Guided Tour of Henri IV’s Paris
A Reign that left its Mark on Paris in Blood and Stone
“The King is dead. Long live the King!” On May 14, 1610, Henri IV is assassinated by Ravaillac on Rue de la Ferronnerie in Paris. Evoking the bloodshed of the Wars of Religion, the regicide sends shockwaves through the capital and across France. And yet Henri IV had never been particularly popular among Parisians.
Today, Henri IV remains one of the French monarchs most frequently mentioned by the French people. So why have this man and his reign left such a lasting mark on France and Paris? What traces of Henri IV can still be found in the city beyond the site of his assassination? And how did he transform Paris?
The Tour
On this tour, we will immerse ourselves in history through one of the most famous events of the French monarchy. Henri IV had to fight and convert to Catholicism before Paris would open its gates to him. From that moment on, the king left his mark on the city through his life, his ambitions and his building projects. We will set out to discover the Parisian monuments and developments that shaped the reign of the first Bourbon king. Along the way, we will also retrace one of the most remarkable rises to power in French royal history. How did this “little peasant” from Béarn manage to ascend to the throne of France and found the country’s most famous royal dynasty?
We will meet on Rue de la Ferronnerie, in the heart of the bustling Châtelet district, at the very place where Henri IV was murdered. Like a cinematic flashback, we will travel back in time to understand how and why this regicide took place. Our journey begins in the Les Halles district, where we will explore its maze of streets and uncover the childhood of the young Henri of Navarre. We will then make our way towards the Louvre to revisit the Wars of Religion that shook France. Next, we will head to Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, whose bells rang the alarm during the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572. Finally, crossing the Pont Neuf towards Place Dauphine, we will turn our attention to Henri IV as King of France and the patron behind some of Paris’s most ambitious architectural projects.
Throughout the tour, we will encounter the names of Henri II, Henri III, Henri IV, Henri de Guise, Catherine de’ Medici, Marguerite de Valois, Marie de’ Medici, Charles IX, François II and Louis XIII. These kings, queens and powerful figures may seem like a tangled family tree, but we will put the pieces in order to better understand this turbulent yet fascinating period in French history.
Practical Information: Henri IV’s Paris Guided Tour
Plan Your Visit
Meeting point: 8 Rue de la Ferronnerie, 75001 Paris.
End point: 1 Place Dauphine, 75004 Paris.
Public tour group size: Up to 10 participants.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes (up to 2 hours, depending on the group and walking pace).
Walking distance: 2.5 km.