Square du Vert Galant

text description

This is a tiny but pretty park at the extreme western end of the Île de la Cité. It is called the square du Vert Galant /skwaʁ dy vɛʁ galɑ̃/ (Vert Galant was a nickname for Henri IV, who had a reputation for many love affairs).

You are looking northeast in this photo, which was taken from the Seine River just west of the park. The view from the banks of the Seine River on the tip of the island is superb, and it’s a great place to propose marriage (if that be in your plans while in Paris).

When the Seine runs high with spring runoff, this park is often partially submerged. The Seine was at its normal level in this photo.

I have a photo showing the interior of the park, if you are interested.

The two large weeping willows that you see at the extreme tip of the island, on the left, no longer exist. Two years or so after this photo was taken, the two trees were chopped down by the city, because they had become so old and weak that they were in danger of collapse (they were more than a century old, I believe). The city did this not to be mean, but just to ensure safety and the continuing good health of the trees in Paris—City Hall is very dedicated to maintaining the flora of the town, and has a staff dedicated to looking after it. But trees don't live forever, and these two were in very bad condition.

On the left in the background, you can see the northern arm of the Pont Neuf, the oldest and longest (if you count both arms) bridge in Paris.

Click directly on the photo to see a larger version (twice this size). Photographed on October 4, 2000.