In the capital, the vestiges of the past hide in every corner, even underground! In the 6th arrondissement, at the heart of the Saint‑Germain‑des‑Prés district, the Mazarine‑Odéon parking with 203 spaces has just reopened after years of work, a welcome boost amid the parking woes in this corner of Paris. Yet with the renovation comes the unveiling of a piece of our History, now visible to all!
Visitors parking nearby can discover a fragment of the Philippe Auguste's wall as well as the base of a medieval tower, at levels -1 and -2. These remains trace the first great fortification of Paris, built between 1190 and 1215 to protect the capital during the Middle Ages. Discovered in 1996 during earlier excavations and listed as historical monuments since 1989, they are now open to the public but guarded behind a glass wall!
You can also spot other stretches of this wall without going underground, as the former 273-hectare enclosure reveals itself along strolls through the Marais or the Latin Quarter, for example—sometimes without you even stopping to notice.
Where can you see the remains of the Philippe Auguste wall? Discover the ancient walls of Paris
Philippe Auguste's medieval enceinte encircled Paris at the end of the 12th century. Now no longer in existence, its remnants serve as a reminder of the capital's history. So where can you see what's left of this ancient wall that demarcated what were then the boundaries of Paris? [Read more]
Location
Mazarine Parking
27 Rue Mazarine
75006 Paris 6
Route planner
Where can you see the remains of the Philippe Auguste wall? Discover the ancient walls of Paris
