Nearby, the massive front of the Church of Saint Paul sits brooding over the intersection of the Boulevard Saint Antoine and Rue de Sévigné, entrance to the Jewish Quarter and a haven for shoppers looking looking for out-of-the-way places and shops that carry the unusual, the hard to find and the just plain odd.

If you’re thirsty (and who wouldn’t be after tramping around these streets?) there’s one of the 108 Fontaines Wallace (“Wallace -Drinking- Fountains”) on the Rue du Grenier Sur l’Eau, a gift from Sir Richard Wallace in 1872. The Rue François Miron is noteworthy for its medieval post-and-beam houseshouses. It was named for Henri IV’s Provost Marshal in 1865. Before this it was part of the Rue Saint Antoine. At the end of the former is the 16th century Lycée Charlemagne, which until 1762 served as a convent for Jesuit priests. The massive escalier d’honneur (“grand staircase”) is worth the entire tour of the courtyards and other features. The Rue Charles V is a wonder as well, with its houses leaning over the pavement in every direction.

The Hôtel de Sully’s ornate Renaissance façade, orangerie and garden, is located at #64, rue St Antoine. The Hôtel is home to the Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques et des Sites. To the west, is the Place du Marché Ste. Catherine; modest when compared to the Place des Vosges, but beautifully proportioned, intricately detailed, and an utter delight.

To the south, Île Saint-Louis, is the Hôtel de Sens, beautiful medieval monument. Built in 1475, this hôtel (“mansion”) is one of the oldest existing constructions in Paris. Since 1961, it has been home to the Bibliothèque Forney, a library specializing in the graphic and decorative arts.