Quiet Corners of the 1st: Calm in the Heart of Paris, a Self-Guided Paris Walk
1h30. 1.6 miles. From Cour Carree du Louvre to Place Dauphine.
The 1st arrondissement is the busiest square mile in France, yet its quietest corners hide in plain sight: a silent Louvre courtyard, a painted 1826 passage, the royal gardens, and the village square where Parisians play petanque ten steps from Pont Neuf.
The local move
Do this walk at golden hour. The Cour Carree empties while the pyramid crowd queues a courtyard away, and Place Dauphine fills with locals and rose wine as the day cools.
Best time to go
Early morning or the last two hours before sunset.
When to avoid it
Midday in summer, when the Louvre queues spill into every courtyard.
The stops
Cour Carree du Louvre
The Louvre's silent Renaissance courtyard by its original entrance. Same palace, none of the pyramid crowd.
Tip: Enter from the Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois side, off rue de l'Amiral de Coligny. At dusk the stone glows.
Galerie Vero-Dodat
An 1826 covered passage of painted ceilings, brass fittings and antique shops, one of the most elegant in Paris.
Tip: Open Monday to Saturday, roughly 7am to 10pm. The Christian Louboutin flagship hides at the far end.
Jardins du Palais-Royal
The arcaded royal garden with Buren's striped columns at one end and perfect gravel alleys at the other.
Tip: The benches under the lime trees on the rue de Montpensier side are the calmest. Daily until about 8:30pm.
Place Dauphine
A triangular square on the tip of the Ile de la Cite where locals play petanque under the chestnuts, two minutes from Pont Neuf.
Tip: Come after 6pm for the petanque and an apero at one of the small cafes. Simone Signoret and Yves Montand lived at No 15.
About these walks
This is one of the free self-guided Paris walks written by the Chic Trip team, locals who plan and book full Paris trips for American travelers. Get our free insider Paris guide at chic-trip.com/free-paris-guide, or have us plan your whole trip at chic-trip.com/paris-travel-planner.
