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One of the stars of the Botanical Gardens, with more than 3,000 plants from the world’s many diverse Alpine regions. There are samples from Corsica to the Caucasus, from Morocco to the Himalaya.

The remains of the 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre from the settlement of Lutetia (see Roman Settlement) lay buried for centuries and were only discovered in 1869 during construction of the rue Monge. The novelist Victor Hugo, concerned with the preservation of his city’s historic buildings, including Notre-Dame (see The Man Who Saved Notre-Dame), led the campaign for the restoration. The original arena would have had 35 tiers and could seat 15,000 spectators for theatrical performances and gladiator fights.

Built for the daughter of Louis XIV in 1722, the Palais Bourbon has housed the lower house of the French parliament since 1827. The Council of the Five Hundred met here during the Revolution, and it was the headquarters of the German Occupation during World War II. Napoleon added the Classical riverfront façade in 1806 to complement La Madeleine (see Place de la Madeleine) across the river.

In the 19th century the Avenue Montaigne was a nightlife hotspot. Parisians danced the night away at the Mabille Dance Hall until it closed in 1870 and Adolphe Sax made music with his newly invented saxophone in the Winter Garden. Today this chic avenue is a rival to the rue Faubourg-St-Honoré as the home to more haute couture houses such as Christian Dior and Valentino. There are also luxury hotels, top restaurants, popular cafés and two theatres, the Comédie des Champs-Elysées and the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.

This enormous park is the Parisians’ favourite green retreat, especially on summer weekends when its 865 ha (2,135 acres) can become crowded. There is plenty to do, apart from simply walking and picnicking, such as cycling, riding, boating or visiting the various attractions. These include parks within the park, two race courses and an art and folk museum. The park is open 24 hours a day, but it should be avoided after dark.

To the southeast of the city centre lies the vast parkland of the Bois de Vincennes. Amid its greenery are three lakes, including a boating lake, along with the “Parc Floral” and its Four-Seasons Garden, a zoo, Buddhist Centre, and a summer amusement park. The beautiful Château de Vincennes, surrounded by a wall and a moat, was the French royal residence prior to the building of Versailles. After the Revolution Napoleon converted it into an arsenal.