Already we had fulfilled one of the broader aims of these Heritage Days – to bring citizens together in harmony even though there are differences in culture and language. Off to a good start.
Several centuries ago Cardinal de Richelieu hired French architect Jacques Lemercier to design a residence in the ritzy 1st arrondissement – opposite the north wing of the Louvre.
Richelieu was the king’s chief minister and wanted to be closer to the royal residence. Naturally Richelieu and everyone else called his new home Palais Cardinal. But he got to enjoy his splendid home for only thirteen years. Since Richelieu bequeathed the building to the crown, when he died in 1642, Louis XIII became title holder. Louis was comfortable living in the Louvre so the Cardinal's Palace became a residence for other royals, which led to the change of name.
Louis Phillipe II had control of the Palais Royal from 1780. He did a bit of renovating and in 1784 this elegant piece of architecture was transformed into a shopping and entertainment complex and became one of the most successful retail outlets in Paris.
Clientèle spanned the classes, from the common man to those with a title. There were boutiques, a hair salon for powdering all those piled up wigs, bookshops and cafés where one could find riveting and sophisticated conversation. And if one looked carefully, one could also find a spot of unabashed debauchery.
There was also a theatre at the Palais Royal shopping mall. It became the home of the Comédie-Française, which is still there today as are shops and restaurants.
The courtyard of the Palais Royale contains a giant sculpture by Daniel Buren consisting of 260 black and white striped columns, known as Les Deux Plateaux. Not universally loved, it hides a series of ventilation grills and covers what was once a car park area.
The galerie d'Orléans leads to the Jardin du Palais Royal, the palace garden, formally laid out around a central fountain and is a popular place for Parisians to sit and enjoy a calm setting in the heart of the city.