NEIGHBORHOOD

RARE PUBLIC GARDENS NEARBY:

In Gros-Caillou, you’re only a few blocks from the beautiful gardens of the Champ de Mars – a bonus as there are few parks in Paris. Take long walks, go jogging or bring your children to one of four playgrounds as the Parisians do. There are basketball courts, grassy knolls to picnic on, an antique puppet theater and bike rentals. Or simply do as generations of Parisians have done — enjoy sitting on a wooden bench in the sunshine, soaking up the sights and sounds of Paris, the most beautiful city in the world.

SURROUNDED BY PARIS MUSEUMS AND LANDMARKS:

The 7th is home to some of the most beautiful and famous museums and landmarks in the world. With continually changing exhibitions, you’ll visit them as part of every stay.

Walk to the Musée Rodin  on rue de Varenne and picnic among his awesome sculptures such as The Thinker and the Burghers of Calais in the beautiful gardens. Visit the Musée du quai Branly, which houses one of the most beautiful ethnic arts collections in the world. The architecture and pampas grasses that surround the museum are worth a visit alone, but the constantly changing exhibits are what make you want to return time and again. The Musée d’Orsay and the Musée du Louvre  are along the river, a beautiful walk or a quick hop on the RER, direct.

Visit Les Invalides where Napoléon is buried and plan on spending time in the Musée de l’Armée, the largest military museum in the world. Learn more about the Musée de l’Armée and tomb of Napoléon.

Less well-known, but equally interesting, are the Musée national Eugène Delacroix and the Musée Maillol. Featuring works by each of these artists, they are worth visiting time and again.

Cross the river at the beautiful Pont Alexandre III to enjoy the Grand Palais, with its constantly changing art exhibitions. The Petit Palais is opposite, created for the Great Exposition of 1900, with rotating exhibitions and permanent displays of paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin, Fragonard and more. Find the Palais de la Découverte that features interactive science and art sciences exhibits, great for children and families alike.

Across the river in the 16th arrondissement, you’ll find the Musée de l’Homme and Cité de l’architecture next to the Trocadero. Not to be missed is the Musée national des arts asiatiques Guimet nearby in the 16th arrondissement, one of the most beautiful Asian museums in the world. Musée de mode is located just across the river in the 16th and a must for fashion lovers. It’s housed in Palais Galliera, a mansion from the 1800s.

WALKING DISTANCE TO LANDMARKS, MONUMENTS AND OTHER FAVORITE PARIS DESTINATIONS:

What we love about the location is that the 7th is walking distance to other favorite neighborhoods – from favorite restaurants, to shops, bistros and boutiques in the 8th, 6th, 15th and 14th arrondissements — a rare location. For example, there are excellent and affordable fashion boutiques spread throughout rue Saint-Dominique and rue de Grenelle. For more, simply cross the river to the 8th arrondissement and shop at the grand couturiers in what’s known as the Triangle d’Or. This is home to many of the great designers, both French and Italian – from Chanel to Louis Vuitton’s flagship store, Hermès, Dior, Galliano, Jimmy Choo and many, many more. Alternatively, enjoy the best designer discount stores in Paris across the river in the 16th arrondissement.

Cross the Alma Bridge to enjoy three-star dining at Le Cinq located inside the Four Seasons Georges V hotel, or dine at the equally delicious restaurant in the famous Plaza Athénée hotel, where the last episode of Sex and The City was filmed. Reserve a table at the gourmet restaurant on the top of the Eiffel Tower. There is so much choice and this is what we love about the location.

Located nearby is the American Library in Paris, an institution in Paris for expats that dates from pre-World War I. Central to expatriate life in Paris, attend author book signings, frequent lectures by well-known authors or simply check out a book, use the internet or catch up on the news. You’re able to stay connected with other expatriates who love Paris as much as you do when you live nearby.

OPEN AIR MARKETS: PARIS’ GOURMET DELIGHT

The 7th is home to more open-air markets in Paris than anywhere else in Paris; for this reason alone, we love to live here. Open-air markets have been in existence since the early 1500s and are a staple for Parisians. Here is where you find the freshest and best foods from all around France. French farmers, fishermen, dairy farmers, goat cheese experts, even pâté, wine and olive oil makers, flower growers and perfume makers and more bring in their wares fresh from the countryside to sell them in these enormous open-air markets. Find out more about the open-air markets in Paris.

Boulevard de Grenelle

Explore Boulevard de Grenelle’s open market on Wednesdays and Sundays, especially the antiques and brocante section on Sunday mornings. A large market located under the metro arches, this market is more price conscious than others and favorites include great household goods along with excellent produce. Nearby is a big Monoprix, the French version of Target and other great shops on rue du Commerce.

Avenue de Saxe

Avenue de Saxe’s open market is open on Thursdays and Saturday mornings. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful markets in Paris, with stunning views of École Militaire and the Eiffel Tower.

Pont de l’Alma

This is one of the largest open markets in Paris and is a must for locals on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Simply cross the Pont de l’Alma, a few minutes’ walk from the Eiffel Tower. Small merchants come from the countryside and sell their pâté, local wines, cheeses, fresh flowers, fresh fish, fresh-baked breads, and even escargot. You’ll find yourself wandering up to the Trocadéro, where you can stop and admire the view across the Seine toward the Eiffel Tower, as you head home with your packages.

Rue Cler

Rue Cler is a beautiful cobble-stoned market street and open all week. Sunday is one of the busiest days, as French families flock here to buy ingredients for their Sunday lunch. Please note that many shops are closed on Mondays.

GYMS AND SPORTS:

Jog, bicycle or walk along the Champs de Mars gardens or Seine River daily. Alternatively, play basketball in the Champs de Mars, play tennis at the courts near the Eiffel Tower or swim in the nearby pool. There are several good gyms located nearby with attractive membership fees.

FINDING THE BEST PARIS APARTMENT FOR YOU:

Locating the best Paris apartment for you is about location and the feeling that grabs you when you walk into an apartment. Remodeled or not, the features, light and views will tell you everything. We believe location is extremely important; our personal choice is to invest in unquestionably the most desirable neighborhoods in Paris. Real estate values are among the highest in the 7th and have maintained their value and risen during good times and bad.

The 7th is one of the most sought-after arrondissements by both Parisians and foreigners alike, an important indicator. Maintaining its charm as a Parisian village where generations of Parisians live, it is full of affordable restaurants, cafés, bistros and fashion boutiques.

To us, there is nothing more beautiful than taking a stroll along the romantic Seine at sunset, watching the sky turn from yellow to pink to midnight blue, as it sets behind beautiful ancient monuments and rooftops. As the sun has finished setting, we watch the lights start to glow on La Grande Dame de Paris then sparkle. Whether our first time in Paris or our fiftieth, we feel so lucky and special to be here!

Harlan Coben from Long Lost:

“But more than that, Paris makes you feel alive. Makes you want to feel alive. You want to do and be and savor when you are here You want to feel, simply feel, and it doesn’t matter what. All sensation is heightened Paris makes you want to cry and laugh and fall in love and write a poem and make love and compose a symphony.”