A tour of Hôtel de Ville, Paris.
Please note that these spaces are generally not open to the public.
Journées du Patrimoine, or “Heritage Days,” is a major cultural event organized since 1984. In more than fifty countries, museums, monuments, churches, performance halls, businesses and shops, gardens, and cemeteries open their doors free of charge. The goal is to help visitors discover their history and these spaces’ unique function or attributes.
Journées du Patrimoine is usually held annually on a Saturday and Sunday, mid-September.
TIP 1: Many of these spaces require an online reservation in advance. Please check the event’s website for details.
TIP 2: If no reservation is required, I suggest arriving as early as possible. Queues begin about an hour or more before opening.
TIP 3: Wear comfortable shoes and bring water – you’ll be standing on hard surfaces for many hours and waiting in long lines, even with a ticket.
In this video, you’re experiencing a behind-the-scenes video of Hôtel de Ville, the city hall of Paris. The south wing was originally constructed by François I beginning in 1535. The north wing was built by Henry IV and Louis XIII between 1605 and 1628.
Since 1357, the City of Paris’s administration has been in the exact location where the Hôtel de Ville stands today.
Ana María “Anne” Hidalgo Aleu is a Spanish-French politician who has served as Mayor of Paris since 2014, the first woman to hold the office. Her first term as Mayor of Paris was marked by the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo shooting and November 2015 Paris attacks, including the Bataclan theatre massacre.
During her second term, Hidalgo oversaw the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing measures such as nightly curfews, closure of non-essential shops, and the introduction of 50 km (31 mi) of pop-up cycle lanes known as “coronapistes” to ease pressure on public transport.
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