MADELEINE, Square

And now that you've reached Place de la Madeleine, I recommend using the façade of the Neoclassical church in the center as a reference point and taking a walk around the square clockwise. Start from the beautiful palace at number 3 that was built in the middle of the 19th century by the architect Théodore Charpentier, who also designed the property at number 9, whose door embellished with delicate allegorical sculptures leads you to Galerie de la Madeleine.

The covered pedestrian passage opens onto Rue Boissy-d'Anglas, where you'll find the "terrasse" of Lucas Carton, a historic Parisian restaurant that was among the first restaurants in the capital to earn three stars, the highest international recognition, when the famous Michelin guide was created in 1933. If you are a lover of literature in addition to being a gourmet, you'll be thrilled to learn that the apartments above had tenants of the likes of the multifaceted artist Jean Cocteau and the sublime novelist Marcel Proust, who can be added to the long list of illustrious philosophers, politicians, playwrights, or historians who lived in the nearby palace at number 7.

Continuing along the sidewalk, you'll come across the famous and historic grocery store Hédiard at number 21, which is now more elegantly called a "boutique" after having undergone significant restyling after 150 years in business. Its gourmet delicacies compete with those of the neighboring and equally historic Fauchon, the absolute reference point for all the gourmets worldwide! If the products displayed in its inviting and imaginative displays aren't within your budget, you can still visit the stylish Fauchon cafeteria located between numbers 24 and 26.

And to finish off this long side of the rectangular square, the house at number 4 hosted the composer Camille Saint-Saëns in the second half of the 1800s; for 20 years he played the impressive organ installed inside the church that we will soon discover together.

FUN FACT: probably the most famous dish on the menu of the legendary restaurant Lucas Carton is the "Canard à l'Apicius", a duck dish with apples that was inspired by a recipe that dates back to the Roman Empire, just under two thousand years ago!