How a cow pasture became Paris's most elegant island: what to see on the Île Saint-Louis, Berthillon ice cream, and how to pair it with Notre-Dame.

Most visitors reach the back of Notre-Dame, glance at the little footbridge behind it and turn around. That's a shame. On the other side sits the Île Saint-Louis: stone townhouses, quiet quays and one very famous ice cream shop. It's small enough to explore in an unhurried hour, and it tells one of the best stories in Paris.

Where is the Île Saint-Louis?

It's the smaller of the two natural islands in the Seine in the heart of Paris, right behind the Île de la Cité, home of Notre-Dame. The Pont Saint-Louis, a footbridge about 60 metres long, links the two islands, and it's the only bridge that does. The first one, made of wood, went up in 1634. The one you'll cross is the ninth, opened in 1970. Paris has been rebuilding this short crossing for almost four centuries.

The whole island covers about 11 hectares, roughly 27 acres. Small, yes. Boring, no.

How did a cow pasture become Paris's most elegant island?

For centuries there was no Île Saint-Louis at all. There were two muddy islets owned by the canons of Notre-Dame. In 1360 a canal split the original island in two, and the eastern half became the Île aux Vaches, the "Island of Cows". The name tells you how glamorous it was.

So what changed? In 1614 a developer called Christophe Marie and his partners, Poulletier and Le Regrattier, struck a deal with the Crown, then run by Marie de' Medici as regent for the young Louis XIII. They filled in the canal, built quays and bridges, and sold the land plot by plot. Between about 1620 and 1650, elegant townhouses rose along a neat grid of streets. That's why the island feels so orderly next to the medieval tangle of the Île de la Cité. The name Saint-Louis only became official in 1725.

Look at the street signs as you walk. Rue Poulletier and Rue Le Regrattier still carry the partners' names, and the Pont Marie, which joins the island to the Right Bank, is named after Christophe Marie himself. Not a bad legacy for a property deal.

What should you look for on the island?

Start with the Church of Saint-Louis-en-l'Île, on the main street, Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île. Its first stone was laid in 1664, and the work dragged on until 1725, slowed by foundation problems and a relay of architects starting with François Le Vau. Look up at the openwork, pyramid-shaped bell tower, added in 1765 after lightning struck the old belfry. Inside, can you spot the twelve paintings of the Apostles on copper, fixed to the pillars?

Then walk the quays and read the plaques on the walls. The island has had remarkable neighbours:

Marie Curie lived at 36 Quai de Béthune from 1912 to 1934.
The poet Charles Baudelaire lived at 17 Quai d'Anjou from 1843 to 1846.
The caricaturist Honoré Daumier lived at 9 Quai d'Anjou.

At the eastern end stands the Hôtel Lambert, begun in 1640 by Louis Le Vau, the architect who later worked on Versailles. It was badly damaged by fire in 2013 and has since been restored. It's private, so admire it from the quay.

Is Berthillon worth the queue?

Here's the island's sweetest story. In 1954, Raymond Berthillon began making ices at his shop on Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île. Seventy years on, the name is still the one Parisians mention first when you ask about ice cream.

Ice cream in November? Plenty of Parisians keep the ritual going all winter, and the queue is shorter. Just know that the shop has traditionally closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and for several weeks in summer, so check the official website before you go.

How to pair the Île Saint-Louis with Notre-Dame

The easy plan: see Notre-Dame in the morning, then walk around the cathedral to the back and cross the Pont Saint-Louis. Wander the main street, loop along the quays, and finish with a cone. From there, the Pont Marie takes you straight to the Right Bank and the edge of the Marais, which makes a perfect afternoon.

In November the light goes early, and the quays turn golden in the late afternoon. That's the moment to be on the island, when the day-trippers have left and the stone glows.

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