This picture is interesting for a couple of reasons. If you’ve been in Paris (and other parts of France), you know that they don’t have free-standing street signs like we do. And because of that, you know to look to the sides of the buildings for the familiar plaques of blue enamel which provide the street or place name as well as the arrondissement—in this case, I was in the 18th. (By the way, prior to the blue enamel signs, medieval Paris had street signs carved into the buildings.)
The person to thank for much of the city planning is the comte de Rambuteau, Prefect of the former Department of the Seine from 1833 until 1848. He established the groundwork for the transformation of Paris that Baron Haussmann eventually carried out (more about Haussmann later). In 1844, he made this one small but enduring (and endearing) change in the appearance of the city. Rambuteau also has a rue (street) named after him— which borders the Pompidou Center and is one of my “landmarks” as I scurry around the Marais—and a Metro station. This information is thanks to a book I brought with me, “Paris, a Literary Companion,” which includes all sorts of tidbits of information that I’ve never read or heard about before. The other interesting note about this picture is the 13 BIS address sign. BIS is similar to how we use ½ in a US address; for example, you may live at 136 Main Street while your neighbor lives at 136 ½ Main Street. In this case, one person lives at 13 Place Emile Goudeau and another lives at 13 BIS Place Emile Goudeau. My new French dictionary defines BIS as “encore” (which is French, actually, for “again.”) Additionally, in music, BIS means again or twice. Rolinka thought it was very funny that we use ½. 
PS - I’ve talked about arrondissements in Paris but maybe haven’t explained them well. They go back earlier than the French Revolution and divide Paris into 20 areas. In 1860, the numbers were changed starting from the heart of Paris and circling outwards clockwise like a snail shell (l’escargot de Paris). BTW, Paris is relatively small (about 40 square miles); if you stick to the city center, practically every interesting spot is within walking distance.
Ile de la Cite, where Notre-Dame sits, is the heart and considered kilometer zero from which all distances to other cities in France are measured. This is a picture of that "mark" in front of the cathedral; you can barely read zero on the much-worn sign in the pavement.
PS - I’ve talked about arrondissements in Paris but maybe haven’t explained them well. They go back earlier than the French Revolution and divide Paris into 20 areas. In 1860, the numbers were changed starting from the heart of Paris and circling outwards clockwise like a snail shell (l’escargot de Paris). BTW, Paris is relatively small (about 40 square miles); if you stick to the city center, practically every interesting spot is within walking distance.Ile de la Cite, where Notre-Dame sits, is the heart and considered kilometer zero from which all distances to other cities in France are measured. This is a picture of that "mark" in front of the cathedral; you can barely read zero on the much-worn sign in the pavement.
