Kilometer zero, Parvis and crypte archeologique

From Paris Hotels Reviews

The kilometer zero, Parvis and crypte archeologique

Notre-Dame isn’t only at the heart of Paris, it’s also the symbolic heart of the country – outside on the pavement by the west door is a spot, marked by a bronze star, known as kilometer zero, from which all main-road distances in France are calculated.

The large windswept square, built in Haussmann in the 1860s, in front of the cathedral is known as the Parvis (from “paradise”) Notre-Dame – or at least it was until 2006, when it was renamed by the City of Paris as the Parvis Notre-Dame/place Jean Paul II, amid protest from green, gay, AIDS and pro-choice groups, unhappy about honouring a pope known for his uncompromising stance on contraception and abortion (although it’s hard to see how their alternative proposal – “Esplanade des Religions et de la Conscience Universelle” – could have caught on).

For an idea of what the square might have looked like before Haussmann came along, it’s worth descending the steps at the far end into the atmospherically lit crypte archeologique (Tues-Sun 10am-6pm; €3.30). This large excavated area under the parvis reveals remains of the original cathedral, Saint Etienne, as well as vestiges of the streets and houses that once clustered around Notre-Dame; most are medieval, but some date as far back as Gallo-Roman times and include parts of a Roman hypocaust (heating system).