The beauty of Saint Germain des Prés

Saint-Germain-des-Prés... the name alone evokes the Parisian art of living! The district has grown up around its abbey over the centuries. The abbey was founded in the middle of the 6th century by the Merovingian king Childebert I and the bishop of Paris, Saint Germain. Today, it is the oldest church in Paris, with foundations dating back to 543. It regularly hosts classical music and jazz concerts. The Hotel Delavigne is just a five-minute walk from Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés and its famous cafés, Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore, where you can watch the incessant ballet of Parisian life from their terraces. A stone's throw away, the Place de Furstenberg is a little jewel, planted with paulownias and home to the Eugène Delacroix museum.

On the banks of the Seine, opposite the Pont des Arts, the Institut de France, easily recognisable by its imposing golden dome, houses the five academies (the Académie française, the Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, the Sciences, the Beaux-Arts and the Sciences Morales et Politiques). A little further on, the Musée d'Orsay, internationally renowned for its rich collection of Impressionist art, reveals its proud silhouette, designed for the 1900 Universal Exhibition. At the end of Rue du Bac, a pretty shopping street in the 7th arrondissement, the famous Bon Marché Rive Gauche and the Grande Epicerie de Paris are a must for gourmets and shopping enthusiasts.

On the way back to the hotel, in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a stop at the church of Saint-Sulpice is a must. before taking a well-deserved break in the Jardin du Luxembourg or visiting the Musée du Luxembourg, which hosts a number of renowned temporary exhibitions.