Old Paris

Rue Saint-Séverin. Crosss the Petit Pont (south side of Notre Dame), walk three blocks up Rue St Jaques and hang a right. Haussmann pretty much took care of most of the old streets.

Here is a thread on a urbanisation-themed website that discusses Medieval Paris, with many pictures and photographs showing what still exists (and what no longer does).

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1044081

I posted this link quite a long time ago, but still find it a fascating collection of Paris photos taken during the 1900 Worlds Fair. The photos are part of the Brooklyn Museum of Art collection. There a lot of them, so give yourself a nice chunk of time to look at them.

http://flickr.com/photos/brooklyn_museum/sets/72157604656089762/show/

These old pictures are incredible! Thanks.

I believe the Marais area has the medieval street plan. Very narrow streets, wonderful area.

Don't forget rue cler in the 7th arrondissment. Only pedestrian traffic and cobblestones! Fabulous place to hang your hat in a truly Parisien neighborhood.

The Latin Quarter and Marais has many such streets, not modernized in 19 century like many areas were. ( so the many areas in the 4th 5th and 6th) .
The 7th is not an arrondissmont I would choose for that sort of character at all. Rue Cler is wide and does not remind me of anything but modern Paris.

I don't think the Rue Cler even existed until at least the very late 1800s. Paris' medieval neighborhoods are closer in.

Check out this website: http://www.paris-walks.com/

They have walking tours of Medieval Paris that might interest you. We took one the went through Pere La Chaise cemetery. Very enjoyable. Only 12 euros. Don't need to make a reservation, just show up at the designated time and place!

Sharon,

Thank you so much for this post; I'm guessing you're refering to the exhibit at the Legion of Honor?!? I did some snooping - I didn't even know about it, and I was planning to go to the DeYoung museum to see the Impressionists exhibit. They sure don't advertise the Legion of Honor...:-(

There is a book of the photos taken when the demolition and new construction was happening; it's very hard to find...but I'll keep looking!

I am enamored by the Thomas Edison films of the moving sidewalk at the Paris exhibition - I could watch those all day...;-)

Hi Betty. Yes, it was the Legion of Honor we were at. We also went to the DeYoung - that exhibit is wonderful. We also didn't know about the Legion of Honor, just happened upon it, and it was worthwhile to see.