# Place des Vosges, Paris > The Place des Vosges is the oldest planned square in Paris and one of the most beautiful in the world, at the heart of the Marais. King Henry IV built it in 1605–1612 as the Place Royale: a perfect 140-by-140-metre square ringed by identical red-brick mansions with blue roofs above vaulted arcades. At its centre is a garden of lime trees, fountains and an equestrian statue of Louis XIII. Victor Hugo lived at number 6, now his museum. The square is open to all and free. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-des-vosges - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 50/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 45 min - Opening hours: Square open 24 hours, garden by day - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Garden: By day, closes in the evening - Maison de Victor Hugo: Permanent display usually free - Size: 140 × 140 m - Duration: ≈ 30–60 minutes - Location: Marais, metro Bastille or Saint-Paul - Coordinates: 48.85556, 2.36556 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1612** — the square opened (source: English Wikipedia) - **140 m** — each side of the perfect square (source: English Wikipedia) - **1832** — Victor Hugo moved in (source: English Wikipedia) - **1800** — renamed Place des Vosges (source: English Wikipedia) ## About the Place des Vosges The Place des Vosges is the oldest planned square in Paris, on the border of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements in the **Marais**. King **Henry IV** built it in **1605–1612** and called it the Place Royale. It was one of Europe's first royal town-planning schemes and became a model for residential squares in capitals across the continent. It opened in 1612 with a grand equestrian carousel celebrating the engagement of the young Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. In the 17th and 18th centuries the nobility lived here, and the Place Royale is the reason the Marais became the most fashionable district in Paris. It took its present name in **1800**, in honour of the Vosges département. ## What to see - **Identical façades** — red brick, white stone and blue roofs. - **The arcades** — vaulted galleries of cafés and art galleries all round. - **The King's and Queen's Pavilions** — tall gateways on the south and north. - **The lime-tree garden** — fountains and a statue of Louis XIII. - **Maison de Victor Hugo** — a museum in the writer's apartment. - **Hôtel de Sully** — a passage from the corner into its courtyard and garden. ## The architecture What was new about the Place Royale was that every house followed **one design**, probably by the architect Jean-Baptiste Androuet du Cerceau. Façades of **red brick** with white stone quoins rise above vaulted **arcades** on square pillars, under steep blue-slate roofs with dormers. The result is a unified ensemble rare for its time. Two pavilions rise above the common roofline, the **King's** on the south side and the **Queen's** on the north, with triple arches leading into the square. No king ever lived here, though; only Anne of Austria stayed briefly in the Queen's Pavilion. > **When to come** Mornings are quiet and bright, the best time to photograph the façades. At weekends and on warm evenings Parisians sit on the garden lawns with books and picnics, and buskers play under the arcades. The garden closes in the evening, while the arcades are always open. Many galleries and cafés around the square open from mid-morning. ## The central garden The middle of the square is a garden planted with clipped **lime trees**, with lawns, gravel paths and four fountains. At its centre stands an equestrian statue of **Louis XIII**; Cardinal Richelieu erected the first, and the present one dates from the 19th century. It's a favourite spot for Marais residents to read, play with children and picnic. Sitting on the lawns is usually allowed here, unlike many Paris parks, but watch for signs. ## Victor Hugo's house and famous residents At **number 6**, **Victor Hugo** lived from **1832** to 1848, working on many of his books. His second-floor apartment is now a **house museum** recreating the writer's rooms with furniture, drawings and personal belongings. The permanent display is usually free. Other famous names lived here too: the writer Madame de Sévigné was born at number 1 bis, Cardinal Richelieu lived at number 21, the poet Théophile Gautier and the writer Alphonse Daudet at number 8, and the scientist Émilie du Châtelet at number 12. From the south-west corner a passage leads into the courtyard and garden of the **Hôtel de Sully**, home of Henry IV's minister. ## The arcades: galleries and cafés Under the arcades all round the square are **art galleries**, antique dealers, cafés and restaurants with terraces. They're pleasant to walk in rain or heat, as the vaults keep the weather off, and gallery windows display painting, sculpture and photography. From the square the streets of the Marais fan out, with 17th-century mansions, museums, boutiques and small squares. The Place de la Bastille is five minutes' walk down Rue de Birague. ## How to get there 1. Metro lines 1, 5 and 8 to **Bastille**, a 5-minute walk. 2. Metro line 1 to **Saint-Paul**, 7 minutes through the Marais. 3. Metro line 8 to **Chemin Vert**, 3 minutes. 4. From the Hôtel de Ville, a 15-minute walk along Rue de Rivoli and Rue Saint-Antoine. ## Tips for your visit Walk the arcades, step into Victor Hugo's house and cut through the Hôtel de Sully courtyard to Rue Saint-Antoine for a short but rich route. The square is a natural part of a Marais walk: from here head to the Musée Carnavalet, the Picasso Museum and Rue des Rosiers. Many Marais shops open on Sundays, unlike in other districts. To sit a while, take a spot on the garden lawn or a café terrace under the arcades, one of the most atmospheric places for coffee in Paris. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Walk the arcades - [ ] Visit Victor Hugo's house - [ ] Sit by a garden fountain - [ ] Find the passage to the Hôtel de Sully - [ ] Photograph the King's Pavilion ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [Champs-Élysées](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Place de la Concorde](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-de-la-concorde) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Montmartre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/montmartre) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Free - [Place Vendôme](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-vendome) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Palais-Royal](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/palais-royal) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Garden and courtyard free - [Luxembourg Gardens](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/jardin-du-luxembourg) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Pont Neuf](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-neuf) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Tuileries Garden](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/tuileries-garden) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Shakespeare and Company](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/shakespeare-and-company) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Île de la Cité](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/ile-de-la-cite) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city island - [Place des Vosges](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-des-vosges) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free - [Saint-Germain-des-Prés](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/saint-germain-des-pres) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Quarter and church free - [La Défense](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/la-defense) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 40 min · Esplanade free, arch rooftop ticketed - [Le Marais](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/le-marais) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free, it's a city district - [Latin Quarter](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/latin-quarter) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city district - [Canal Saint-Martin](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/canal-saint-martin) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Parc Monceau](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/parc-monceau) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 50 min · Free ## Don't mix it up The Place des Vosges is the 17th-century brick square in the Marais; the Place Vendôme is Mansart's stone square with a column near the Opéra. ## Tips - Mornings for photos. - Arcades in the rain. - Hugo at number 6. - Garden until evening. ## Questions ### Why is it called the Place des Vosges? In 1800 it was named after the Vosges département. ### Is there an entry fee? The square is free, and Victor Hugo's house permanent display usually is too. ### Where is Victor Hugo's house? At number 6 on the square. ### Can I sit on the grass? Usually yes, unless signs say otherwise. ### How do I get to the Place des Vosges? By metro to Bastille, Saint-Paul or Chemin Vert. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Garden hours and entry to Victor Hugo's house weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Place des Vosges - Maisons de Victor Hugo website, maisonsvictorhugo.paris.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.