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| Apartment at Quai aux Fleurs, Ile de la Cite |
The island is the original birthplace of Paris and therefore the epicenter of the capital and the starting point for visiting the other historic quarters on the Right and Left banks of the Seine River (the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th districts of Paris).
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| Seine River and the Right bank |
The Point Zero (marks the spot from which all distances are measured in France) can be found in front of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, the Gothic paragon whose first stone was laid in 1163 during the Middle Ages. Under your feet lies the remains from first settlers in Paris, from the Gallo-Romans to the the Parisii Tribe (from which Paris gets its name) which can be seen by visiting the Archeological Crypt below Notre Dame.
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| Notre Dame Cathedral on the Ile de la Cite |
A pleasant stroll across Pont St-Louis bridge from Ile de la Cite will take you to a smaller, quaint island Ile St. Louis which has a distinct 17th c. architectural character, home to tiny specialized shops and Bertillon, the famous ice cream maker.
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| Pont de la Tournelle bridge leading to Ile St. Louis |
Back at point zero and crossing the northernmost bridge from the island, The 1st quarter is where you will find the gilded Opera, the majestic Louvre, the jewelry shops around Place Vendome and luxury boutiques like Dior, Chanel, Hermes, etc. Further afield you will see the awe-inspiring Eiffel Tower which is best viewed from a dinner-cruise along the Seine river.
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| Opera Garnier at night |
Another day you can set off to visit the 2nd quarter,where you will find the lively working-class and commercial center of Paris with the Bourse (trans. 'Stock Exchange'), many pedestrian walking streets with shops, bars, cafes and a contrasting, sometimes gritty atmosphere.
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| pedestrian street Rue Montorgueil |
The 3rd quarter is the more tranquil part of the medieval le Marais district where you will find the Picasso museum, and other hidden gems such as the Marche Enfants Rouges, a cute open-air food market.
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| Enfants Rouge market |
Back to point zero, the island where the apartment is situated is officially part of the 4th quarter.
From the windows of the apartment you can see the Hotel de Ville, a beautiful Renaissane palace housing the city hall.
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| Hotel de Ville |
To get there, cross the Pont d'Arcole bridge onto the Right Bank where you will also find the famous Pompidou modern art museum and the livelier part of the Marais district with the best boutiques and places to eat/drink.
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| Centre Georges Pompidou |
Also housing the old Jewish quarter, the gay district and the most expensive place to live in Paris by square meter: the beautiful Place de Vosges square.
The 5th quarter can be reached crossing le Petit Pont bridge from the Island onto the Left Bank where you will find the intellectual, artistic and philosophical center of Paris.
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| Streets of the Latin Quarter |
First you will come across the animated Latin Quarter, crawling with bars, bookstores and university students from La Sorbonne. Further on there is the Romanesque Pantheon and charming gardens of Jardin des Plantes and a quaint zoo.
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| Pantheon |
Further north in the affluent St. Germain district you can find art galleries, luxury shops and swanky bars/cafes such as the illustrious Cafe de Flore or Le Deux Magots (literally means 'nest eggs').
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| Cafe de Flore in St. Germain des Pres |
Home to the famous Luxembourg gardens, you can put your feet up and relax while you write in your journal about all the amazing and enriching things you've done and seen!
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| Luxembourg Gardens |
We hope you will get out and see as much as you can of the most magical place in the World! The apartment will be waiting for you, an oasis of tranquility and comfort after a long day. We know you will enjoy your stay in our apartment, so much so that it will be difficult to leave!
