Place des Vosges measures exactly 144 meters on each side,
which is 472.44 feet (say more than 1 1/2 football fields),
with a beautiful, perfectly symmetrical, square inside.
Today, as you are driving to PDV you come upon it unexpectedly, as it is now
completely surrounded by metropolitan Paris. Originally is was well outside the city in
what was called "swamp land." There are only 2 entrances, one on each side, as shown
in the above photo. Remember, horses were the carriers of the day, so they would enter
into this giant courtyard which was enclosed by the elegant townhomes, and the
1st level, now the arcade with shops and cafes, was the livery & service people's quarters.
the arcade
Place des Vosges is my absolute favorite important monument
in all of Paris. It is a huge elegant square with symmetrically
perfect buildings from the 17th century.
In the center is a park with neatly clipped grass, gravel paths,
wrought iron park benches and gas lanterns.
Madame de Sevigne, the famous letter writer of the
court of the Sun King, once lived in Place des Vosges.
There is a great brasserie located on the northeast corner of the Place.
We sat at a cozy table, eating roasted chicken, au gratin potatoes, and sipping wine.
Delicious.
In Place des Vosges, one can sit on a park bench,
wiggle their feet in the sandbox, munch on a croissant,
and forget that they are in a bustling, cosmopolitan city.
They can walk the square and easily imagine what life
would have been like during earlier centuries,
when carriages and not cars traveled
the cobblestone streets,
when Victor Hugo toiled away creating his classic novels .
I should have been an archeologist or a detective because I love investigating all the details,
once I discovered Place des Vosges
I couldn't get enough information.
Some of it I'm passing on to you today.
It is elegant with a classically French style,
and is a pure and unique example of early 17th century architecture.
Inside the square, the splendid fountains still have the name of King Louis XIII
who was in power when the square was completed in the 1600s.
boutiques, cafes, art galleries, book stores abound in the arcade.
this is so much fun, just walk around, stop for an espresso, walk
& shop again, then stop for wine & cheese...
nearly bored my husband to death except for the cafes
concert in the arcade
flower boxes in bloom.
there are many individual apartments within PDV today which are occupied.
there is even a time-share apartment which is being offered for about $250,000
for a 1-week period if you're interested
doorway to occupied apartment
cafe's put tables outside in the arcade where you are protected from
the elements. one of Paris's finest restaurants is located within PDV
a beautiful leaf-framed photo of the architectural wonder
in this photograph the individual townhomes are clearly seen
sunrise, when all is quiet
Brasserie just outside the entrance to PDV, which you can see
in the background, on a busy little street
evening time, looking up at the Pavillon of the King
The Place des Vosges has two major houses.
In the middle of the north side is the Queen Pavillon,
dedicated to the former queen of France.
On the south side is the King Pavillon, Le Pavillon du Roi.
These houses are not open to visitors.
Place des Vosges, evening, when the lights in the apartments are on for us...and all is serene.
Place des Vosges, located in the 4th arrondissement,
was originally known as Place Royale.
This changed after the French Revolution when the region of Vosges,
in the northeast of France on the border of Luxembourg and
Germany was the first to pay taxes to the new French government.
To honor them, the most beautiful square in Paris was named after this region.
A stroll through Le Marais without visiting Place des Vosges
would be like going to the Champs Elysées
without seeing the Arc de Triomphe!
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