Conference > Around the Museum

There are many brasseries and cafés, as well as cheap fast-food restaurants(kebab, Libanese snacks, bakeries, and sandwich shops) around the MNHN, for example near the Métro stations Jussieu (lines 7, 10) and Censier-Daubenton (line 7).

Below you will find a few suggestions of what you can do or see around the MNHN, during lunch time or after the conference (besides the Jardin des plantes itself).

At 5 mn walking distance:

• Arènes de Lutèce (Roman arenas), 45 rue Monge, Paris 5e

One of the only two visible remains of Roman architecture in Paris. You can relax and have a pic-nic there.

• Jardins Tino Rossi (Sculpture garden), 2 quai Saint-Bernard, Paris 5e

Small garden along the Seine waterfront. You can also have a pic-nic there and admire the sculptures of Brancusi, Zadkine, Cesar, and others famous artists.

• La Grande Mosquée (The Great Mosque), 2bis Place du Puits de l'Ermite, Paris 5e

You can visit the great Mosque, have an oriental meal in its restaurant or enjoy a mint tea with oriental sweets in its charming patio or tea room (39, rue G.St Hilaire). The Mosque also hosts a hammam, open for women only.

• Institut du monde arabe (Institute of the Arabic world), 1 Rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard Paris 5e

The place to discover the Arab-Islamic civilisation, in a building designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel. It hosts artistic and cultural exhibits, a library, restaurants serving oriental food and a coffee-shop.

At 10-20 mn walking distance:

• Cité de la mode et du design (City of fashion and design), 34 quais d'Austerlitz, Paris 13^e

In a building overhanging the river Seine, a place dedicated to fashion and design. It presents different events, exhibits and installations all year round, including an urban agricultural project on its rooftop, for the "botanical reconquest of the city!" It hosts many restaurants and coffee-shops.

• Rue Mouffetard et place de la Contrescarpe

From the Square Saint Médard, go up the lively street Mouffetard until the "place de la Contrescape". It is a touristic area but still charming, with plenty of restaurants (Greek and traditional French). The square, bordered by "bistros", is a meeting place for students and very often live music is played there.

• Panthéon and Quartier latin

The Pantheon is a neo-classical building where great French personalities are inhumated. It is in the heart of the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter), which means lots of historic universities (La Sorbonne), and therefore lots of students. Go up and down the very old streets like "Rue de la Montagne Sainte Geneviève"

• Notre-Dame-de-Paris (Paris Cathedral)

Located on the "Ile de la Cité", the cathedral stands in a very scenic setting. You will arrive from behind the chevet of cathedral, by the bridge (pont) of l'Archevéché, heavy with tons of padlocks that lovers have tied to the grids. Make a pause in the square Jean XXIII located just nearby.

• Ile Saint-Louis

In the heart of the historical Paris, a beautiful small island with nice perspectives on the Seine, streets bordered by typical old Parisian buildings. Very touristic, so lots of shops, among which Bertillon, the most famous Parisian ice-cream manufacturer (29-31 Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île).