Place des Vosges

Stepping onto Place des Vosges feels like entering another era of Paris. Once known as Place Royale, this square in the 4th arrondissement is the city’s oldest and a stunning example of Renaissance symmetry.

Since its inauguration in 1612, thirty-six identical houses have lined the square, with four fountains and a statue of King Louis XIII at the center. The name Vosges commemorates the first French region to pay taxes. Throughout its history, Place des Vosges attracted nobility and notable figures, including Victor Hugo—whose former home is now a museum—and Anne of Austria, Queen Consort to Louis XIII. The square’s red-brick buildings and arcades house art galleries and lively cafés, still radiating the grandeur of its past.

Here, Hugo wrote parts of ‘Les Misérables’, while the Paris elite gathered. The architecture features an Italian Renaissance touch, but with distinct French style. Today, the square is vibrant, perfect for picnics on the grass, dining at La Place Royale or Carette, and exploring nearby museums like the Picasso Museum and the Bastille. Place des Vosges is always worth a visit—whether on a bustling summer day or in autumn, when the trees turn golden.