the Louvre, the island remained the centre of power, church and justice.

What to see on the island

• Notre-Dame de Paris — France's great cathedral.
• The Sainte-Chapelle — a chapel of 13th-century stained glass.
• The Archaeological Crypt — Roman Lutetia under the cathedral square.
• Place Dauphine — a quiet triangle of 17th-century houses.
• The flower market — stalls of flowers and plants since 1808.
• Square du Vert-Galant — the green tip by the Pont Neuf.

Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle

The eastern part of the island is taken by Notre-Dame, begun by Bishop Maurice de Sully in the 1160s. Before it spreads the vast Place Jean-Paul-II, 135 by 106 metres, six times the size of the medieval square. By the river stands an 1878 bronze equestrian statue of Charlemagne with the knights Roland and Oliver.

In the western part, inside the Palais de Justice complex, hides the Sainte-Chapelle, built by King Louis IX in 1242–1248, with the most famous stained glass in Paris. Beside it rises the grand 19th-century façade of the Palais de Justice, on the site of the medieval royal palace.

Roman Lutetia underground

Beneath the cathedral square is the Archaeological Crypt, opened after excavations in 1965 for a car park uncovered remains of the Gallo-Roman city walls and 4th-century Roman baths. You can also see the Roman wharf: the island was smaller then, and the quay ran where the middle of the square is today.

Models and screens in the crypt show how the island grew from a Gallic village into a medieval city, the best way to understand where and how Paris began. Entry is ticketed, and it's cool and quiet inside.

Place Dauphine and the flower market

In the middle of the island, on Place Louis-Lépine, is the flower market, founded by Napoleon's decree in 1808. Its old iron pavilions sell flowers, plants, seeds and garden gifts. In 2016 it was named after Queen Elizabeth II.

At the island's western end King Henry IV laid out Place Dauphine, a triangle of brick-and-stone houses with chestnut trees and small restaurants, one of the cosiest spots in Paris. Beyond it lie the Pont Neuf and the steps down to the Square du Vert-Galant, the green promontory where Seine boats depart.

The quays and the Île Saint-Louis

Under Louis XIII the island was given stone quays, and in the 19th century Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann rebuilt it, replacing cramped medieval streets with broad squares and grand buildings. Today the green stalls of the bouquinistes line the quays, and the bridges look out on the Louvre, the Latin Quarter and the Hôtel de Ville.

Behind the cathedral, the Pont Saint-Louis leads to the neighbouring Île Saint-Louis, a quiet quarter of 17th-century mansions with little shops and famous ice-cream parlours, the natural continuation of a Cité walk.

Tips for your visit

The island pairs well with the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank and the Marais on the Right, all a few minutes' walk away. Mornings are quieter, and in the evening the quays and bridges are beautifully lit.

Have lunch on Place Dauphine or the Île Saint-Louis. For a rest, use the benches in the garden behind the cathedral or in the Square du Vert-Galant by the water.

The island houses working courts and the police prefecture, so some buildings are guarded and only open for business or tours.

Places in Paris: compare and choose

Places in Paris rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

Nearby and on the way

57

Sainte-Chapelle

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1 h · Timed ticket, online · 3 min walk

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Shakespeare and Company

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30 min · Free · 4 min walk

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Notre-Dame de Paris

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1 h · Free; optional timed booking · 4 min walk

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Hôtel de Ville

Paris, France

30 min · Square free, halls by tour · 7 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Hôtel de Ville

How to do it right

• Quieter mornings.
• The crypt under the square.
• Book the Sainte-Chapelle.
• Then Île Saint-Louis.

Questions