Paris as a city grew in wealth and prominence during the Middle Ages.
But the city’s later history transformed Paris, largely eradicating its medieval character. In the 19th century, Georges-Eugène Haussmann was commissioned to renovate the city. The old medieval streets were demolished and the elegant, uniform buildings and tree-lined boulevards we know today took their place.
So what is left of Paris’ medieval past?
That’s exactly what I wanted to see for myself one cloudy day in the French capital. Join me as we walk together to discover medieval Paris.
Table of Contents
A Short History of Medieval Paris
First the Celts, then the Romans occupied Paris. Once the Roman Empire began to crumble, barbarians began to take over.
The next rulers were the murderous Merovingians. They were followed by the Carolingians, who established the Kingdom of the Franks with Paris as their capital, until it was moved to Aachen in modern-day Germany. Under their rule, Paris became Christianized. The mightiest Frankish ruler was Charlemagne, although he mostly ignored the city.
Soon, Vikings from the north began to besiege Paris. The Carolingians focused their attention to other parts of the kingdom and a new ruler emerged: Hugh Capet, who was crowned king in 987. Hugh’s descendants ruled France for the nearly the next 900 years. Once again, they made Paris their capital.
From this time, Paris emerged as the political, intellectual, and economic center of France. Awe-inspiring new churches, such as Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle, were built. The former cathedral school grew into the University of Paris, one of the foremost intellectual institutions of the Middle Ages. The population exploded to about 200,000 inhabitants in the early 14th century, the most populus city in Europe.
Paris entered a period of turmoil, beginning in the later part of the century. The Black Death decimated the city. Later, the English king came to claim the throne of France, ushering in the 100 Years’ War. Paris returned to French hands in 1436.
After the devastating 15th century, the city once again began to prosper and new ideas began to flow. The Renaissance had arrived.
A walk through medieval Paris
Sainte-Chapelle
To start my “Medieval Paris Day,” I decide to start in the oldest part of Paris itself – the Île de la Cité. This is where Paris was born, back when Celtic tribes populated the area.
Little remains of the Celts or their Roman successors. But I have my eye on something else: the Gothic church of Sainte-Chapelle.
I head there first thing, as I didn’t have a ticket and wanted to beat the crowds. I’m glad I did – when I pass by again later in the day, the line to enter is nearly around the block.
Sainte-Chapelle was built on the orders of King Louis IX, also known as Saint Louis, the only French king to be canonized. Its purpose was to act as a living reliquary, the repository of some of the holiest relics in Christianity – the Crown of Thorns and fragments of the True Cross from Christ’s passion – which Louis had acquired from the Latin emperor of Constantinople.
A visit to Sainte-Chapelle starts at the lower chapel. This is where most people would have worshipped back Saint Louis’ time – courtiers, servants, and soldiers. Today, you can see beautifully painted columns, a statue of Saint Louis – and lots of souvenirs and guides for sale.
I walk up a short winding staircase up to get to the real prize – the upper chapel. From the moment I emerge from the dark, narrow staircase, I’m assaulted with a dazzling display of light from some of Europe’s most beautiful stained-glass windows.
Theologically, light signified the divine, and Louis made generous use of it in his chapel, which was for the exclusive use of himself, the royal family, their special guests, and the high clergy.
What strikes me is that the walls seem to be made almost entirely of glass. While much of the chapel was damaged during the French Revolution and restored during the 19th century, most of the stained-glass are original. They depict stories from the Bible, many of which relate to kingship and thus conferred legitimacy on Louis’ reign by pointing to him as the successor of biblical kings.
The story of the Passion of Christ is, fittingly, shown on the back wall, right behind the Chasse, which once held the sacred relics. (The one you see today is a modern reconstruction; the original was melted down during the Revolution.)
The stained-glass panels at the back of the chapel are, to me, the most interesting. They show the story of Louis’ acquisition of the relics, and his bringing them triumphantly into Paris.
As the stained-glass reaches high above (the chapel is 42.5 meters, or 139 feet in height), binoculars might come in handy (or, as I used, the zoom feature on my phone’s camera).
After about an hour in the chilly and crowded chapel listening to the entire audio guide and admiring the luminosity and art of the stained glass, it’s time to head to the next stop on my medieval journey.
The Conciergerie
Next door to Sainte-Chapelle is the Conciergerie. In fact, you can buy a combo ticket that lets you into both places. (This is what I did.)
Today the Conciergerie is perhaps best known for having held thousands of prisoners during the French Revolution, including Marie Antoinette. But before it was a prison, it was a royal palace during the Middle Ages.
A visit to the Conciergerie includes both these identities and time periods, making the visit seem rather disjointed. At the entrance, I’m handed a tablet, which I then use to discover the rooms open to the public.
The first building to occupy the site that is now the Conciergerie was constructed on the orders of Hugh Capet. It was expanded between the 11th and 14th centuries, during its time as a royal palace. In the later Middle Ages, it began to be used as a prison, and continued in that function through the Revolution.
Today, the Hall of the Men-at-Arms and the Hall of Guards are what remain of the medieval palace. Tablet in hand (this is provided at the entrance), I explore what the hall, with its thick columns and ribbed vaulted ceilings, might have looked like in 1378, when a great banquet was held by the French king Charles V in honor of his uncle, Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg.
