The Faubourg St.-Germain area extends all along the Boulevard St.-Germain
from where it intersects the Seine down to the intersection at the Boulevard
St-Michel. This area of the left bank is very lively with its cafés
and stores always crowded. It is a great part of the city where people
are always out and there is so much to do.
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First of all, just take a long walk all up and down the Boulevard St.
Germain because there is so much to see. The architecture of the buildings
along here are fabulous and the trees lining the edges make it very picturesque.
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St-Germain-des-Prés is an abbey that dates back to 542. It
is incredibly old and full of history. Today it is covered with ivy and
surrounded by large trees.
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Théatre National de l'Odéon is a neoclassical theater
and once housed the Comédie Française.
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Institut de France is home to the Académie Française.
It is a very distinct and beautiful building situated on the Seine, so
be sure to stop by even though you cannot do in.
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Musée d'Orsay is a fabulous museum on the Seine and every
bit as worthwhile as the Louvre. It was an old train station for a while,
then converted to the museum it is now. Its' glass ceiling makes it very
bright and open and is a superb despign for a museum. It holds some of
the most recognizable works in Paris including: statues by Rodin, paintings
by Manet, Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Delacroix, and Degas. It is divided
into many sections including: Art Nouveau, Sculpture, Paintings before
1870, Impressionism, Neo-impressionism, and Naturalism. There is also a
really neat model of the entire area around the Opèra near the back
built right into the floor allowing you a bird's eye view of the design
of Paris' streets and buildings.
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