The Bastille fortress no longer exists, but its outline is marked on the ground, remains can be seen in the metro (line 5), and the square is free to visit day or night: allow 1 to 2 hours, or half a day with the Coulée Verte. Place de la Bastille (metro lines 1, 5 and 8) brings together the July Column, the Opéra Bastille, a big market and the bars of rue de Lappe. Where the 4th, 11th and 12th arrondissements meet, it stands on the site of the fortress stormed on July 14, 1789; the column rising at its center is crowned by the gilded Spirit of Freedom. The Port de l'Arsenal, rue de la Roquette and rue de Charonne are just steps away. True to its revolutionary past, the square is still a gathering point for rallies and demonstrations. At night the neighborhood changes character: bars, restaurants and concert venues make it one of the liveliest in Paris.
Highlights
The square and the July Column
A state prison and a symbol of royal power, the Bastille fortress was stormed on July 14, 1789, and torn down in the months that followed. Its outline is traced on the ground by a row of bronze studs and distinctive paving, notably on the rue Saint-Antoine side, and remains of its foundations can be seen inside Bastille metro station, on the line 5 platform. In the middle of the square, the July Column, inaugurated in 1840, honors those who fought in the July Revolution of 1830; it is topped by the Spirit of Freedom, a gilded statue by Auguste Dumont.
Visiting the July Column
The column can only be visited on a guided tour of about 1 hour 30 minutes, in French, in groups of up to 18 people, on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30pm and 4:30pm, booked in advance with the Centre des monuments nationaux. Price: €13, €6 for ages 7 to 17, free for under-7s. Tours meet in the courtyard of the Hôtel de Sully, 62 rue Saint-Antoine, 10 minutes before the start. Only the underground necropolis is open to visitors: the upper parts of the column are closed.
The Opéra Bastille
Opened on July 13, 1989, and designed by architect Carlos Ott, the Opéra Bastille is one of the two venues of the Paris National Opera. Its main auditorium, with more than 2,700 seats, hosts the company's large-scale opera and ballet productions.
The neighborhood: rue de Lappe, rue de la Roquette and rue de Charonne
Northeast of the square, short rue de Lappe is lined with bars and clubs, while rue de la Roquette and rue de Charonne mix restaurants, cafés, shops and designers' workshops. This is the heart of Bastille nightlife, especially busy at the end of the week.
Bastille market and Port de l'Arsenal
On Thursday and Sunday mornings, the Bastille market sets up along boulevard Richard-Lenoir, just north of the square: fruit and vegetables, cheese, fish and regional produce. To the south, the Port de l'Arsenal, where the Canal Saint-Martin meets the Seine, is home to pleasure boats and a garden running along the basin.
The Coulée Verte René-Dumont
Created by landscape architect Jacques Vergely and architect Philippe Mathieux, the Coulée Verte René-Dumont is a linear park laid out on the former Vincennes railway line. It runs for 4.5 km, starting on top of the Viaduc des Arts on avenue Daumesnil, a few minutes' walk from the square, and ends near the Bois de Vincennes.
What to do around Bastille
Two natural extensions of a Bastille visit: the Coulée Verte René-Dumont promenade, which starts close to Place de la Bastille (see our Coulée Verte itinerary), and Père-Lachaise cemetery, which you can reach on foot by walking up rue de la Roquette. Together they make it easy to fill a half-day around Bastille, mixing history, greenery and neighborhood life.
Practical info
Tips
- Visit Père-Lachaise cemetery in the afternoon, then walk back down rue de la Roquette (about 20 minutes) to reach Bastille's lively little streets in time for an evening drink. For the July Column, book well ahead: groups are capped at 18 people and there are only two tours a day, on weekends. On the square itself, the Opéra Bastille offers guided tours of its backstage areas in addition to its operas and ballets. A few minutes' walk east, the Aligre market is open every day except Monday; our complete guide to Bastille covers the neighbourhood in detail. To see real stones from the fortress, head to the Square Henri-Galli (boulevard Henri-IV), where stones from the Tour de la Liberté were re-erected. The easiest way to get here: Bastille metro (lines 1, 5 and 8), exit onto the square.
How to get there
Bastille metro station, served by lines 1, 5 and 8, has exits right onto the square. Buses 29, 69, 76, 86, 87 and 91 stop all around the square. We don't recommend driving: parking spaces are scarce and expensive.
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