The oldest monumental square in Paris -- and one of hypnotic beauty -- place des Vosges was laid out by Henri IV at the start of the 17th century. Originally known as place Royale, it has kept its Renaissance character nearly intact, Henri IV's precise proportions giving it a placid regularity, although its buildings have been softened by time, their pale pink brick crumbling slightly and the darker stone facings pitting with age. It stands on the site of a former royal palace, the Palais des Tournelles, which was abandoned by the Italian-born queen of France Catherine de' Medici when her husband, Henri II, was fatally lanced in the eye during a tournament here in 1559. It was always a highly desirable address, reaching a peak of glamour in the early years of Louis XIV's reign, when nobles were falling over themselves for the privilege of living here. The two larger buildings on either side of the square were originally the king's and queen's pavilions. The statue in the center is of Louis XIII, a 19th-century remake of the 17th-century original, which was melted down in the Revolution. In 1800, under Napoléon, the square's name was changed in honor of the French département of the Vosges, the first in the country to cough up its taxes under the post-Revolution system. With its arcades, symmetrical buildings, and trim green garden bisected by gravel paths, the square achieves harmony and balance. Grab an arcade table at one of the many cafés lining the square -- even a simple cheese crepe becomes a feast in this setting. To get inside one of the imposing town houses, visit the Maison de Victor Hugo, at No. 6. Métro: Chemin Vert.