1 PLACE DE LA BASTILLE
The brash busy square might not be that aesthetically pleasing, but its gritty history is key to the France we know today – and the reason behind the neighbourhood’s name. The Place de la Bastille was the site of the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, which signalled the start of the French Revolution and fall of the Ancien Régime. The Colonne de Juillet stands). Tourists can discover the lower parts of the column during guided tours on weekends (from €13). From the Place de la Bastille, you can head into the namesake Bastille neighbourhood to the east, along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, or the quaint Marais district to the west.