Another medieval room to explore is the former kitchen, with its massive fireplaces. (You needed huge fires to cook for those great feasts.) Discover what it would have taken to prepare for such an important banquet and what types of food would have been served.
The rest of the visit to the Conciergerie concerns the French Revolution. The most famous rooms of this part of the Conciergerie are the chapel and room where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before she was sent to the guillotine.
Tour Saint-Jacques
On my quest to find something to eat, I stumble upon this Gothic tower. Something that looks medieval obviously requires closer inspection.
I find out later that the tower is all that remains of a 16th-century church that was destroyed during the French Revolution.
Yes, the 16th century post-dates the Middle Ages. So why is the tower still on this list? Well, not only is it a national historic monument of France, it’s also part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the sites associated with the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.
Turns out, pilgrims set out from here on their way to Santiago de Compostela, one of the three great pilgrimage routes of the Middle Ages.
Notre Dame Cathedral
After lunch, I head back to the Île de la Cité and Notre Dame Cathedral, which at the time of my visit was still closed to visitors as a result of the devastating fire of April 15, 2019.
Still, I can gaze on the façade and admire the skills of the artists and the piety of the people who labored for centuries to create this masterpiece of Gothic architecture – as well as the dedication of those who have been working hard to preserve it.
Next to Notre Dame is a statue of Charlemagne, the great Frankish king. His kingdom of Franks evolved into, and gave its name to, the modern country of ‘France.’
Church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre
Heading across the river to the Left Bank, my first stop here is the Church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre. Built on former Merovingian burial grounds, this church is one of the oldest churches in Paris, with construction on the modern church having begun in the 12th century.
Situated in the Latin Quarter, the church played an important role in the lives of the University of Paris’ students during the Middle Ages. Assemblies of the university took place here, and faculty and students of the university, including the great Catholic saint and one of the foremost medieval philosophers, Thomas Aquinas, heard Mass here.
Today, the church belongs to the Greek Catholic rite, so if you step inside, don’t be surprised, as I was, to find a very beautiful iconostasis, separating the sanctuary from the rest of the church.
Latin Quarter
Leaving the church, I make my way through the narrow, winding streets of the Latin Quarter. It was so named because Latin was the language spoken here by the university students during the Middle Ages.
Paris was completely transformed, physically, in the 19th century, when Georges-Eugène Haussmann was commissioned by the Emperor Napoleon III to turn Paris into a modern, elegant city. This involved, controversially, razing most of the existing neighborhoods to the ground. Yet somehow the Latin Quarter survived unaltered.
As I stumble directionless through the dark streets, I liked to imagine myself literally walking in the footsteps of Peter Abélard, whose philosophical achievements have been overshadowed by his love affair with Hélöise.
Church of Saint-Séverin
Another church in the Latin Quarter, similar to the nearby Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, the church of Saint-Séverin once served the spiritual needs of the students of the University of Paris during the Middle Ages.
The hermit Séverin lived on the site in the 500s; one of his students was the Merovingian prince Clodoald, better known as Saint Cloud, who survived his uncles’ nepoticidal rampage that saw his brothers murdered.
Construction of the current church began in 1230 and has continued through the centuries, giving the church a bit of a confused appearance. One fun feature is the many gargoyles on the exterior.
When I visit, there is a concert going on; a string quartet is playing selections from Handel, Mozart, and Hadyn. I decide to listen for a bit, admiring the acoustics of the church. One day, I’d love to hear the church’s organ, which is a French Historic Monument and was built in 1745, play.
Want to check out more Paris churches, medieval or otherwise? Check out the Top 12 Churches in Paris!
Musée de Cluny
Finally, I arrive at the last stop in my medieval journey through Paris: the Musée de Cluny, Paris’ museum dedicated to medieval art.
Many of the items in the museum are from Paris itself, giving the museum a local feel. There are over 11,000 objects here, from late Antiquity to the Renaissance. Its treasures include the original kings’ heads from Notre Dame Cathedral (which were, unsurprisingly, decapitated during the Revolution), stained-glass panels and statues donated from Sainte-Chapelle, reliquaries, altarpieces, and even a papal Golden Rose.
The star items, and the ones that I’d dreamed of seeing for years, are The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. Housed in their own room, these six massive tapestries (some are over 3.67m, or 12ft, high) are masterpieces of woven art from 15th century Flanders; the designs are believed to have originated in Paris. They depict a noblewoman and unicorn representing the five senses – smell, touch, taste, sight, and sound.
The most enigmatic tapestry is the sixth one – À mon seul désir– “to my one desire,” the meaning of which remains a mystery.
I take a seat in the dimly lit room directly in front of this last tapestry, admiring its beauty, pondering its secret, contemplating everything I’d seen throughout the day – a lovely way to end a day discovering medieval Paris.
Are you inspired to revisit Paris’ medieval past? Let me know in the comments!
Want to learn more about the history of Paris? Check out my article on the History of Paris in 10 Buildings!
Haven’t gotten enough of medieval Paris? Head to the suburbs to visit the Basilica of Saint-Denis, the first Gothic cathedral.
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