Why go
Lutetia explains why Roman Paris is found on both sides of the Seine. The later retreat to the island also helps make sense of the city’s enduring centre around Notre-Dame. Pair this chapter with the Left Bank’s Roman traces and a walk across the island.
The full story
Under Roman rule, Lutetia grew and adopted Roman forms, though it was not the chief city of its province. Its development extended onto the Left Bank, where public buildings once stood. In the later third century, raids by Germanic groups made that exposed area less secure. Many residents moved toward the Île de la Cité, and stone from abandoned Left Bank monuments helped build a defensive wall around the island. The island then gained new buildings, including baths and a basilica; remains were found beneath the square in front of Notre-Dame. The city’s name also changed over time from Lutetia to the City of the Parisii, and eventually Paris. In the late fifth century Clovis, ruler of the Franks, entered the city and made it his capital. A visit to the island therefore joins two transitions at once: Roman urban life contracted toward the river’s refuge, then the Frankish kingdom gave Paris a new political future.