Rue Chanoinesse

Rue Chanoinesse is defined by its narrow, cobblestone path and a collection of ancient buildings that escaped the extensive nineteenth-century demolitions of Baron Haussmann. Tucked behind Notre-Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité, this street once served as the primary artery of the Cloître Notre-Dame, a walled clerical enclosure that functioned as an independent city within the city. During the Middle Ages, this district was reserved exclusively for the canons who served the cathedral. Access was restricted by four gates that were locked every night, and residents lived under rules that granted them tax exemptions dating back to the time of Charlemagne.