Extending over more than twenty hectares, the Jardin des Plantes park is a green lung in the heart of Paris. Home to the National Museum of Natural History, it also houses a menagerie with thousands of animal species. Formerly known as the “King’s Garden”, it is now a green space well known to Parisians for its English or French gardens and its greenhouses which house exotic plants.

Not far from there, the small steep alleys invite us to stroll like the rue Mouffetard, one of the oldest streets in Paris. It exudes a typical and charming atmosphere, which you will be happy to soak up with its old signs and its many restaurants. The district is endowed with an exceptional historical heritage, such as the Arènes de Lutèce on rue Monge, one of the only heritages of the Gallo-Roman era still visible in Paris. On Place du Puits de l’Ermite, the Grande Mosquée de Paris, the oldest mosque in France, is located. At its centre is a sublime patio surrounded by sculpted arcades and the prayer room decorated with mosaics and woodwork.

With its historical elements mixed with today’s dynamism, this rich neighbourhood on the left bank is a brilliant refuge for families and students who will find green spaces, universities and a multitude of coffee shops.

Since the foundation of the Sorbonne in the 13^th century, the district has become a real student crossroads, home to many prestigious schools such as the Lycée Henri IV and the École Polytechnique. Numerous specialised bookshops have been set up there, giving students access to rare resources.

Inhabited by the Pantheon, the district has also acquired a strong historical character. This magnificent neo-classical building, which has become a temple to great men, is now home to many French figures such as Victor Hugo, Voltaire, Rousseau and Simone Veil.

Its winding streets, small shops and crowded cafés at the exit of the courtyards create a light and lively atmosphere, endowing the district with a unique charm.

A former religious stronghold of the capital, the district owes its name to the Val-de-Grâce abbey located on the Place Alphonse Laveran. A rare Parisian building in the Baroque style, this church was built by François Mansart on the orders of Queen Anne of Austria for the birth of Louis XIV. During the Revolution, the abbey became a military hospital, which has now been converted into a museum for the Army Medical Corps.

This district is also home to numerous university sites and research institutes such as the Curie Institute, one of the most important in France. Rue d’Ulm is home to the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs, which has held a prominent place in the history of creation and design in France for many years. Restructured by the famous architects Philippe Starck and Luc Arsène-Henry in 2004, the building has a strong identity with its white Carrara marble façade.