In the seventeenth century the island took on a new commercial role in the city's economy. Louis XIV ordered the old city wall of Charles V to be demolished, removing the physical barrier between the city centre and the upstream areas. This led to the development of the Port Saint-Paul on the north bank, facing the Île Louviers. Boats laden heading downstream came with the current down the narrow arm of the Seine passing the island to reach the port. Those heading back upstream were hauled by horses along the banks of the Île Louviers.
