Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole, Île de la Cité

Last Updated on 7th June 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

Scroll through the #paris filter on Instagram, particularly when looking through photos of Île de la Cité and it’s almost certain you’ll spot the cute little café of Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole among snaps of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. Here’s how to visit Au Vieux Paris, as well as a history and what to know before visiting.

The café is located very centrally- barely 100 meters away from Notre Dame to be precise. And it’s in one of my favourite ‘quartiers’, Île de la Cité. You’d think that this central location of the café and its obvious pleasing aesthetic would mean that it was always really busy, and therefore hard to get a table at.

However, I’ve never seen it too busy, although often people will turn down the street to take a quick snap! It turns out that Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole is yet another of Paris’ ‘well-kept secrets‘. It’s a refuge from the usual hustle and bustle of Île de la Cité, not to mention that it’s the backdrop for the urban legend of the affaire de la rue des Marmousets.

Nestled at no. 24 on a little street named ‘Rue Chanoinesse,’ formerly known as ‘Rue des Marmousets‘, a step down this street is like heading straight into the very underbelly of medieval Paris. Spared the massive overhaul of Haussmann architecture in the 19th Century, you’ll wish that walls could talk when you walk down this road.

A history of Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole

If you’re looking for a true Parisian experience, then there are few cafés like it left in the city. Plus, Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole is as old as its name suggests! Constructed in 1512, around the same time Notre Dame cathedral was completed, the building was once home to the Canon of the nearby cathedral.

By the 18th century, it had been purchased by a private citizen and was turned into a wine bar. It has remained a place for Parisians to congregate to eat and drink ever since. Today, the best cafe in Paris is a great place to stop, sit and have a glass of wine.

I’ve been told that the food is quite good too! Oh, and if you love photography, then there is wisteria throughout the spring and summer, and always a good Christmas display in the winter! The wisteria is a rare exception in the city.

At 7 meters tall, the mayor’s office of Paris has given the café a special permit to allow it to carry on growing the impressive plant.

The interior of au Vieux Paris d’Arcole

As well as boasting one of the most beautiful café exteriors in Paris, the interior of the restaurant is simply breathtaking. Set over two floors, the ground floor level comes complete with a vintage bar and authentic tavern feel, while the upper floor boasts several seated dining areas. 

Once you’re at the top of the stairs, you’ll be greeted with a small ante-chamber room that has several dining tables and a cosy fireplace. To the left-hand side a room opens up which is decorated in mustard yellow and green.

Directly ahead of you once at the top of the stairs, you’ll go through a semi open plan partition wall and enter the largest of the upstairs rooms, which seats plenty of guests and even offers views onto the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral.

Places to visit close to Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole

Gravestone Courtyard

Perhaps rather macabrely, the café is situated right next to a courtyard which is paved with repurposed gravestones. But then again, you’re never far from history in the city of lights and Number 26 Rue Chanoinesse is no exception.

The gravestones were taken from a nearby church after it was pulled down in the 18th Century to make way for the iconic wide boulevards that line the city today.

Rue des Chantres

located in the heart of Île de la Cité tucked away behind Notre Dame and along a small side street mere metres from the Seine, rue des Chantres lies hidden away.

This little lane, one of the narrowest in all of Paris, is a relic from times gone by and a survivor of architectural features that have since been lost in much of the city.

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Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A Francophile at heart, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She splits her time between Paris and London and travels as much as she can! Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.

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