I’ve been to Paris so often that sometimes I think I must have seen it all (even though I know I have so much more to discover!) On my recent trip, I got to discover one of those little hidden gems that make Paris so wonderful … and I had been walking right by it for years!

La place des Vosges will always be one of my favorite place (public square) in Paris. But after watching un reportage¹You can watch the reportage – including people playing boules – on YouTube here. (a story/news story) recently from Des racines et des ailes, I knew that on my next trip to Paris I needed to make my way to la place Dauphine.

La place Dauphine 

Dating back to the 17th century (1607), la place Dauphine, like la place des Vosges, was built under Henri IV. Originally called place Royale, it was renamed in honor of the king’s son, the future Louis XIII, and dauphin de France.

Dauphin (which also means dolphin) is the name traditionally attributed to the heir to the throne of France (at least as far back as the 14th when it was a condition of France’s absorption of a neighboring principality)²A little bit like Prince Charles in England is the Prince of Wales.

Stepping into la place Dauphine is like stepping out of the city … and out of time. While you are just steps away from the Seine, and the traffic of the Île de la Cité,it feels a world away from the cares of today. When we were there, there were even people playing pétanques (or boules) right in the middle of the park.

Situated at the end of the Île de la Cité, la place Dauphine is situated between the Palais de Justice (home to the highest court in France) and the parc du Vert-Galant (and a statue of Henri IV).

My only regret is that I didn’t have more time to sit and enjoy. I know that on my next trip to Paris, I’ll be making some time to flâner (stroll, wander) around la place and enjoy myself.

• 1
  You can watch the reportage – including people playing boules – on YouTube here. 
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  A little bit like Prince Charles in England is the Prince of Wales