The street borders the Palais de Justice to the west and the Place Dauphine to the east.

The street was named after Achille de Harlay (1536–1616), président à mortier and later the first speaker of the Paris Parlement.

The street ran along the wall of the bailiwick hall gardens, the Jardins du roi.

[4] But the Paris Police Prefecture, then located at Cour Harlay, occupied the empty houses after their owners were expropriated.

The even-number houses that delimited Place Dauphine were demolished in 1874 to clear the view on the new Palais.