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This imposing palace has been the official residence of the President of the French Republic since 1873. It was built as a private mansion in 1718 and subsequently owned by Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV, who extended the English-style gardens to the Champs-Elysées. Napoleon signed his second abdication here in 1815.

Built in 1718, after the Revolution this elegant palace was turned into a dance hall, then, in the 19th century, became the residence of Napoleon’s sister Caroline Murat, followed by his wife Empress Josephine. His nephew, Napoleon III, also lived here while plotting his 1851 coup. Since 1873 it has been home to the president of France. For this reason, it is worth noting that the palace guards don’t like people getting too close to the building, especially when there are VIPs inside.

Marie de Médicis had architect Salomon de Brosse model this palace after her childhood home, the Pitti Palace in Florence. Shortly after its completion she was exiled by her son, Louis XIII. It was seized from the crown during the Revolution to become a prison. The building now houses the French Senate.

This former royal palace now houses State offices. Built by Cardinal Richelieu in 1632, it passed to the crown on his death 10 years later and was the childhood home of Louis XIV. The dukes of Orléans acquired it in the 18th century.

In the late 18th century this former royal palace and garden underwent extensive changes under the dukes of Orléans. The architect, Victor Louis, was commissioned to build 60 uniformly styled houses around three sides of the square and the adjacent theatre, which now houses the Comédie Française, France’s national theatre. Today the arcades house specialist shops, galleries and restaurants, and the courtyard is filled with striking modern works of art.

Patterned after the Pantheon in Rome, this domed late 18th-century church only served as a house of worship for two years, before becoming a monument and burial place for the great and the good of the Revolution era. Later distinguished citizens are also buried here.

The “little palace” echoes its neighbour in style. Set around a semi-circular courtyard, with Ionic columns and a dome, the building now houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris. This includes medieval and Renaissance art, 18th-century furniture and a collection of 19th-century paintings.

Renoir (1841–1919) is another artist who found inspiration in the Moulin de la Galette, when he lived at 12 rue Cortot. For a time he laid tables at Au Lapin Agile.

In 1607 Henri IV transformed this former royal garden into a triangular square and named it after his son, the Dauphin and future King Louis III. Surrounding the square were uniformly built houses of brick and white stone; No. 14 is one of the few that retains its original features. One side was destroyed to make way for the expansion of the Palais de Justice. Today this quiet, charming spot is a good place to watch locals play pétanque (see Pétanque).