Île Saint-Louis

Île Saint-Louis is a small, natural island in the Seine river in Paris, France. It covers eleven hectares, which is about 27 acres, and is one of only two natural islands in the river. The other island is Île de la Cité, where the famous Notre-Dame de Paris is located.

The island is connected to the rest of Paris by four bridges. These bridges link it to both sides of the river and to Île de la Cité through the Pont Saint-Louis. Today, Île Saint-Louis is part of the 4th arrondissement of Paris and is home to around 4,453 people.

History

The island was first called Île Notre-Dame and was mainly used for grazing cattle, fishing, and drying laundry. In 1360, a canal cut it in half to protect the city. The smaller part was called Ile des Vaches (Island of Cows) and was used for storing wood and building boats.

It was owned by Notre-Dame cathedral and meant for building homes under King Henry IV, but his death in 1610 slowed things down. Work started again in 1616, and the canal was filled in. Impressive homes were built quickly, and the island was fully developed within fifty years. The Pont Marie bridge, connecting the island to the right bank, is named after one of the builders, Christophe Marie. He worked for Marie de' Medici, the widow of Henry IV and regent for young King Louis XIII. She asked him to fill in the canal and build stone edges around the island. A new bridge, the Pont Louis XIII, was started but finished much later in 1635.

Marie de' Medici offered benefits like tennis courts to people who bought land and built houses there. Many important judges and money handlers moved in, but few very rich people did, as they liked the Marais quarter better. The island was finally named Saint-Louis in 1725, after Louis IX, who was thought to have held court there long ago.

During the French Revolution, it was briefly called "Ile de la Fraternité".

Plan

Description

Quai d'Anjou

The Quai d'Anjou on the north side of the island was named after Gaston, Duke of Orléans, the brother of King Louis XIII. It was developed by Christophe Marie starting in 1614. One well-known building is the house of Louis Le Vau, the king's chief architect, located at 3 quai d'Anjou. Other famous residents included the painter Honoré Daumier and the poet Charles Baudelaire.

Quai de Bourbon

The Quai de Bourbon was named for the royal family and has elegant townhouses built in the early 1600s. It was briefly called the Quai de la Republique after the Revolution but returned to its original name in 1814. The Pont Saint-Louis is the only bridge connecting the two islands and is 60 metres long. The first wooden bridge was built in 1634, and the current bridge opened in 1970.

Quai de Bethune

The Quai de Bethune runs along the southeast side of the island and was built shortly after the assassination of Henry IV. It is named for Maximilien de Bethune, the king's prime minister. Famous residents included the cosmetics manufacturer Helena Rubenstein, French president Georges Pompidou, and physicist Marie Curie.

Quai d'Orleans

The Quai d'Orleans continues west from the Quai de Bethune. It was also named for Gaston d'Orleans, brother of Louis XIII, and was called the Quai d'Egalite during the French Revolution. It connects to the Quai de Bourbon at the Pont Saint-Louis. Notable buildings include the Polish Library and the home of fictional character Charles Swann from Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past.

The island was developed in the 1600s by Christophe Marie, who created an urban plan with straight streets and stone buildings. Dwellings faced outward with windows and balconies overlooking the river. Île Saint-Louis became a home for nobles, wealthy businessmen, and politicians.

Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île and the Hôtel Lambert

The Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île is the main street of the island, running east to west. It still has many early residential buildings, including the Hôtel Lambert. This large townhouse was built starting in 1640 by royal architect Louis Le Vau. Over the years, it has been home to many famous people, including writers, musicians, and nobles.

Church of Saint-Louis-en-l'Île

The Church of Saint-Louis-en-l'Île is the only church on the island. It was designed by François Le Vau and built between 1664 and 1726. The church features French Baroque architecture with a central dome and gold and white decorations. It has a fine organ installed in 2005 and is often used for concerts.

Square Barye

Square Barye is a park shaped like a ship's prow at the southeast point of the island. It was originally a convent and is named after the sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye. The square features a sculpture of a centaur and a lapith, made in 1894 and replaced in 2011.

Bridges that connect to the Île

The Île Saint-Louis is linked to the rest of Paris by several bridges. These include the Pont Saint-Louis from the Île de la Cité, the Pont de la Tournelle from the Rive Gauche, the Pont Louis-Philippe from the Rive Droite, the Pont Marie from the Rive Droite, and the Pont Sully from both the Rive Droite and the Rive Gauche.

Île Saint Louis can be seen from the Tour Zamansky on the Rive Gauche. To the left is the Île de la Cité, where Notre Dame de Paris is located.