This elegant plaza will captivate you. First, for its typical French architecture. The Place des Victoires is an archetypal example of a royal plaza designed like an open-air ball room to emphasize a statue of the king. It later served as model for many others of its kind in France.

Second, Place des Victoires is not short of sheer magic. The statue of Louis XIV-turned-Roman emperor and his rearing horse sits proudly in the middle of a circular plaza, lined with symmetrical buildings arranged in a crescent. The contrast between the splendid architectural austerity of the place and the decadent structure is remarkable. Don’t miss the nearby “Place des Petit Peres”, a little-known gem with its tiny church and old bakery shop.