A guided tour of Île de la Cité and Île Saint Louis: Pont Neuf, Notre Dame and an excellent ice cream

A guided tour in the shadow of the Notre Dame, from the Middle Ages, through the 17th century and back to our own time

Île de la Cité and Île Saint Louis are located at the heart of Paris, and contain some of its most important tourist attractions. These two islands, despite their eventful history, complement each other. Île de la Cité, which was almost completely transformed during the 19th century, represents Paris of the medieval age, while Île Saint Louis represents the age of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, which the Frenchmen call “The grand age” (le grand siècle). This tour will lead you through beautiful architectural treasures and stories about kings, rogues, and – of course – the hunchback of Notre Dame.

However, the trip will start a little further away, at the Pont Neuf. Together we will discover why this bridge is responsible for an entire urban revolution. From there we will continue to the Conciergerie prison, which housed very famous inmates, including Queen Marie Antoinette. We will continue toward the Notre Dame cathedral and recreate the middle ages, the time when Victor Hugo’s Hunchback rang its bells. After strolling through some picturesque streets near Notre Dame, which most tourists miss, we will cross the bridge to Île Saint Louis, where we will enjoy the beautiful façades of some of the most beautiful palaces that were built in the 17th century. For dessert, we will end the tour in one of the best ice cream establishments in the City of Lights.