Île de la Cité Where Paris Was Born Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap

Île de la Cité Where Paris Was Born Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap

Welcome to the birthplace of Paris! Île de la Cité is where it all started. Join me on this tour as we explore the city's origins from a small settlement along the Seine River to how it grew into one of the most charming places in the world.

We start with the love-lock bridge, move on to King Henri IV and the terrible demise of his murderer, the story of the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, the Sainte Chapelle, as well as the story of Quasimoto and the beloved Notre Dame Cathedral. This is the perfect tour for Francophiles who want a taste of French history while enjoying a glorious stroll along the heart of Paris.

Places to stop along the way include the Square du Vert Galant, Place Dauphine, Conciergerie, Sainte Chapelle, some stops around Notre Dame and finally the Deportation Memorial.

The tour is ready whenever you are and the audio plays automatically at exactly the right time and place using your smartphone's GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, which also works offline.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Pass By: Pont des Arts, River Seine Between Institut de France And Palais du Louvre, Paris France

This bridge used to be laden with “love-locks”. Couples came to the bridge with special locks that were usually inscribed with their names, locked them on the bridge and then threw the keys in the river. This would presumably ensure that their love would last.

Pass By: Statue equestre d'Henri IV, 15 Place du Pont Neuf, 75001 Paris France

Under the Equestrian Statue of Henri IV, on one side you'll see a bas-relief panel that shows a humble Henri IV bringing loaves of bread to the people of Paris after a siege. What the picture doesn’t explain is that HE was the one who had put Paris under siege!

Pass By: Square du Vert-Galant, 1 Square du Vert Galant, 75001 Paris France

The park on the tip of Île de la Cité is called the Square du Vert-Galant. We use the word “square” in French to mean a small park but the Square du Vert-Galant is actually triangular!

Pass By: Place Dauphine, Paris France

Place Dauphine plaza was financed by Henri IV and named “The Dauphin” after his son Louis who would become Louis XIII.

Pass By: Palais de Justice de Paris, 10 boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris France

Palais de Justice means courthouse, but it's no ordinary courthouse. It's the Cour de Cassation, one of the highest jurisdictions in the country.

Pass By: Conciergerie, 2 boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris France

The Conciergerie Museum is where you can learn about the French Revolution and Marie-Antoinette. It's a must-see for people who have an interest in the French Revolution.

Pass By: Sainte-Chapelle, 8 Boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris France

Inside the Sainte Chapelle you'll see the most spectacular Gothic stained-glass windows in the world. On a sunny day it feels like you're walking through a kaleidoscope!

Pass By: Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris, 6 Parvis Notre-Dame Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris France

As you may know, the Cathedral was severely damaged by a fire in April 2019 and is in the process of being renovated. As a result, access to the Cathedral is now limited and you can only see it from the north and east side.

Pass By: Memorial des Martyrs de la Deportation, Square de l'Ile de France, 75004 Paris France

The Deportation Martyrs Memorial is a somber tribute to all the French Jews that were captured in France and sent to Germany to die during WWII.