Follow in the footsteps of history to discover the hidden places,
extraordinary people, and captivating stories of Paris. Paris: Secret
Gardens, Hidden Places, and Stories of the City of Light, Mary
McAuliffe's multilayered exploration of Paris, weaves a narrative that
takes the reader into secret and hidden places, even in the midst of the
most well-known Paris destinations. McAuliffe's hidden places can be
small but are always revealing, whether a bas-relief on an ignored
corner of Notre-Dame or an overlooked courtyard inside an ancient and
busy hospital. She takes the reader below the streets and sidewalks of
Paris to discover ancient aqueducts and a lost river, and she prompts
the reader to notice overlooked treasures in the most trafficked of
museums. Always, McAuliffe's focus is on people and their stories. Evil
queens, designing noblemen, bold chevaliers, and desperate lovers mingle
with Resistance fighters and obsessed artists rising out of abject
poverty into unexpected fame and fortune, adding to the tidal wave of
creativity that is the lifeblood of the City of Light. One person,
place, and story lead to another, each linked by a common thread within
the layered richness of Paris's past. The story of Paris is not a
chronology but an exploration of the many layers of this remarkable city
throughout the ages.