Ah, Paris… The City of Love, the City of Lights – and also the city in which my main character, Ambrose, discovers that rescuing damsels in distress isn’t always necessarily a good idea.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit Paris twice, and it’s one of those places I’d happily return to again and again. From its magnificent architecture and world-famous museums to its beautiful gardens and delicious pastries, there’s so much to love about the French capital.
And, of course, there’s the history. Paris has centuries of fascinating stories tucked away in its streets, buildings and bridges – not to mention a few rather intriguing legends.
When I was writing Banshee’s Wail, the second story in my contemporary fantasy novel Myth Hunter, I wanted to revisit some of my favourite places in Paris. Since I couldn’t simply hop on a plane, I did the next best thing: I sent Ambrose traipsing through the streets on my behalf!
So, if you enjoy travelling vicariously through fiction, come along with me as we explore six famous Parisian landmarks that feature in Myth Hunter.
1. The Louvre – Art, Romance and a Mysterious Painting
Although I don’t write romance, and there’s very little romance in my Mythical Menagerie series, Ambrose’s visit to the City of Love is rather appropriate.
He arrives in Paris trying to forget about love, only to find himself falling for someone new.
And where does this happen? In the Louvre, of course!
Sarah is a detective inspector with London’s Metropolitan Police who previously worked on a case in which Ambrose was a prime suspect. She also happens to have a background in art history, so when they unexpectedly meet at the Louvre, she takes it upon herself to teach him about Renaissance paintings.
Naturally, they stop to admire Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa.
I was fortunate enough to see the painting myself, and while it’s undoubtedly beautiful, I have to admit that the experience was a little underwhelming. For one thing, the painting is surprisingly small! For another, the room is so crowded with tourists that it’s difficult to get close enough to properly appreciate that famous enigmatic smile.
Ambrose has much the same reaction.
But there’s another painting in the Louvre that catches Sarah’s attention – one that I invented specifically for the story. It depicts a mysterious woman dressed entirely in white, giving Sarah the perfect opportunity to introduce Ambrose to the French legend of La Dame Blanche.
More about her in a moment!
2. Jardin des Tuileries – A Royal Garden with Embarrassed Statues
Ambrose and Sarah hit it off so well during their visit to the Louvre that they decide to spend the rest of the day exploring Paris together.
Their first stop is the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries, situated right outside the museum.
This magnificent formal garden was originally created in 1564 for Catherine de’ Medici, who commissioned it as part of the Tuileries Palace grounds. It was later redesigned under Louis XIV and became a public garden during the French Revolution.
Today, it’s one of Paris’s most iconic green spaces, with its tree-lined pathways, fountains, sculptures and carefully manicured gardens.
It’s a wonderful place to wander around, particularly after spending hours indoors admiring paintings.
When I visited, I had a marvellous time embarrassing some of the garden’s more permanent residents.
I’m not entirely sure the statue appreciated my company, but I certainly enjoyed myself and made a few other tourists giggle!
3. Place de la Concorde – From Guillotines to Ice Cream
A short stroll from the Tuileries brings us to the Place de la Concorde, one of the largest and most famous public squares in Paris.
Today, it’s an impressive open space with magnificent fountains and an enormous Egyptian obelisk standing in the centre.
But this beautiful square has a rather gruesome history.
During the French Revolution, it was known as the Place de la Révolution and became the site of numerous public executions. Among those who met their ends beneath the guillotine were King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Not exactly the most romantic setting for a date, when you think about it!
Fortunately for Ambrose and Sarah, their visit is considerably more pleasant. Rather than witnessing any revolutionary bloodshed, they enjoy ice cream while riding on the carousel.
Which, I’m sure you’ll agree, is a much better way to spend an afternoon.
4. Pont Neuf and the River Seine – Dancing with a Ghost
One of my favourite things about Paris is the River Seine.
There’s something wonderfully atmospheric about strolling along its banks, admiring the houseboats and watching the magnificent old buildings rise above the water.
Ambrose and Sarah do exactly that during their sightseeing adventure.
But there’s one particular bridge that plays a rather more sinister role in Myth Hunter: the Pont Neuf.
Despite its name meaning “New Bridge”, the Pont Neuf is actually the oldest surviving bridge across the Seine in Paris.
And beneath its arches, Ambrose has a most unusual encounter.
Remember that mysterious woman in white from the Louvre?
Allow me to introduce you to La Dame Blanche.
The Legend of the White Lady
Les Dames Blanches, or White Ladies, are supernatural figures from French folklore, often described as ghostly women dressed entirely in white.
Depending on the particular legend, they can be friendly, mischievous or downright malevolent.
