Hôtel de Soissons

The single, tall stone column standing next to the circular Bourse de Commerce is the last physical trace of the Hôtel de Soissons. Built in the sixteenth century, this palace was originally commissioned by Queen Catherine de’ Medici, who sought a grand residence within the city walls after abandoning her project at the Tuileries Palace. She reportedly feared a prophecy that predicted her death near the site of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, and this new home allowed her to remain at a distance from that location.