The Collège des Quatre-Nations , founded by Mazarin and built according to plans by Le Vau, became the headquarters of the Institut de France in 1805. The Institut comprises five academies, including the Académie Française , whose forty members gat..

This temple of science has over 3 000 inventions on display, divided into seven different sections and arranged chronologically. The museum, which provides an incomparable retrospective on the history of technical expertise via actual machines and sc..

This museum is housed in the Mining School, which has occupied the Hôtel de Vendôme since 1815. Its exhibits include precious stones, minerals, crystals and meteorites displayed in black light.

The former priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs has housed the Conservatory of Arts and Trades since 1799. From rue du Verbois, the remains of the surrounding wall of the priory are still visible; the monks’ refectory , built by Pierre de Montreuil , ..

The church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is known for its superb rood screen , its organs and Saint Geneviève, who is venerated here. The original façade , comprising three superimposed pediments, is emphasised by the upward sweep of the belfry. Inside ..

This building crowned by a dome was started in 1758 based on plans by Soufflot to replace the church of Sainte-Geneviève. No sooner was it completed than the Revolution turned it into a pantheon for the ashes of some of France’s greatest citizens (cr..

This palace now accommodates the Ministry of Culture and the Council of State. The courtyard is fronted by an imposing central façade surmounted by allegorical statues, and two wings lined by galleries. Between the courtyard and the garden, a double ..

This glass pyramid designed by Ieoh Ming Pei is in striking contrast to the exuberant façades of the old palace. Erected in the Cour Napoleon, this glass and steel structure, surrounded by pools and fountains, blends effortlessly into the landscape..

The Église St-Germain-des-Prés was once the church of a Benedictine abbey founded in the 8C. Only the sturdy tower on the façade remains from this earlier structure (the spire is a 19C addition). Inside, the Chapelle Saint-Symphorien was once part of..

Designed by Salomon de Brosse for Marie de Medici, this palace is French in style with Florentine touches. The main courtyard is enclosed by an arcaded gallery. The Doric ground floor with its semicircular openings adds to the robust overall appear..

During the Second World War, young jazz-lovers came to live in Saint-Germain-des-Prés to celebrate their music. Following the city’s liberation, the district became popular for its nightlife and jazz clubs, with artists and intellectuals such as Sidn..

The architect Victor-Louis was behind the design of this classical, symmetrical garden in an elegant and majestic setting. The arcades surrounding the square are lined by delightfully old-fashioned boutiques, some of which, despite their appearance, ..

When in 1732, after almost 100 years' work under six architects, the façade was to be built, the plans by Servandoni were chosen in a competition ... but the final version was somewhat different to the architect's original design. The interior is of ..

Along with the Musée de la Mode et du Textile and the Musée de la Publicité, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is part of a unique museum complex in France in the field of applied arts. It also includes the Musée Nissim-de-Camondo, the Bibliothèque des A..

These famous gardens are home to large hothouses full of tropical plants; a school of botany with 4 000 species of medicinal and edible plants; an ecological garden; an old arboretum where nature has re-exerted its influence to create an extraordinar..

Created by Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, the Natural History Museum displays its superb collections in the mineralogy, geology and comparative anatomy galleries , while the menagery , covering an area of 4 500m², is home to around a thousand animals. ..

The harmonious lines and perspectives of the gardens of the Palais du Luxembourg , designed in the French style, make this a delightful place for a stroll. The English style is also evident in the winding paths lining rue Guynemer and rue Auguste-Co..

Built according to the plans of François Mansart, this is without a doubt the most Italianate church in Paris. The dome, lower but more highly decorated than those of the Sorbonne and les Invalides, is inspired by that of St. Peter's in Rome. In the ..

In the 17C, the Bourbons owned a small property on this site formerly known as the "Vallée de la Grâce". Anne of Austria (1601-66) loved the spot and vowed to build a church here should she have a son. Her prayers were answered in 1638 with..

A work by Hardouin-Mansart, this architectural gem was designed as the setting for a monumental statue of Louis XIV. Destroyed during the Revolution, the statue has given way to the Austerlitz column . This famous square is fronted by the Ritz Hote..