They’re frequently associated with bridges, ravines and lonely roads, where they sometimes demand that unsuspecting travellers dance with them.
Refusing to dance can bring terrible misfortune. But agreeing isn’t necessarily much safer, because in some versions of the legend, the unfortunate traveller is forced to keep dancing until he collapses from exhaustion – or even dies!
Naturally, I couldn’t resist introducing one of these fascinating creatures into Ambrose’s world.
When he encounters a mysterious White Lady beneath the Pont Neuf, he finds himself having to dance his way out of trouble.
Fortunately, Ambrose has watched enough episodes of Strictly Come Dancing to know a thing or two about impressing a lady on the dance floor.
Whether that’s enough to save him, though… well, you’ll have to read the book to find out!
5. The Eiffel Tower – A Parisian Icon That Almost Disappeared
What would Paris be without the Eiffel Tower?
It’s difficult to imagine the city’s skyline without this magnificent wrought-iron structure, but did you know that it was originally intended to be temporary?
The Eiffel Tower was constructed for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, a World’s Fair held to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution.
It was designed to stand for just twenty years before being dismantled.
And not everyone was pleased about its construction, either. Some prominent artists and writers considered the tower an absolute eyesore and protested against it.
Fortunately, its usefulness for scientific experiments and radio communications helped secure its future.
Today, of course, it’s one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world.
I’ve visited the Eiffel Tower myself, and I can certainly understand why it attracts millions of visitors every year. The views across Paris are spectacular, particularly as the sun begins to set and the city takes on that beautiful golden glow.
In Myth Hunter, Ambrose and Sarah end their day of sightseeing on the tower’s second level, watching the sunset over Paris.
And while Ambrose might not be particularly good at appreciating Renaissance paintings, I think even he can appreciate a view like that!
6. Notre Dame de Paris – A Cathedral, a Fire and an Author’s Dilemma
The final stop on our little tour is the magnificent Notre Dame cathedral.
And this one holds a particularly special place in my heart.
Notre Dame is one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, famous for its soaring towers, magnificent stained-glass rose windows, intricate stone carvings and imposing vaulted ceilings.
I had the privilege of visiting the cathedral before the devastating fire of April 2019, and I absolutely fell in love with the place.
Like millions of people around the world, I was heartbroken when I watched the news footage of flames engulfing its roof and spire.
But the fire also created a rather unexpected problem for me as an author.
When Real History Interferes with Fiction
You see, I’d already published Banshee’s Wail as a separate story in October 2018 – six months before the fire.
But I was still working on Myth Hunter, the full book that would eventually incorporate Banshee’s Wail and several other connected adventures.
And suddenly, I had a decision to make. Should I include the Notre Dame fire in the story? Or should I pretend it had never happened?
The cathedral plays an important role in Ambrose’s adventures, and I like to keep my stories as close to real life as I can.
In the end, I decided to acknowledge the fire by having Ambrose watch it unfold on television.
Which seemed like a perfectly sensible decision at the time. But now, years later, I rather regret it.
By mentioning such a specific real-world event, I’ve firmly anchored my story to a particular moment in history – something I probably should have avoided for my fiction.
Still, it’s done now, and I suppose it gives the book a little piece of real-world history of its own.
Fortunately, Notre Dame reopened in December 2024 after years of painstaking restoration, and I’d absolutely love to return to Paris to see it again.
As for what happens when Ambrose visits the cathedral in Myth Hunter…
Well, let’s just say that his tendency to get involved in other people’s problems lands him in considerably more trouble than he bargained for. And let that be a lesson to all who need to hear it: not all damsels in distress need to be rescued!
Paris, But with Magic!
One of my favourite things about writing contemporary fantasy is being able to take real places – places that you can actually visit – and imagine what might be hiding just beyond the ordinary.
A ghost beneath a bridge. A mysterious painting in a museum. Or a supernatural encounter in the shadow of a famous cathedral.
There’s something wonderful about wandering through a city like Paris and imagining all the extraordinary things that might be happening just out of sight.
And that’s exactly what I wanted to capture in Myth Hunter.
So, the next time you visit Paris, perhaps you’ll find yourself looking at those familiar landmarks a little differently.
After all, you never know what might be lurking beneath the Pont Neuf!
Have you ever visited Paris? Which landmark was your favourite? Or, if you haven’t been yet, which place would be at the top of your must-see list? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Want to explore Paris through Ambrose’s adventures?
Discover Myth Hunter, the first book in my Mythical Menagerie contemporary fantasy series, where mythical creatures walk among us and the ordinary world is never quite as ordinary as it seems.
