Visiting the Île de la Cité allows you to slowly turn one of the most glorious pages in the history of France. You can feel as if time has stopped in the past when you admire its façades, its towers, its statues, and its laws in the front atrium, where you see the Zero Point of the networks of France. This place is so extraordinary it even represents the tourism of Paris and is considered the historic center of the capital. If you are a lover of history and architecture, the little and unforgettable Île de la Cité, embraced in all sides by the Seine River, will be engraved in your memory and your heart.
The Île de la Cité or Island of the City, with its unique architectural beauty, fascinating historic buildings, pleasant streets and squares, and charming places, reminds you of ancient Paris and makes you feel like you are living in ancient times.
Today the Île de la Cité is famous for having one of the most popular cathedrals in the world: the Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris). This structure is an architectural wonder, it has been the inspiration of artists of all kinds, its Gothic style makes it impossible to escape from this jewel-like charm of the French capital. Here you will also find the “Conciergerie”, which used to be a prison during the French Revolution and now it houses the Palace of Justice.
How to forget the story of Quasimodo?
Many people still have their doubts about the existence of this character, but the truth is that this guy never existed, but what is real is that one of the sculptors who worked on the cathedral was characterized by having a hump and became Victor Hugo’s inspiration to create his story. It is very interesting to climb to the top of one of its towers to observe the big bell, famous for Quasimodo’s novel, and having a unique and remarkable view of Paris.
Notre Dame is recognized instantly by its huge bell towers and its gargoyles. Day and night, tourists pose in front of the façade of the cathedral. The cathedral, with its majestic interior, can welcome any number of visitors, and once you get inside the great silence that suddenly surrounds you will blow your mind. This space is enclosed by wooden corals and small chapels, with their stalls filled from end to end. It is the jewel of Gothic architecture, is one of the most impressive monuments in the world.
The Mémorial des Martyrs is behind the cathedral, the memorial for the two hundred thousand people that were deported from Vichy France to the Nazi concentration camps during the times of World War II.
Flowers and birds!
Among the diverse and picturesque markets that can be found in Paris, the Île de la Cité holds a large flower market, located at the exit of the metro station “Cité” on the Louis Lépine Square: the Marché aux Fleurs. There you can find all kinds of flowers, from the simplest to the most perfumed and exquisite orchids, traditional plants and other exotic and rare species such as carnivorous plants.
This market opened its doors for the first time in 1808 being the only one of its kind in Paris. It is open all year round and if you go there on a Sunday, you can experience the Bird Market. Among the beautiful birds that can be purchased are hummingbirds and canaries (within the small types); in addition to exotic birds, you can also find pet food, seeds and all kinds of accessories for birds from wooden cages to metal cages.
One of the three islands connected to the Seine is the island of Saint Louis, the smallest and farthest, which is linked to the rest of Paris by bridges on both sides of the river. Walking around Saint Louis Île you can find exclusive dreamy residential boats and small shops specializing in selling ice cream, cheese or antiques, of course, you cannot miss the typical souvenir shops.
A night full of life!
Once the sun sets and the night awakes, a lighted city that radiates magic through each one of its streets waits for you, and even more so when the docks are filled with tourists from all over the world. However, you’ll enjoy an even more majestic atmosphere by the dark early morning with its clear weather, silent and peaceful, before the noise of pedestrians and traffic slowly fills the streets of the island.
How can you get there?
Eurostar is the high-speed rail service that connects the city of London to the center of Paris, a trip that you can take in a little over 24 hours. Different airlines also offer their flight services from other UK cities to the island, but, you must ensure that the flight arrives at the Charles de Gaulle airport since this is the main airport of the nation and one of the most important aviation centers in the world.
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