Place du Carrousel

The Place du Carrousel takes its name from a spectacular equestrian pageant held here in June of 1662. King Louis the Fourteenth organized this grand festival to celebrate the birth of his first son. Instead of a traditional tournament, the event featured a series of elaborate drills and displays of horsemanship known as a carrousel. Fifteen thousand guests gathered in this space to watch noblemen in ornate costumes perform intricate maneuvers on horseback. This display of royal pageantry was so memorable that the name stuck, permanently defining the identity of this open square in the heart of the city.