Description

Saint-Louis Island (Saint Louis Island), previously named Notre-Dame Island, is one of two remaining natural islands of Paris with Ile de la Cité, formely named Cows Island, where is the church Notre Dame de Paris stands. Just located immediately upstream of Notre Dame, Saint Louis Island is the smaller of the two islands with an area of 11 ha.

Saint Louis Island is a preserved a quiet village exactly in the center of historical Paris.

In 2007, only 2465 inhabitants were living there, making the place one of the most discreet and chic community in Paris.

Because of the large amount of mansions and prestigious constructions, it was nicknamed « Palaces Island» a long time ago. Since its construction, Saint Louis Island was a place for the nobility and merchants. The Rothschild Family lived there for generations until 2007 when they sold the Hotel Lambert (build in 1640) to the Emir of Qatar.

Many famous parisians lived there, like the poet Charles Baudelaire, his friend, the symbolist writer Theophile Gautier, Camille Claudel, the world famous sculptress and lover of Rodin, the politician Leon Blum, the writer Claude Sarraute or the former French President Georges Pompidou who was residing at 24 Quai de Bethune. The island stays the home of many important personalities of French politics, finance and media.

Urbanisation projects of Saint Louis Island were developed during the reign of Henry IV, but it is during the reign of his son Louis the XIIIth, under the regency of Marie de Medici in 1614, that this task was given to Marie Christophe, the general contractor for Bridges. It was one of the first urbanisation program in Paris.

Several bridges were built to connect the island to the rest of the capital : the Pont Marie was completed in 1635, the Tournelle bridge in 1656. Some mansions were made by the famous architect Louis Le Vau (who also moved there with his family in 1639) and his brother François Le Vau (also installed on the island). The latter drew the plans of Saint-Louis en l’Ile church, built in 1644.

Saint-Louis Island was named in 1725 after King Louis the IXth, known also as Saint Louis, patron saint and ancestor of Louis the XIIIth. According to legend, Saint Louis was used to come to pray to Cows Island. He is also supposed to have made his oath with his knights there in 1269 just before leaving for the Eighth Crusade.

After its completion, Saint Louis Island stayed untouched and was preserved from generation to generation by its wealthy and educated inhabitants .

The main street of the island is packed with upscale shops, cafés, restaurants, bookshops and renown places to buy food : best cheese, meat, chocolate and, course the artisanal sorbets made across the corner by the Maison Berthillon, known to be the most tasty ones of our gastronomic capital. Full of history and inside a top but discreet community, to stay in Saint Louis Island is like to live in a small french village in the center of Paris.