Place des Vosges is a square of red brick and pale stone houses in the Marais, built over four centuries ago and still one of the most harmonious spaces in Paris. Arcades run around all four sides, sheltering galleries, cafes and shops, and in the middle is a garden of lime trees, lawns and fountains where Parisians read, picnic and let their children play. It is free, open to all and an easy place to slow down for an hour.
Why visit Place des Vosges
Henri IV commissioned the square at the start of the 17th century, and it was inaugurated in 1612 as the Place Royale. It is often called the oldest planned square in Paris, and its design, with matching pavilions all around, became a model for later residential squares in Europe. The two taller pavilions in the middle of the north and south sides were intended for the king and queen.
The square took its present name in the early 19th century in honour of the Vosges, the first department to pay its taxes to the revolutionary government. Over the centuries the houses were home to aristocrats, writers and politicians. Victor Hugo lived here for many years, and his apartment is now a museum.
What makes Place des Vosges special today is how lived-in it feels. It is not a monument behind barriers but a neighbourhood square, with residents walking dogs, office workers eating lunch on the grass and children playing in the sandpits. The uniform facades, steep slate roofs and dormer windows make it one of the most photogenic corners of Paris at any time of day.
Getting to Place des Vosges by metro
The square is served by several stations, each a short walk away:
- Saint-Paul on line 1, about five to eight minutes away through the streets of the Marais. Line 1 runs straight from the Louvre, Châtelet and the Champs-Élysées.
- Bastille, on lines 1, 5 and 8, a similar walk from the south-east.
- Chemin Vert on line 8, a few minutes to the north-east.
Walking in from Saint-Paul along Rue Saint-Antoine and the small lanes north of it is a pleasant approach, and you can pass through the courtyard of the Hôtel de Sully, which has a passage leading into the south-west corner of the square when it is open.
Is Place des Vosges free?
Yes. The square and its central garden are public and free, with no tickets. The garden has opening hours like other Paris parks and closes at night. Cafes and galleries under the arcades set their own hours.
The Maison de Victor Hugo at number 6 is a city museum. Its permanent collection has been free to visit, with charges for temporary exhibitions. Check the Paris Musées website for current details before you go.
Best time to visit Place des Vosges
Weekday mornings are calm and give the best light on the brick facades. On sunny weekends the lawns fill up and street musicians often play under the arcades, which is lively in a different way. Sunday is a good day to combine with the rest of the Marais, as many shops in the area open then when much of Paris is closed.
An hour is enough to walk the arcades, sit in the garden and visit Victor Hugo's apartment. Most people make it part of a longer half-day walk around the Marais.
Note that the central lawns may be closed off at times to let the grass recover, especially after wet weather, but the paths and benches stay open.
What to see
- The arcades: walk the full circuit under the vaults, passing art galleries, antique dealers and cafes.
- The King's and Queen's pavilions: the slightly higher houses in the middle of the south and north sides.
- The central garden: lawns, four fountains and a statue of Louis XIII on horseback.
- Maison de Victor Hugo: the writer's apartment, with furniture, drawings and rooms he decorated himself.
Nearby on the same stop
- Musée Carnavalet: the museum of the history of Paris, a few minutes to the west, with a free permanent collection.
- Rue des Rosiers: the heart of the old Jewish quarter, known for falafel and bakeries.
- Hôtel de Sully: a fine 17th-century mansion with two courtyards, beside the square.
- Place de la Bastille: the site of the old fortress, with the Opéra Bastille and the Canal Saint-Martin basin nearby.
To see more places near this stop, open Place des Vosges on Around the Metro, or browse every station on the Paris metro map.