Pont-au-Change — The Dragon's Lost Pact

Your quest begins on the Parvis Notre-Dame, Place Jean-Paul II, facing Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. Initiated in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and completed in 1345, this Gothic masterpiece, 128 meters long and 33 meters high, was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991. The fire of April 15, 2019, marked a painful chapter, but its ongoing restoration promises a reopening in December 2024, symbolizing the resilience of Paris. Here, you seek the first marks of the pact, hidden within the stones that have witnessed centuries of French history.

Beneath Place Jean-Paul II, the Archaeological Crypt of Île de la Cité plunges you into the foundations of Lutetia. Opened to the public in 1980, this 1,200 m² exhibition space reveals Gallo-Roman remains from the 1st to 4th centuries, discovered during metro excavations in 1974. Managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, it notably displays the 3rd-century Cluny baths. These layers of history are crucial to understanding the pact's roots, whose origins may trace back to the earliest hours of the city of Paris.

Pont au Change, your third stop, is at the heart of the enigma. The current bridge, built between 1858 and 1860 under Napoleon III, replaced medieval structures that housed dwellings and money changers until the 18th century. 33 meters long, it connects the Île de la Cité to the Right Bank at Place du Châtelet and was classified as a historical monument in 1973. It is here that the pact was supposedly sealed, and the clues you find on its stones will lead you to the Tour de l'Horloge, built between 1352 and 1354 by order of Charles V.

The Tour de l'Horloge, integrated into the Conciergerie, is a historical monument classified in 1889. Its famous mechanical clock, installed in 1370, is one of the oldest in Paris still in operation, with a 5-meter diameter dial displaying lunar phases. Its 47-meter height makes it a landmark of the Île de la Cité. The gears of time here are a clue, as the pact is linked to a specific event in Paris's past. Your journey continues towards Sainte-Chapelle, built in 1242-1248 by Louis IX to house the relics of the Passion of Christ.

Sainte-Chapelle, classified as a historical monument and a UNESCO site in 1991, impresses with its 1,113 m² of 13th-century medieval stained glass and its interior height of 20 meters under the vaults. Restored after serving as archives during the French Revolution, it is a historical jewel. On the way to Pont Neuf and Square du Vert-Galant, you will decipher the final riddles, revealing the true scope of the pact and its influence on the destiny of Paris. This themed walking tour through the heritage of Île de la Cité offers an interactive visit of French history, an exploration that will remain etched in your memory.