This afternoon I was wandering around the Île de la Cité, considered to be the center of Paris and the spot where the Parisii tribe used to hang out before the Romans came around in 52 BC. There is a little park located at the western tip of the island, looking toward the Pont Neuf, which I had noticed some time ago when walking along the river bank, and I have recently come to learn that this little park is known as the Square du Vert Galant (named after Henri IV, the vert galant king – translated, the “green gallant,” so called because he was a big fan of the ladies).
I made the very bold decision to check out the park, a decision I congratulate myself very highly for given that the Square du Vert Galant has swiftly become one of my favorite lounging areas in Paris. Scenic, calm…in a word, phenomenal. I highly suggest it, especially in the evening as the sun sets. Bring a beer or a bottle of wine and watch the sun go down over the river – it’s a beautiful sight.
