 | To
wander through the twisting narrow streets of this fascinating old Quartier is
to discover the soul of Paris : here, a plaque on a facade is a reminder of a
famous personage ; there, a marker recalls an event from the distant past ; or
yet again, at a street corner, a plaque stands as a memorial to a young Parisian
who gave his life for the liberation of this city beloved by so many throughout
the ages. A story has it that one February day in 1596 our good King Henry IV
passed in front of what is now La Résidence after a rendezvous with his
mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrée. Still musing on this gallant encounter and
the lady's charms, he is said to have remarked to a companion, "Ici gît
mon coeur" ("Here lies my heart"). |  |  |  |  |