About the Island
The two natural islands on the Seine River in Paris - The Île de la Cité and the Île Saint-Louis, belong to the fourth district of the city. The smaller of the two is Ile Saint-Louis, a small jewel in the Parisian landscape, is where you are now.
It is connected to Paris via the Saint-Louis Bridge. You can walk around the island using the street Quai de Bourbon on the Seine banks and enjoy the views on the old homes. Pay attention to the special gardens as well. You should be sure to visit Louis Aragon Square, at the house of the famous sculptor Camille Claudel (the lover of the sculptor Rodin) and at the house of the chemist Marie Curie.
Today you will find here mainly residential buildings, but in the past the island was divided into two, with the agricultural section being used as grazing fields for cattle and a wood storage area. Many of the buildings you see here were built in the 17th century (between 1613 -1664) by the architectural brothers of the Le Vau family. The island became a quiet and serene place in the heart of the lively city.
