Porte Saint Denis

Porte Saint Denis dates back to the 17th century and is situated in the 10th arrondissement. It pays tribute to Louis XIV's victories in the Rhine and France-Comte, and stands near the site of the former medieval gate of the same name. The medieval gate was part of Charles V's city walls which were built in the 14th century around Paris. As the city expanded the city walls were dismantled and the fortified gates were replaced by triumphal arches.

The Port Saint Denis was the gate where the kings of France would pass through on their return to Paris from religious services at the Saint Denis basilica. The last sovereign to pass through the triumphal arch was Queen Victoria on her visit to the 1855 Universal Exhibition in Paris. 

Canal Saint Martin

The Canal Saint Martin was opened in 1825 and was originally designed to bring drinking water to Paris and to provide an alternative to the Seine for industrial boat traffic. It has nine locks and two swing bridges and is open to navigation all year round. While commercial traffic on the Canal has decreased significantly, it has been more than offset by tourist boat cruises, and other leisure activities along the Canal.  Canauxrama (see boat in picture) is one of two main companies that regularly run cruises on the Canal Saint Martin (the other is Paris Canal). 

Porte Saint-Martin

Porte Saint-Martin was built in 1674, on the orders of Louis XIV, in honour of his victories on the Rhine and France-Comte. It replaced a medieval gate in the city walls, and is the second of four triumphal arches in Paris (the other three being the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, the Arc de Triomophe de l'toile and the Porte Saint-Denis). Standing 18 metres high, it is built in limestone with a white marble flat entablature at the top. It was inspired by the Arch of Titus in Rome, and bears the Latin inscription: "To Louis the Great, for having vanquished the German, Spanish, and Dutch armies: the Dean of the Guild and the Aldermen of Paris."

Jardin de l’hopital Saint-Louis

The garden in hôpital Saint-Louis is a hidden gem in the 10th arrondissement. The hospital itself was built between 1607 and 1612, on King Henri IV's orders. With its surrounding historic buildings, some have compared the hospital’s garden square to that of place des Vosges in the Marais. So hidden is this gem, I did a complete circuit of the hospital looking for an entrance into its fortress like walls!!

Place de la République

The Place de la Republique is located on the border between the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements. The square is named  after the First, Second and Third Republic. The 3.4 ha square includes a statue which is the personification of France, Marianne.

Canal St-Martin

The Canal St-Martin is 4.6km long. Nearly half of its length was covered in the mid-19th century to create wide boulevards and public spaces. Today the canal is a popular destination for Parisians and tourists. Some take cruises on the canal in passenger boats, while others watch the barges and boats navigate the series of locks and pass under a variety of cast iron foot bridges. There are many popular restaurants and bars in this area, which is also a favourite destination for students.