Climbing the Tower John without Fear

Climbing the Tower John without Fear (Tour Jean sans Peur) in Paris was one of my more interesting “museum experiences”. No, there is nothing “fearful” about climbing the tower despite the title of the post.  The staircase is winding but not difficult and each level of the tower yields a bit of history, thus making each landing a bit of a museum tour.

Tower of John without Fear (Tour Jean sans Peur)

A Bit of History

Jean sans Peur was the Duke of Burgundy in the 1400s. This tower (tour) is the last vestige of the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. Were the house still here, it would be listed as a Hôtel particulier much like the house where the Musée Carnvalet is today.  Barely a two city block walk from Eglise St-Eustache in the second arrondissement, its definitely worth a visit. However, plan your visit carefully because it is only open in the afternoons, Wednesdays through Sunday.

Top floor with a rotating display of period dress.

The grand staircase of the Louvre of Charles V, influenced the Tower of John without Fear. Charles V is also the monarch who completed work in the late 1800s on the hunting lodge we know as Château de Vincennes.

This wall plate on the exterior of the tower tells the reader that the tower (and house ) were originally against the city wall built by Philippe Auguste.

Original floor tiles

Marks such as this can be found in many of the older buildings as they are the “signature” of the builder.

Sharing a Courtyard

Today, the Tour Jean sans Peur shares a courtyard with a local primary school. The laughter of the children at play followed us up the stairwell as we climbed to the top. The vault over this stair is an amazing tree structure oak and hawthorne. It’s pretty incredible to see!

Tree vault over the stairs

More of the oak and hawthorne carvings

Neighborhood Attractions

Once I finished viewing the Tower of John without Fear museum, I walked back down rue Etienne Marcel to the Palais Royal garden. I love this garden that is so secluded from the noise of its busy neighborhood. If you are more in the mood to shop then you are now close to Galerie Vivienne which has several nice boutiques and cafes.