Fodor's Expert Review Rue du Bœuf

Like parallel Rue St-Jean, Rue du Bœuf has traboules, courtyards, spiral staircases, towers, and facades. The traboule at No. 31 hooks through and out onto Rue de la Bombarde. At No. 19 is the standout Maison de l'Outarde d'Or, so named for the great bustard, a gooselike game bird, depicted in the coat of arms over the door. The late-15th-century house and courtyard inside have spiral staircases in the towers, which were built as symbols of wealth and power. Number 20 conceals one of the rare open-shaft spiral staircases allowing for a view all the way up the core. The Hotel Tour Rose at No. 22 has, indeed, a beautiful tour rose (pink tower) in the inner courtyard. At the corner of Place Neuve St-Jean and Rue du Bœuf is the famous sign portraying the bull for which Rue du Bœuf is named, the work of the Renaissance Italy–trained French sculptor Jean de Bologne.