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4th Arr
Paris - 4th Arrondissement
The 4th Arrondissement has one of Paris' must-see jewels: the charmingly gorgeous square, Place des Vosges. Grab a baguette and some cheese and have a little picnic, and voila -- Paris on a budget at its very best. The 4th is also the heart of the Marais, known for its gay community (as well as very happy tourists), the Mariage Freres tea salon, the crazily designed modern art museum Georges Pompidou Center, the bizarre (and must-eat-a-sandwich-at) Igor Stravinsky Fountain, the open-on-Sundays rue Croix de la Bretonnerie, and some of the cutest little shops you've ever seen. The 4th is also made up of Paris' two islands -- Île St Louis, where you'll find the scrumptious Berthillon ice cream, and Île de la Cité, where you'll find the gothic Cathédrale de Notre Dame. Other finds: the glorious stained glass inside La Sainte Chapelle; the mayor's house, Hotel de Ville; Tour St Jacques; Le Mémorial de la Shoah (The Holocaust Memorial); Maison de Victor Hugo and more. At least a day in the 4th is required Paris-Tourism-101, and you won't want to miss it!
Destinations in the 4th Arr
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Marché aux Fleurs
Come enjoy the greenery and flowers of the Flower Market, located just blocks away from Notre Dame in Île de la Cité. The last of its kind in Paris, the market is a pleasant surprise for those with green thumbs and flower lovers. If you don’t have a green thumb or a penchant for gardening, the market turns into a bird market on Sundays and boasts a fine collection of cages, bird food, and bird accessories. -
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Notre-Dame Cathedral
It was here that Henry VI of England was crowned King of France; where the Wolves of Paris were trapped and killed; where Mary Queen of Scotland married the French Dauphin; where the coronation ceremony of Napoléon and Joséphine took place; where Joan of Arc was beatified and canonized; where Victor Hugo was inspired to write about his famous hunchback; and where thousands upon thousands of visitors come each year to marvel at the architecture, take in a service and stand outside at "Point zéro", the reference point for distances along all the French highways -- because everything begins and ends in Paris. Notre Dame -- perhaps the most glorious example of French Gothic architecture -- is home to the famous stained glass Rose Windows, the flying buttress and gargoyles. -
Tour St-Jacques
Visible from the Place du Châtelet, the 167-ft high Tour St-Jacques is all that remains from the church of St-Jacques de la Boucherie (the patron saint of butchers) built between 1508 and 1522. It was constructed in the Middle Ages as the assembly point for pilgrims setting out for Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Today, a meteorological station, which is not open to the public, is located at the top of the tower, commemorating the achievements of Blaise Pascal who tested the effect of altitude on the height of a column of mercury in the tower.
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The Gallerie St. Paul..
Not everyone knows about this square that houses a lot of "antique" stores and you may find something that catches your eye. It's fun shopping there even if you come away empty-handed. Stop and look in some of the stores' windows. A lot of art stores and trendy boutiques have sprung up like mushrooms in recent years.
