The current Place de Châtelet is known to Parisians for its traffic jams and its two theaters but few know where it gets its name.

The Grand Châtelet fortress
At the time when most of the city was confined to the island, it was essential to protect access to the banks. The end of each of the bridges (the large bridge, which became Pont au Change and the small bridge) was therefore defended by a small castle or gatehouse.
Right bank was the Grand Châtelet and left bank the Petit Châtelet.

It is possible that the Grand Châtelet was built on the site of a fortress which already existed under Julius Caesar which would have been both the first defense of the city and its first gate at which taxes were paid.

It is certain in any case that Louis the Fat (Louis IV) built a small castle there in 1130 to defend the bridge. In 1190 the Philippe-Auguste enclosure made the building quite useless since it ceased to be the first line of defenses. The Grand Châtelet therefore became the seat of jurisdiction of the provost of Paris, a role that it would hold until its destruction.

Le Châtelet was the prison where inmates awaited their trial. To enter, prisoners had to pay a confinement fee, a sort of entry tax. If the prisoner was penniless, he was obviously still incarcerated, the question of paying the tax being postponed until later.

The Grand Châtelet was not just a prison. It was also the place where interrogations and trials took place.

In addition to its function as a court and prison, the Grand Châtelet housed the city's morgue where bodies found in the streets or recovered from the Seine were exposed to Parisians. Those who were not recognized and taken by their loved ones were buried in the cemetery of the Innocents at the expense of the Daughters of Saint Catherine.

Although first in the list of 20 Parisian arrondissements, the Ist does not correspond to the oldest, but it is the IVth which encompasses Paris from the beginning of its history, more than 2,000 years ago. However, Les Halles and Place du Châtelet give it the rank of an important crossroads, where tourists from all over the world and locals from the Ile-de-France region converge.
The department stores of the last century or the small boutiques of Les Halles are the obligatory stop for "shopping" or "shopping". Small appetites or more gourmet meals find what they need in charming little restaurants. Before returning to your nearby hotel or home, it will be pleasant on a summer evening to stroll in the gardens of the Tuileries or the Palais Royal, unless you prefer a cinema or theater evening (City Theater or Châtelet Theater).
Everyone can enjoy it in their own way!

The bistro "Au Vieux Comptoir" is located in the heart of the Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois district. This district is entirely dominated by the two oldest palaces built by the Kings, but quickly abandoned for the benefit of the public: the current Palais de Justice and the Palais du Louvre dedicated to the Arts. 
In the middle of more recent urban complexes or those revised and corrected by different successive regimes keen to mark their reign with an eternal and historical symbol, a vestige of the old Sainte-Opportune district remains. In the shadow of the Place du Châtelet, the guild of goldsmiths was established in the Middle Ages. The proximity of the Seine also attracts washerwomen and washerwomen.

Rue des Lavandières-Ste-Opportune, almost all odd numbers correspond to houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. Located between rue St Germain l'Auxerrois and rue des Halles - forget, for a moment, rue de Rivoli which was only opened under Napoleon III by Prefect Haussmann -, rue des Lavandières-Sainte-Opportune existed as early as 1244. Many washerwomen lived there. To avoid confusion with another rue des Lavandières located near Place Maubert, the precision of the Ste-Opportune cloister, now destroyed, was added.

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The current Place de Chatelet is known to the Parisians for its traffic jams and its two theaters but few know where it gets its name.

The fortress of the Grand Châtelet

At a time when most of the city was confined to the island, it was essential to protect access to the riverbanks. The end of each of the bridges (the great bridge, now Pont de Change and the little bridge) was thus defended by a small castle or châtelet.

The right bank was the Grand Chatelet and the left bank of the Petit Châtelet.

It is possible that the Grand Chatelet was built on the site of a fortress that already existed under Julius Caesar, which would have been at the same time the first defense of the city and its first door to which taxes were paid.

It is certain in any case that Louis the Gros (Louis IV) built there in 1130 a small castle for the defense of the bridge. In 1190 the enclosure Philippe-Auguste rendered the building quite useless since it ceased to be the first line of defenses. The Grand Chatelet thus became the seat of the jurisdiction of the provost of Paris, a role which it would hold until its destruction.

The Chatelet was the prison where the prisoners awaited their judgment. To enter, the prisoners had to pay a fee of jail, a kind of entrance fee. If the prisoner were penniless, he was obviously still imprisoned, the question of the payment of the tax being postponed.

The Grand Chatelet was not just a prison. It was also the place where interrogations and judgments took place.

In addition to its function as a court and a prison, the Grand Châtelet housed the morgue of the city where the bodies found in the streets or recovered in the Seine were exposed to the Parisians. Those who were not recognized and taken away by their relatives were buried in the cemetery of the Innocents at the expense of the Hospitable Girls of St. Catherine.

Although the first of the 20 Parisian districts, the 1st does not correspond to the oldest, but it is the 4th which encompasses the Paris of the beginning of its history, more than 2,000 years ago. However, Les Halles and Place du Châtelet give it the status of an important crossroads, where tourists from all over the world and the Ile-de-France region converge.

The department stores of the last century or the small shops of Les Halles are the necessary passage for "shopping" or "shopping". Small hungries or more gourmet meals find their way into charming little restaurants. Before returning to the hotel or home, it will be nice to spend a summer evening strolling in the gardens of the Tuileries or the Palais Royal, unless you prefer a night-theater or theater (Théâtre de la Ville or Théâtre du Châtelet ).

Let everyone enjoy it in their own way!

The bistro "Au Vieux Comptoir" is located in the heart of the Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois district. This area is entirely dominated by the two oldest palaces built by the Kings, but soon abandoned for the benefit of the public: the current Palais de Justice and the Palais du Louvre dedicated to the Arts.

In the midst of newer urban complexes or revised and corrected by various successive regimes fond of marking their reign with an eternal and historical symbol, a vestige of the old Sainte-Opportune quarter remains. In the shadow of the Place du Châtelet, the corporation of goldsmiths settled in the Middle Ages. The proximity of the Seine also attracts the washerwomen and the megissiers.

Rue des Lavandières-Ste-Opportune, almost all the odd numbers correspond to houses of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Situated between St Germain l'Auxerrois and Les Halles streets, for a moment, the Rue de Rivoli, which will only be pierced by Napoleon III by the Prefect Haussmann, is forbidden. The rue des Lavandières-Sainte-Opportune exists as early as 1244. Numerous Were left there. To avoid confusion with another Rue des Lavandières located near Place Maubert, the precision of the cloister Ste-Opportune, now destroyed, has been added.